The international supply shortage has made its way to Northtown. Supply shortages are when a certain amount of a specific product or service runs out. This has been an ongoing problem because of factory shutdowns due to covid 19 all around the world. Shipping costs have skyrocketed as the number of employees has decreased yet the demand for items only increased, causing huge backlogs at shipping centers and factories. The ongoing pandemic as well reformatting within certain industries has caused mass supply chain disruptions, and there’s uncertainty within concerned governments of when it will end.
Three of the biggest food providers for the North Kansas City School District have dropped the district as a client because of this. The three companies that provided for the district were US Foods, Sysco, and Kohls. Of course, this doesn’t equate to students walking away with nothing for lunch but what is happening is an erratic menu. Jenna Kuth, the North Kansas City Schools Director of Food and Nutrition Services explained to KCTV5 that schools have adjusted by having to change their menu “on the fly,” which means the menu calendars that are available to students and parents are no longer correct. Students who have allergies or handicaps on the food they eat but rely on school lunches have been cornered to bringing their lunch or trusting that they may be able to find something. But the usual multiple options for lunches have been cut.
Sysco offered a statement on the matter, “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. We expect this to be a temporary situation”
Katie Rich a registrar at North Kansas City High School, who handles the official records of the school as well as attendance says to help with families that need food, she can help link them with a food sources and providers that are available. Many families rely on the district to be able to provide their kids with full school lunch as well as breakfast, and this supply shortage has a much bigger impact on them. If you’re able to bring your lunch to school it’s recommended to try.