Australian supermarkets experiencing major pasta and chicken supply shortage

Australian supermarkets are experiencing some major supply shortages, with dried pasta one of the worst impacted items disappearing from shelves.

Woolworths and Coles are among the grocery stores struggling against the tide of supply disruptions, inflation and a global shortage of wheat. 

Customers have noticed empty shelves in the pasta aisles across stores in Sydney and Melbourne – and Woolworths has confirmed the supply issues have indeed been impacting stock levels.

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"We are seeing pressure on the availability of some pasta products due to demand and production issues," a Woolworths spokesperson told 9Honey Kitchen.

"We're in regular contact with our pasta suppliers and we expect stock levels to improve in the coming days. We thank customers for their patience."

9Honey Kitchen has also contacted Coles for comment.

Journalist Jacqui Felgate was among dozens of shocked Australian customers who noticed their favourite pasta was missing from the shelves. "It's a thing," she wrote, alongside a photo of a ransacked pasta aisle.

The shortage isn't just Australia-wide. Customers across the US and UK have also expressed disappointment online after struggling to find dried pasta at their local supermarket.

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"There's a jumbo pasta shells shortage in my area. One store told me they only order a few every so often & they sell out immediately," one woman, from Pennsylvania in the US, wrote on Twitter.

"I'm serious. This is really happening. You could open a jumbo pasta shells store in my town & get rich quick."

"There is an angel hair pasta shortage and it's a making me sad," another Twitter user wrote.

Pasta fans were warned months ago about a global wheat and grain shortage.

The grain industry is yet to recover from the pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022

"There's just not enough grain in the world, and there won't be for the rest of this year and probably even into next year," Eric Hansotia, CEO of AGCO, told CNBC's Mad Money in August last year.

There have also been reports of a chicken shortage across Melbourne.

Customers have taken to social media to reveal their local Coles, Woolworths and independent butchers are fresh out of poultry.

The chicken supply issue is however expected to improve in the coming weeks, according to Woolworths.

Portuguese chicken franchise Nando's also said it was experiencing supply problems.

A note on its website recently said the fast-food chain was "seeing some not-so-cheeky disruption to our supply chain".