If I told you that you'd have to eat pizza without pepperoni for a while... would you be OK? I, personally, am not handling this news well. I mean, hello! Pepperoni is the best kind of pizza, especially when you get the kind of pepperoni that curls up on the sides when baked. Wow. So good.
Back to why I'm warning you about life without pepperoni pizza...
As we know, there have been shortages of all kinds throughout the global pandemic we are currently living in. It started with cleaning supplies and toilet paper, then went on to coins and even aluminum cans. Now, the shortage is of pepperonis.
The problem isn't necessarily that there is no pepperoni to be bought, but rather that the price for pepperoni is much higher than usual across the US. Some restaurants have even seen the price being DOUBLED what it usually is.
Some other meat has been seen an increase in price - like ground beef - but those have all began to drop again, while pepperoni remains high.
But what exactly is causing the shortage?!
There are two possibilities here:
One is that pork processors, like so many other industries right now, have had to deal with a reduced number of workers during the pandemic, and since pepperoni is a complicated meat product to make, some suppliers have had to reduce the amount being made.
Another potential reason is that the demand for pizza has risen with everyone working from and staying at home! Many families are apparently ordering the popular delivery food for dinners rather than going out to any of the other restaurants they would typically be going to eat out at.
The good news for pepperoni lovers? Large chains have not been nearly as affected by the price increase, but the smaller chains - which I personally prefer to order from, especially right now - are being affected.
So even if your favorite local spot cannot offer pepperoni right now, make sure to keep ordering from them to keep the local chains in business!! We can't lose our great pepperoni pizza forever!
What's your FAVORITE combo of pizza toppings?! Yap me!
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