Tyson’s chairman said “the food supply chain is breaking.” Here’s why it’s more complicated—in 12 tweets.

04.27.2020, 5:20pm

Business

Big meatpackers are struggling due to Covid-19, revealing an industry’s vulnerabilities. But there’s more to the story.

Yes, it’s true that meatpackers like @TysonFoods are intensely disrupted by Covid-19. Social distancing is tough in these facilities, and some plants have closed temporarily due to outbreaks.

We’re tracking U.S. plant closures and re-openings here: https://t.co/wg1CzCvHRA 2/
— The Counter (@TheCounter) April 27, 2020

First, there is no shortage of meat destined for the grocery store shelf.

It might take stores longer than usual to restock certain products, due to supply chain disruptions. But we have many millions of pounds of meat in cold storage across the nation. 4/
— The Counter (@TheCounter) April 27, 2020

Workers face real fear for their health and safety. As long as that’s true, current slaughter capacity will be limited. The cost of labor will rise, and eventually retail prices will, too. #tysonfoods 6/
— The Counter (@TheCounter) April 27, 2020

Then there’s the tangled logistics.

There’s plenty of meat on hand that was headed to restaurants and commercial foodservice. It’ll take some time for meatpackers to convert bulk products into portion sizes the general public can work with. 8/
— The Counter (@TheCounter) April 27, 2020

Smaller businesses have different vulnerabilities—and while they face challenges, too, some have managed to pivot quickly enough to keep product on the shelves. https://t.co/uYhEAwvcLX 10/ pic.twitter.com/I2IlzPM4Du
— The Counter (@TheCounter) April 27, 2020

Companies like Tyson have been hit hard by Covid-19. But they are also powerful, with plenty of cash (and vast warehouses of frozen meat) on hand.

They may be struggling now, but they have the political, financial, and infrastructural resources they’ll need to survive.
end/
— The Counter (@TheCounter) April 27, 2020

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Tyson’s chairman said “the food supply chain is breaking.” Here’s why it’s more complicated—in 12 tweets.

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