COVID-19 has basically shut down EVERYTHING for six weeks, and we’re beginning to hear stories about how the ripple effect is hitting places you might never have considered.
For example, how are the hot dog and peanut industries holding up without live sporting events?
According to “Sports Illustrated“, in Major League Baseball alone, fans typically consume around 18 million hot dogs and four to seven million bags of peanuts per season. Millions more are consumed in the Minors and in local leagues.
One of the country’s largest peanut roasters says that 25% of their nuts typically sold at this time would go to stadiums. Obviously, that demand has vanished, and they’re also losing a big chunk from restaurant orders.
But it isn’t all bad news. Sales of PEANUT BUTTER have been “literally off the charts,” as people have gone into a frenzy loading up their pantries.
The hot dog industry has also lost out on a ton of business . . . BUT people are buying far more hot dogs to eat at home now.
In fact, grocery sales have “more than doubled year-over-year” in recent weeks, which IS enough to account for the loss seen with stadiums and restaurants.
By the way, the peanuts and hot dogs that were already at stadiums before the shutdown have not been wasted.
A spokesperson for Delaware North, which handles concessions for 11 Major League stadiums, said that they donated 41,000 pounds of food in March.
And several ballparks have used their stadium kitchens and pre-purchased food to make meals for local healthcare workers.
(By the way, the annual Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest has NOT been canceled yet . . . so the industry might feel a bit of a gut punch if there aren’t an UNHOLY amount of hot dogs consumed on July Fourth.)
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