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Wendy’s short on tomatoes as produce prices soar

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Bad weather in various parts of the country, as well as Mexico is causing a severe shortage in two major produce items used in restaurants: tomatoes and lettuce.

Round tomatoes from Ingardia

Dozens of Southern California restaurants are facing double-digit increases in wholesale prices of lettuce and tomatoes because supplies are so tight. At least one fast-food chain, Wendy’s, has been telling customers that they’ll only serve tomatoes on request.

“We are now serving tomatoes on our hamburgers and chicken sandwiches, upon request only,” Wendy’s said in a statement released to The Register. “The decision was difficult to make, but necessary. However, since our sandwiches are made to order, our restaurant teams can easily make adjustments.”

Ryan O’Melveny Wilson, executive chef at the Five Crowns in Newport Beach, said every restaurant that uses romaine lettuce will see a price hike.

“It’s going to be a bumpy few weeks, and we can’t pass (price hikes) to guests,” O’Melveny Wilson said.

Five Crowns, which is closing temporarily late next month for a remodel, is among several local restaurants that get their produce supplies from Santa Ana-based Ingardia Brothers Produce.

Dave Samuels, sales manager at Ingardia, said “all types of lettuce and tomatoes have been hit particularly hard.”

So far Ingardia has been able to provide supplies to restaurant clients, albeit at a higher cost, he said.

“We have had non-customers try to buy product from us that they could not get from their current produce supplier and we have politely declined because we want to make sure we have enough product for our regular customers,” he said.

It’s unclear how long the shortage will last. According to Wendy’s, the tomato shortage is expected to continue until mid-April when a new crop of tomatoes should be available.

Earlier this week, the California Farm Bureau Federation released this statement about the produce shortage:

“An unusual combination of weather problems in various parts of North America has reduced supplies of several fresh vegetables. Freezes have hit Florida, Mexico, Arizona and Southern California in recent weeks. As a result, marketers say supplies have dropped for crops including bell peppers, cucumbers, lettuce and tomatoes. Produce brokers say supplies may be tight until California farms increase their shipments, beginning next month.”

Other fast-food chains such as McDonald’s and Jack in the Box said tight produce supplies have not impacted their restaurants.

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(Credit: Top photo of Yuma, Arizona field. Courtesy Ingardia)

Wendy’s short on tomatoes as produce prices soar is a post from: Fast Food Maven


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