Worker and CO2 shortages have been blamed for the limited supplies of chicken tenders and a lack of nuggets. Photo / Supplied
Worker and CO2 shortages have been blamed for the limited supplies of chicken tenders and a lack of nuggets. Photo / Supplied
They are the go-to kids' snack and a life-saver for the picky eater but those after chicken nuggets have found they've had to dig a bit deeper in the supermarket chiller lately.
The great chicken nugget shortage of 2022 is started to bite with children asking parents where the littlegolden nuggets have gone.
Egbert Segers, CEO of Tegel Foods said the "perfect storm" of the pandemic, winter and a CO2 shortage had limited the production of nuggets - and the slightly fancier tenders and burgers.
"It's workforce shortages, it's Covid, it's seasonal illnesses and then it's the CO2 shortage on top of all that," Segers said.
"Anything requiring high labour inputs for extra production is the first thing at risk."
Segers said it was hard to say when normal supplies would resume.
"All of the things at play are beyond the control of the suppliers – the worker shortage and the CO2 shortage - it is the world we live in and it is affecting a lot of businesses."
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is used to preserve the shelf life of chicken - as well as adding the fizz to drinks.
The closure of the Marsden Pt oil refinery in March meant the supply of CO2 had been limited.
Michael Brooks from the Poultry Industry Association of New Zealand said industries were only receiving half of the CO2 needed from the supplier.
"There are industry-wide CO2 shortages and companies need CO2 to make chicken nuggets. They are currently receiving 50 per cent of requirements."
Worker shortages because of Covid and the flu meant those in chicken production had to concentrate on products that were less labour intensive - such as whole chickens and chicken meat.
"Processed items have been affected more than most as further processing is more labour intensive," he said.
"Companies have focused on primary production [such as] whole carcasses."
Auckland mum of two Michelle Clarke joked the nugget shortage was a "national emergency".
"We've noticed there hasn't been any Waitoa nuggets for ages and have just switched brands," Clarke said.
"I prefer to buy the Waitoa nuggets because they are free-range but it's a fast easy meal option and when time-poor with kids, you just have to find the next best option."
Sons Eli and Roman Gallagher had accepted the change of brands without too much fuss.
Eli and Roman Gallagher love cooking nuggets in their air fryer after school - when they can find them. Photo / Supplied
"We've just been given an air fryer so the boys can cook their own nuggets," Clarke said.
The family were also keen to make their own nuggets.
"We've made our own chicken tenders and we've seen some nugget recipes pop up on TikTok so might try a few out and see how we go."
It's not just New Zealand that is facing a nugget shortage.
KFC in Australia this year cut items from its fried chicken menu because of supply chain problems caused by the Omicron outbreak.
And in America parents were left wondering why chicken nuggets were being replaced with cuts of crumbed chicken breast at their favourite fast-food outlets.
One New Zealand chicken supplier suggested consumers get creative and make their own nuggets.
Mincing, shaping and crumbing your own little nugget shapes is not as convenient as a bag of nuggets in the freezer but it might keep the children happy until you get your hands on some.
