Bad weather in Florida and California has led to a tomato shortage in the US, forcing fastfood restaurants, which use large quantities of the fruit, to take action.
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Recent hurricanes in Florida and heavy rain in California have damaged crops, pushing the price of tomatoes up 167% in October so far, reported Reuters.
Fastfood chain Wendy’s decided to cancel advertising for its Chicken Temptations sandwiches, which each include a slice of tomato, because of the shortage. The company said it would promote its Kids Meal and Homestyle Chicken Strips instead, but the last-minute change of plans would hit profits.
Another fastfood chain, Red Lobster, is having to change its recipes and attempt to find other varieties of tomatoes until the situation is resolved.
Burger King said the company plans to work on a region-by-region basis, informing customers in individual restaurants if there are no tomatoes available there.
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By GlobalDataTomato harvests were halted in California after heavy rain this week, threatening a supply deal between California growers and McDonald’s Japan, Reuters said.
