A canned beetroot shortage in Australia has meant that the product was absent from Coles, Woolworths and even Aldi for weeks.
Shoppers have taken to social media to express their outrage.
They have coined it ‘the great beetroot shortage’, and everyone has a lot to say about it.
“I can’t buy it anywhere,” said one shopper. “Beetroot is simply no longer available and nobody knows if it will return.”
Some have even called it a national emergency.
So, what happened to tinned and canned beetroot and when will it be back on supermarket shelves?
Representatives from Coles and Woolworths have spoken to 7NEWS.com.au, explaining that recent weather events led to a shortage throughout the whole beetroot industry.
The Woolworths spokesperson stated, “Due to adverse growing conditions, customers may notice varying supply levels of canned beetroot available across our store network.”
While tinned beetroot is off the market, Coles has shown us the bright side, telling 7NEWS that fresh beetroot is still readily available.
When will the canned beetroot shortage in Australia end?
While there has been no definitive time when tinned beetroot will be seen again in supermarkets, Coles and Woolworths have reassured us that they are in close contact with their suppliers.
Woolworths stated to 7NEWS, “We’re in close contact with our suppliers, and we’re working on contingency plans to minimise any potential disruption to our customers.”
This has been a very surprising shortage for shoppers and retailers alike, but luckily, Aldi has already begun the journey back to beetroot-filled burgers.
After a period of reduced availability at all Aldi stores across the nation, tinned beetroot products have slowly returned to shelves.
Hopefully, we’ll see tinned beetroot back in Coles and Woolworths soon!
BHG’s best beetroot recipes
So, after all the beetroot drama, what kinds of recipes actually use beetroot? Whether it’s fresh or canned, beetroot adds a delicious earthiness to any dish. This makes it great for salads, relishes and even as a healthy ingredient in brownies.
Here are some great beetroot recipes to try out:
- Beetroot and orange salad
- Beetroot, raspberry, chocolate and almond cake
- Haloumi with dukkah and beetroot salad
- Lattice sausage rolls with beetroot relish