(Reuters) – Supermarket chain Kroger Co is setting purchase limits on ground beef and fresh pork in some of its stores, CNN reported on Friday, amid growing concerns over meat shortages due to coronavirus-led supply disruptions.
The world’s biggest meat companies, including Smithfield Foods Inc, Cargill Inc, JBS USA and Tyson Foods, have halted operations at about 20 slaughterhouses and processing plants in North America as workers fall ill, stoking global fears of a meat shortage.
“We feel good about our ability to maintain a broad assortment of meat and seafood for our customers because we purchase protein from a diverse network of suppliers,” a Kroger representative told CNN. (https://cnn.it/2VRwAbs)
“There is plenty of protein in the supply chain. However, some processors are experiencing challenges.”
Earlier this week, President Donald Trump ordered meat-processing plants to stay open to protect the food supply in the United States.
Kroger did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
(Reporting by Aishwarya Venugopal in Bengaluru; Editing by Vinay Dwivedi)
