Supply Chain Failure – Major food supplier halts deliveries, impacting Kansas restaurants
Major food supplier halts deliveries, impacting Kansas restaurants
Published: Aug. 2, 2021 at 9:32 PM UTC
MCPHERSON, Kan. (KWCH) – Major food distributor Sysco is halting deliveries to a number of restaurants in Kansas citing labor shortages in the industry.
Now, small businesses, like JD’s Kwik Burger, in McPherson, are left scrambling to find other options.
Owner Chaz Clark said she’s angry after just learning Sunday that she would not be getting her delivery for the week.
“My first reaction was to cry, just because it’s really overwhelming,” said Clark.
She said her phone has been ringing constantly, she’s losing business and there’s nothing she can do about it.
“Until I can find another vendor that can give me what my customers expect of me, until all of that works, I just have to roll with the punches right now,” she said.
Eyewitness News reached out to Sysco for more details on the issue. The company sent the following statement.
“Sysco regrets that we have had to delay or pause service for a limited number of customers in various locations. This is mainly due to unprecedented labor shortages in the industry. We are aggressively recruiting delivery partners and warehouse associates, and our goal is to restore service to our impacted customers as soon as possible.”
For now, Clark said she will do what she can to find solutions.
“I hope that’s the silver lining in all of this,” she said. “That I find the person who is good for me and good for JD’s.”
Other restaurants in the Wichita area say they too are impacted by Sysco’s halted deliveries.
Sysco would not say how many businesses are impacted or how long it will take to restore service.
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