Australia: Australia’s McDonald’s restaurants have shortened their breakfast hours due to a shortage of eggs brought on by a bird flu outbreak.
Due to “current industry challenges” with securing eggs, the fast food behemoth said this week that it will temporarily stop its breakfast service at 10:30 AM instead of midday as normal.
“We are working hard with our Aussie farmers and suppliers to return this back to normal as soon as possible. So, from Tuesday July 2nd, for a breakfast that really hits the spot, make sure you check the clock,” McDonad’s Australia said in a statement.
Since May, eleven poultry farms in Australia have reported cases of H7 avian influenza to authorities. In Victoria, the state where the outbreak first started, authorities have ordered the euthanasia of over a million birds, and hundreds of thousands more are to be culled in neighbouring New South Wales.
Although just approximately 10 percent of Australia’s 20 million or so egg-laying hens have been impacted by the outbreak, officials have noted limited supply interruptions to the manufacturing, retail, and hospitality industries.
While Australia’s two main grocery chains have restricted purchases to two cartons per client at most of their outlets, Australian officials have encouraged consumers to desist from purchasing more eggs than they need.
Australian Eggs’ managing director, Rowan McMonnies, stated last month that the interruptions were primarily a “matter of convenience” because supplies were expected to continue for the next few weeks.
“Consumers can be assured there’s still over 20 million hens under the care of hundreds of egg farmers across Australia that will continue to work hard to ensure there’s eggs on shelves,” McMonnies said in a statement.
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