In news that might just push us over the Edge (get it?) New Zealand is currently going through a chicken nugget shortage.
The food that has provided more comfort to us than any other snack, person, or thing, is facing shortages due to Covid and shortage of carbon dioxide (CO2), which helps to preserve the little pieces of heaven.
Egbert Segers, the CEO of Tegel Foods told the NZ Herald that several different things have led to a ‘perfect storm’ for a lack of chicken nuggets.
“It’s workforce shortages, it’s Covid, it’s seasonal illnesses and then it’s the CO2 shortage on top of all of that”, he said.
Well, Egbert, you didn’t have to break my heart like that.
CO2 is what’s used to preserve chicken nuggets and currently, our only supplier is doing maintenance, which makes it a lot harder to get for businesses that need it.
Michael Brooks from the Poultry Industry Association told the NZ Herald that companies that need the gas are only receiving about half of the CO2 they need.
“There are industry-wide CO2 shortages and companies need CO2 to make chicken nuggets. They are currently receiving 50 per cent of requirements.”
Although the lack of CO2 is a huge blow for chicken nuggie lovers, there might be a silver lining.
The supply of RTDs like Billy Mavs, Codys, and Diesels, which all the boys in our life just seem to love for some reason, has been slowed down due to the CO2 and other factors.
I guess we can be happy with the fact that there’ll be less bourbon and cola smells at any house parties this weekend, but we’d be fine with making those drinks plentiful if it meant we could munch on some chicken nuggets without wondering if it’ll be the last time we ever do it.
