Nando’s Peri Peri chicken off the table as UK favourite hit with supply shortages

Ongoing supply chain disruptions have caused Nando’s to shut several restaurants while industry suppliers warn of worse to come.

With the ‘pingdemic’ raging on, reduced numbers of lorry drivers and staffing shortages at suppliers have significantly impacted Nando’s operations. The UK based restaurant group recently suffered a chicken shortage and subsequently had to close 45 of their restaurants.

With Peri Peri chicken in high demand, customers were quick to criticise the closures online. Signs were erected in the closed restaurant windows blaming a stock shortage on suppliers. Nando’s told customers staff isolation periods were also responsible for site closures.

“The UK supply chain is having a bit of a [night]’mare right now,” Nando’s tweeted in reply.

Food and other supply chains across the UK, as well as supermarkets and shops, have struggled to operate normally this summer, due to staff being required to self-isolate if they have come into contact with someone with coronavirus.

Last week rival fast food chicken store KFC said items were missing from its menus due to similar disruptions.

Meanwhile, industry suppliers have warned the supply chain disruption will continue in the wake of Britain’s exit from the EU. A poultry industry source told Nando’s PA news agency last month that EU worker rules and logistics issues would continue to hit food supply had not been heeded.

“We raised this issue with Government many weeks ago and nothing significant has happened since, so it is clearly not going away,” he said.

With staff shortages fluctuating between 10 and 20 percent, Nando’s will need workers overseas who can fill the gap.

From this week onwards, fully vaccinated staff will no longer need to self isolate in a move to bring the ‘pingdemic’ to an end.