Lettuce Shortage Hits Burger and Sandwich Chains After Abnormal Weather
Creatrip Team
4 months ago
Abnormal weather in Korea has sharply reduced lettuce (양상추) growth, causing supply instability for major burger and sandwich franchises. Wholesale lettuce prices have surged — 1kg rose to 5,188 won, up 116% since the start of the month and 225% since early year. Lotteria is temporarily substituting other cabbage (양배추) to maintain portion weight through the end of the month, while Subway has halted all salad sales as it works to restore lettuce supply. Other chains are monitoring the situation; Burger King says it is preparing for volatility, and McDonald’s Korea and Mom’s Touch report no current problems. Industry sources attribute the disruption to an unusually hot summer followed by sudden temperature drops causing cold damage, shrinking overall production and driving prices higher.
