Panic sets in in Quebec restaurants as the Exceldor strike continues. Already, supply is more difficult than normal for restaurateurs, especially those specializing in chicken, such as St-Hubert and Benny & Co, among others.
Remember that the Exceldor poultry processing company, located in Saint-Anselme, has been paralyzed by a strike by its 525 employees since May 23. We will soon pass the bar of half a million chickens euthanized as a result of this labor dispute. Other Exceldor facilities are also idling, even though their employees are not on strike.
The consequences are inevitable for restaurateurs. Most can currently order a little more from different suppliers, even outside Quebec, but without filling their refrigerator completely.
We fear the worst in the next few days.
Moreover, at St-Hubert, we learn that the head office has taken over the orders and that the quantities are redistributed in proportion to the franchisees so that all establishments receive chickens according to their sales volume.
The shortfall, in terms of the amount of chicken available in restaurants, is around 10%, at the moment. Also, with chicken becoming rarer among suppliers, prices are increasing. For the moment, it is therefore the restaurateurs who are paying the bill.
As if the confinement that forced the closure of the dining rooms over the past few months was not enough, as soon as the announcement of their reopening was made, the chicken could be missing!
In fact, the rotisserie chains are expecting more traffic when there has been no red zone in Quebec for a few hours.
But can they serve you chicken?