FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The latest Coronavirus variant is putting more strain on the supply chain, with several holiday staples in short supply at stores across South Florida.
Philadelphia Cream Cheese is giving the consumer money to purchase their holiday dessert at a restaurant or grocery store because cream cheese is hard to find.
Some grocery stores like Publix in Doral are completely out.
Several businesses across the country are also reporting a shortage of chocolate.
Kilwins in Fort Lauderdale has plenty of sweets to go around, but there another signature holiday treat that is lacking this year.
“Right now we are out of peppermint. Our last shipment is done. We will not get any more this holiday season,” said Bill Renaud, Owner of Kilwins in Fort Lauderdale.
Peppermint is really feeling the woes of the overwhelming supply chain crisis and the declining production.
Renaud says what he has in his store right now, is what is left for the season.
Holiday orders usually go in around July, but due to the pandemic, he started planning and placing his orders back in January.
“This whole year has been an interesting phenomenon in terms of how we are planning for things. Paper products are also an issue, so it’s not just the raw chocolate it’s also the packaging that it comes in. So all those delays are affecting delivery timelines” said Renaud.