We've seen supply shortages in so many aspects of our lives. What our pets eat, is no exception.
From the can, to the label and the ingredients inside, several parts of the pet food manufacturing and selling process have been delayed or interrupted.
Pet supply stores are feeling the effects of supply chain issues. And it’s not just because of the bottlenecks at the ports. Aaron Phillips, the general manager of Kahoots Feed and Pet Store told NBC 7 the pandemic pushed plenty of people to find a furry companion.
“We saw rescues completely clear out. So which is a really good thing but with that comes more consumption. And as the economy is ramping back up and people are going back to work, people are getting out again, starting to live their lives and interact and consume. There's been growing pains there that we're all feeling that's interesting,” said Phillips.
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A lack of truck drivers is one way the labor shortage has continuously slowed the supply transportation and delivery.
"It happens to us all the time where we have a product that is ready to be picked up. There's a trailer loaded full of goods and there's no driver to pick the trailer up and so it'll sit for weeks,” said Phillips.
The store has had to pivot to simpler packaging for the Kahoots brand food when they had to. Raw materials like turkey tendons for dog treats are in short supply because the collagen ingredient is in high demand. Phillips said the cosmetic industry is the main competitor.
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NBC 7 spoke to several shoppers who shared stories about how they’ve had to switch food or wait weeks for their pet food subscriptions to arrive because of the delays.
Phillips told NBC 7, while frustrating, the issues are not hurting their bottom line.
“You know, many things have had nonstop problems for about two years. So flexibility is key. And being understanding is key that in a lot of these situations are beyond anybody's control and it's really hard to place blame. And we don't need to be doing that anyways."
