Tomato "Outage" Due to Freeze

by David Koeppel, Posted Feb 25th 2010 @ 4:00PM

Joe Raedle, Getty Images

Will east-coast consumers need to start hording tomatoes? The situation isn't that dire yet, but the deep freeze that devastated Florida's tomato crop in January is leading to shortages at fast-food chains, supermarkets and restaurants.

The first sign of trouble is coming from Burger King, which has been experiencing "tomato outages." The chain has been running short on tomatoes for about week, leaving some disappointed customers without red ripe tomatoes on their Whoppers.

"There have been some spot outages of tomatoes in the Burger King system as a result of the severe weather conditions that recently affected tomato crops in the Southeastern U.S," Denise Wilson, Burger King's senior analyst of communications, tells ABC News. "We are working with our suppliers and distributors to closely monitor the situation and minimize these outages. Our guests are being notified of temporary outages by signage in the individual restaurants."

Subway has been more successful at providing tomatoes for their customers. The chain has been importing many of its red vegetables (yes, we know it's really a fruit) from Mexico instead of Florida. But the quality of the Mexican crop isn't always up to company standards, and workers are spending almost as much time weeding out rotten tomatoes as they are making sandwiches. Subway is also reducing the size of the tomatoes it's using, a tactic that may soon be employed elsewhere. We've heard that for now they are still perceptible to the human eye.

Since the deep freeze began, the Sunshine State's tomato production is down about 70 percent and may not go back to regular levels for at least another month.

Consumers in some communities are already feeling the squeeze. At the West Side Market in New York City, tomatoes that were just $0.99 per pound a month ago, now cost $1.89. A continued scarcity could force more retailers and restaurants to pass on additional costs to consumers.

We're not happy thinking about a world (even temporarily) with high-priced, low-quality tomatoes. Bacon and Lettuce sandwiches are a travesty. Let's hope the shortage is brief and that the term "tomato outage" is never used again.

Filed Under: Fast Food, Food News
Tags: burger king, deep freeze tomatoes, freeze ruins tomatoes, tomato shortage

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 2)

2-25-2010 @5:41PM shawn S. said... "The first sign of trouble is coming from Burger King, which has been experiencing "tomato outages." The chain has been running short on tomatoes for about week, leaving some disappointed customers without red ripe tomatoes on their Whoppers"

Dude its been a LOOONNNGGGG time since I have had a "red ripe tomato on my Whopper"
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2-28-2010 @8:35AM ubertuba said... I agree - when I stop at BK on the road, I can't remember the last time I even got mustard on my Whopper, or when anyone even asked me what I wanted on it. Whoppers have become essentially a bun, some mayonnaise, and a patty; sometimes they'll put a little onion on it, but it's been awful across the whole north LA/east TX area I travel in for several years.

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2-28-2010 @2:48PM Inkling said... It's just another ruse/excuse for the tomato growers to raise their prices. A tomato in Hawaii costs over $4.00. How much will one cost now, $5.00???

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2-26-2010 @8:10PM KenFromBaltimore said... Another sign of the impending apocalypse. No tomatoes for our fast food burgers, it's amazing what passes for news these days. And we wonder why our country is dying a slow, ignominious death.
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2-28-2010 @8:04AM Donna R said... Johnbob its nice to see you have a first-hand relationship with yourself. so stop posting please. We know all about it, same with you people obsessed with cleaning your colons and meeting all these @@@@@@@@holes.
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2-28-2010 @9:02AM Cornelia said... Couldn't you find a picture of a red, "vine ripened tomato" anywhere? Instead, you show a photo of some Mexicans harvesting green, unripened tomatoes. Not a good image for this story.
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2-28-2010 @9:26AM Andi said... Did you read the entire article? It talks about some of the lower quality tomatoes coming out of Mexico and the picture certainly shows that. Ick.

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2-28-2010 @9:54AM Cornelia said... Andi - That picture could have been taken in Florida, California or anywhere in this country. Mexicans have been migrant farm laborers for decades in this country. You think Mexicans only exist in Mexico??? Welcome to the world, Andi !

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2-28-2010 @12:05PM earth mama said... Typically, tomatoes that are commercially grown are picked when they are green... They ripen to red on the truck en-route to their destination.... The supermarket, BK or whatever.... duh! with all the racist comments.... Tomatoes and most everything else you eat in the winter months that are out of season are grown in Mexico, Chile, ect. unless you plant it yourself...

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2-28-2010 @9:19AM marjorie said... What ever happened to eating foods in season? Just because it looks like a tomato, slices like a tomato, doesn't mean that it is a tomato.
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2-28-2010 @9:26AM STEVE said... JUST ANOTHER EXCUSE FOR GREEDY BUSINESSES TO RAISE PRICES. WHAT HAPPENED 50 YEARS AGO DURING FREEZE PERIODS? PRICES DID NOT JUMP THE WAY THEY DO TODAY.

WHEN DOES IT STOP? ANSWER IS EASY: IT STOPS WHEN AMERICA BUYS ONLY WHAT THEY NEED! RICH OR POOR, EXPECTING COMPANY OR FOR YOUR FAMILY: IF YOU DON'T NEED IT, DON'T BUY IT.

LET IT ROT ON THE SHELVES UNTIL PRICES COME DOWN TO NORMAL. NORMAL IS NO MORE THAN: $1.00/LB FOR ANY TOMATOE; ORANGES.. .15 EACH; LETTUCE...$.75/HEAD.

AMERICA. WAKE UP! DON'T DRINK SODA UNTIL THEY LOWER PRICES. DRINK WATER... AND NOT THE BOTTLED TYPE.

PRICE CONTROL IS TOTALLY IN THE HANDS OF EVERY AMERICAN.. EVEN YOU, WHO DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT ANYONE ELSE!
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2-28-2010 @10:03AM John said... Steve, You must be a SAD, HUNGRY, & THIRSTY man. If a company's cost of doing business goes up, it is a company's right to raise prices to recover these additional expenses. Most companies are in business to generate a profit. Now go drink some Obama water, but be careful he'll tax it soon!

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2-28-2010 @11:51AM lizt said... How sad! I agree completely with Steve - it's all about supply & demand - so tell me which one of you will go to Burger King or where ever and DEMAND that your sandwich have the tomatoe on it huh??? I witnessed just that sort of thing at Wendy's yesterday and the rudeness that came from the "Customer" let me tell you I wanted to shove a tomato in their mouth just to shut up their foul language!!!! It's nuts - produce doesn't have to sky rocket - just because the cost of something goes up doesn't mean the company HAS to raise their prices - budgets can be tweeked & cuts taken elsewhere. Just like the Oil Companies - hmmmm they reap record breaking PROFITS of 6 billion dollars last years - keep in mind that's PROFIT - that's AFTER they have paid their workers, suppliers, the government & anybody else in their back pockets. But we Americans are paying $3 and up for a gallon of gas - but hey the Top dogs have to have their multi-million homes right!!! It's sickening!!! America is spoiled rotten - the poor want something for nothing & the rich just keep wanting everything at the poor's expense!!! SICKENING!

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2-28-2010 @9:32AM STEVE said... AND YOU KNOW AMERICANS JUST HATE MEXICANS! THEY DRAIN OUR ECONOMY, OUR SOCIETY, OUR PROGRESS, WITH THEIR 3RD WORLD FILTY LOUSY LIFESTYLE.

IT'S TIME TO CLOSE THE FLOODGATES ONCE AND FOR ALL AND DEPORT MEXICANS BACK HOME.. THEN COUNTY HOSPITALS WILL LIGHTEN THE LOAD; THE DEFICIT WILL GO DOWN AND WE WON'T HAVE TO FEAR BEING KILLED FROM THEIR GANGS OR HAVE OUR PROPERTY STOLEN, ESPECIALLY HIRING THEM TO HELP YOU MOVE OR AROUND THE HOME.

AND THEY CAN TAKE THEIR RICE WITH THEM, TOO. RICE.. PFFFFF. THAT'S A 3RD WORLD FOOD, NOT HERE IN AMERICA. GET OUT!! GET THE HELL OUTTA HERE!
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2-28-2010 @10:12AM Peggy said... Don't forget the BILLIONS of US DOLLARS that are sent back to Mexico to support their relatives.

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2-28-2010 @11:50AM SmartMom said... Hey Steve, who's going to pick your tomatoes when there are no illegal immigrants to do it? Who is going to clean ALL of our politicians houses, both Republican and Democrat? You are living in LaLa Land. No White man, no matter how long he has been collecting Unemployment Compensation, will stoop down to pick a tomato. You should be thankful those people are here. If they are forced to go, you won't find one tomato grown in the U.S....mark my words!

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2-28-2010 @2:03PM SmartMom said... Also Steve, your ignorance is astounding. The U.S. is the 4th largest exporter of rice. We grow about 10.6% of the world's rice. For you to slam that industry is not very patriotic. I guess people like you who have no education are afraid that illegal aliens will take your jobs. I have a tip for you hater, go back to school and get an education. You obviously need it.

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2-28-2010 @9:35AM steve said... Much agreed. One day, there will be no more ink for newspapers; no paper for newspapers; no more wired, tar for the roads, glass for lightbulbs, drugs for the Mexicans (well, that's a good thing!LOL)

Seriously, that's my thought for years. One day we'll run out of everything. Then what? A hamburger will cost $100? America is one spoiled puppy...
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