KFC has temporarily removed chicken nuggets from the menu at hundreds of stores across two Australian states.
The fast food giant confirmed to news.com.au the move is not related to the recent bird flu outbreak plaguing poultry farms in Victoria, but due instead to “a very small disruption” within its supply chain.
Customers who order shared meals that would normally include the beloved snack will be offered Popcorn Chicken as a substitute in both South Australia and Victoria.
“We’re working with our suppliers to get things back on track to restock affected areas ASAP,” the spokesperson said.
The shortage comes amid fears of poultry shortages, after Agriculture Victoria on Thursday confirmed that a sixth farm had been hit with deadly avian influenza, shuttering production. Five properties near Meredith, about 100km west of Melbourne, and a property near Terang further west have been listed as exposure sites.
Victoria has placed “movement controls” on the farms, which means permits are required for movement of birds, poultry products, feed and equipment on or off the properties.
Nearly 500,000 chickens in the state have been euthanised so far.
Domestic poultry, ducks, geese, turkeys, guinea fowl, quail, pheasants, emus and ostriches are the most susceptible species affected by avian flu, however all bird species are believed to be susceptible to the virus.
Food authorities last week issued an urgent alert to consumers about cooked chicken and eggs, allaying any concerns that the products could be contaminated.
“Avian influenza is not a food safety concern and it is safe to eat properly handled and cooked chicken meat, eggs and egg products,” Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) said in a statement.
“There is no evidence to show the virus can be transmitted to people through properly prepared food.”
Coles is the only major supermarket giant to institute buying limits on egg products in all stores except for those in Western Australia.
“Due to a shortage of supply on eggs, we have introduced a temporary limit of two items per customer/transaction,” signs displayed in its stores read.
“This will help maintain availability and support as many customers as possible.
“Thank you for your patience, we apologise for any inconvenience caused.”
While Woolworths is not following suit, photos from its Taylors Lake store in Victoria showed shelves stripped bare of eggs, with a notice to customers reading: “We are currently experiencing high demand on some egg products. We’re working hard to get stock back on our shelves for you as quickly as possible.”
News.com.au understand the shortage was the result of a temporary surge in demand and not due to any widespread or substantial supply shortages.