Australia's facing a lettuce shortage that's led to soaring prices and even spurred fast food giant KFC to put cabbage in its burgers.
KFC outlets, excluding those in the Northern Territory and South Australia, currently uses a 60/40 blend of lettuce and cabbage – but this will soon no longer be necessary, O'Malley said. “The crop got decimated. We do think it's short term in nature,” he told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.
American fast food chain Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) has been forced to start using cabbage instead of lettuce in its burgers and wraps in Australia due to a shortage of the vegetable in the country. Australia has seen sporadic floods that have destroyed several domestic farms housing lettuce crops.
Fast food giant KFC has been forced to put cabbage in its burgers and wraps in Australia as the country is struggling with a shortage of lettuce. The firm told customers it is using a mixture of lettuce and cabbage after floods destroyed lettuce crops.
The company posted a notice on its local website this week telling customers it would add cabbage to some of its products because lettuce crops around the country had been destroyed by recent floods.
In India, McDonald's ensures their burgers use the freshest produce, which means that don't use any ordinary lettuce. The iceberg variety was first introduced in India by McDonald's, as early as the 90s, at a time when not many people were familiar with lettuce and used cabbage instead.
KFC has been forced to put cabbage in its burgers after a shortage of lettuce sent prices soaring.
1. First off, let's talk about ingredients. Australia has some of the highest food standards globally, so the freshness and quality of our produce is a lot better than what you get in the US — meaning that our fast food tastes better.
Which Is The Unhealthiest Food At KFC? The unhealthiest item on their menu is chicken pot pie. It contains 790 calories, 46 grams of fat, 37 grams of saturated fat, 95 milligrams of cholesterol, and 2,120 milligrams of sodium.
The soil on many farms is oversaturated and can't dry out in cold, wet conditions. It's not just lettuce, either. Some retailers have reported shortages of other leafy greens, including fresh herbs and baby spinach.
According to the recipe, which is called 11 Spices, the top-secret ingredients (and measurements) include: 2/3 teaspoon salt. 1/2 teaspoon thyme. 1/2 teaspoon basil.
Lettuce is grown all over Australia however the main lettuce production regions in Australia are the Lockyer Valley and Eastern Darling Downs (SE Qld); Hay and Central West (NSW); Lindenow and Robinvale (Vic); Manjimup and Gingin (WA); Virginia (SA) and Cambridge, Richmond and Devonport (Tas).
The fast food chain was forced to stop selling its coleslaw tubs when a supply issue meant the slaw would have to be served up without the dressing. “We are currently experiencing a supply issue with our KFC coleslaw dressing,” a KFC spokesperson said. The slaw is made up of cabbage and carrots coated in mayonnaise.
At Macca's, we're as invested in the future of Aussie farming as we are in the present. Meet Brad Egan, this year's Young Farmer of the Year. We love the unique flavour and crisp texture of Iceberg and Cos lettuce. Grown by farmers in NSW, QLD, SA and VIC*.
Subway outlets have announced they will now be mixing their lettuce with cabbage in a leafy blend to cover the shortfall. KFC announced the same change on Tuesday, offering customers the option to “customise” their items and remove the mix altogether.
While chicken is an obvious Men's Health staple, KFC's reliance on greasy oils and subsequent sky-high calorific content makes Maccy's an unlikely victor. The more varied menu and healthy options, as well as classic, gut-busting fare, make it the ideal spot to play fast and loose with your nutrition plan.
Most Nutritious Option
For the healthiest dish at KFC, opt for the grilled chicken wings, which deliver 70 calories per wing thanks to the cooking method.
Online forums are full of fans wanting to get their hands on the KFC salt mix and being advised that the only way to do it is to have a mate who works there steal some for you. It turns out that this salt mix is also unique to Australia, with the American KFCs using plain salt.
At least 97% of our chicken-on-the-bone, fillets and strips are regularly delivered fresh (not frozen) into our restaurants from reputable Aussie chicken suppliers like Inghams, Steggles and Golden Farms.
Red Cabbage
It's similar to green cabbage in that it can be shredded for salads, but it's also a great choice to use as a topping for burgers or chicken tostadas.
The country's labour shortages and petrol price increases which subsequently triggered wheat shortages has forced chicken suppliers to pass on price and market fluctuations.