McDonald’s Cuts Breakfast Hours Amid Egg Shortage in AustraliaMcDonald’s Cuts Breakfast Hours Amid Egg Shortage in Australia McDonald’s Australia has reduced its breakfast service by an hour and a half, ending at 10:30 a.m. instead of noon, due to an ongoing egg shortage caused by bird flu. The fast-food giant cited supply chain challenges and is working with suppliers to resolve the issue. Egg Shortage Impacts Australia The egg shortage has also affected supermarkets and other businesses in Australia. Coles Group has limited egg purchases to two cartons per customer daily. The H7N3 bird flu has been found on several poultry farms, leading to the euthanasia of over half a million chickens. Industry Response Industry experts have emphasized that while the egg shortage is a concern, there is still sufficient supply to meet consumer demand. Australian Eggs has assured that there are millions of hens in production across the country. Bird Flu in the United States Bird flu has also impacted the United States, resulting in the loss of millions of poultry birds. Fast-food restaurants have not yet been affected, but egg prices have risen significantly. Consumers are also experiencing higher prices due to the loss of birds and the increased cost of production. Industry Adaptations In response to the challenges posed by bird flu, some poultry companies have adopted new practices. Chick-fil-A has shifted away from its “never antibiotics” pledge, allowing the use of antibiotics to treat sick chickens. This aligns with industry standards to ensure the health of poultry flocks. McDonald’s Assurances McDonald’s has reassured customers that some menu items will remain unchanged. Despite the breakfast service reduction, the company emphasizes that Hash Browns will continue to be available all day.
Fast food breakfast sandwich loyalists take note: It might be best not to put all your eggs in one basket. McDonald’s has cut an hour and a half off its breakfast service, ending at 10:30 a.m. instead of noon, at its Australian locations due to the egg shortage caused by bird flu.
“Like many retailers, we are carefully managing our egg supply due to the current challenges in the industry,” McDonald’s said in a Facebook post. “We are working hard with our Australian farmers and suppliers to get back to normal as quickly as possible.”
The fast-food chain, affectionately known as Macca’s across the International Date Line, has 970 stores in Australia, but it’s not just fast-food fans who are suffering from the shortage. Australian supermarket chain Coles Group began limiting customer purchases to two cartons of eggs per day after the highly contagious H7N3 bird flu (a separate strain of H5N1 flu, which has not yet been detected in Australia) was found on five farms on the continent. The flu has hit 11 poultry farms, mostly egg farms, since the virus first began spreading in May.
To curb the spread of the disease, which can be fatal to livestock including cows, poultry farms have quarantined their animals and euthanized more than half a million chickens en masse. About 450,000 eggs are destroyed daily to contain the virus. But while the numbers may seem high, industry experts said the most important meal of the day is not yet in jeopardy.
“Consumers can be assured that there are still more than 20 million hens in the care of hundreds of egg producers across Australia who will continue to work hard to ensure there are eggs on the shelves,” Rowan McMonnies, chief executive of industry group Australian Eggs, said last week.
And what about typical American fast food?
Bird flu has also wreaked havoc in the U.S., even though fast-food breakfasts are currently safe. From February 2022 to June of this year, bird flu killed 96 million backyard and commercial birds nationwide. Cal-Maine Foods, the nation’s largest egg producer, killed 1.6 million laying hens, nearly 4% of its flock, and temporarily ceased operations in April after bird flu was detected.
For most Americans, the looming epidemic won’t affect their diets. U.S. health officials tested milk sold in stores for traces of the virus, eventually telling consumers that milk must be pasteurized before drinking. Hamburgers cooked to between 145 and 160 degrees Fahrenheit were also found to be safe to eat, as were boiled chicken and eggs.
While these staple foods pose no health threat, American consumers are feeling the impact on their wallets as egg prices rose more than 15 percent to $2.99 for a dozen large, grade A eggs from January through April, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While mass euthanasia ensures the safety of flocks, it also makes supplies precious, as replacing lost birds is time-consuming.
“You’re taking away up to three months of base egg production,” said Andrew Stevens, an agricultural economist at the University of Wisconsin. CBS MoneyWatch“You pay for the delays needed to get production back up to par.”
As egg and livestock shortages hit fast-food menus across the U.S., changes are beginning to creep into the industry. Chick-fil-A began backing away from its “never antibiotics” pledge in March, instead embracing an industry standard of only using antibiotics if a chicken needs to be treated for an illness. It follows in the footsteps of poultry giants Pilgrim’s Pride and Tyson Foods as farmers try to maintain the health of their closely-packed hens amid widespread illness.
As the industry struggles to project a sense of stability, McDonald’s has assured customers that some things on the menu will never change.
“PS,” McDonald’s Facebook post reads. “Hash Browns are available all day.”
