Could Egg Supplies Crack the Coronation Party Spirit?
As the Coronation of Charles III approaches, a shortage in the supply of eggs may put the brakes on the festivities – and Procurement has its work cut out for it!
Image source: https://www.edenprojectcommunities.com/ideas/coronation-quiche
This weekend, Charles III will formally and officially, according to centuries-old traditions, become King Charles III. People up and down the UK and across the world, will settle in for a day of pageantry, pomp and circumstance, and some good old British ceremony, to watch the Coronation. For many this will be a chance to celebrate with friends and family, with over 50,000 applications made for street parties over a week out from the day itself.
As part of the celebrations, the new King and Queen Consort have chosen their ‘signature dish’ – a Coronation Quiche. And whether or not your personal preference extends to this particular dish, the choice perhaps couldn’t have come at a worse time for a supply chain already feeling the effects of a challenging year.
Rarer than Hen’s Teeth
The UK supply chain for egg production is already struggling to keep up with domestic demand. Since 2004, the average number of eggs consumed per year in the UK has risen from 174 to 202, with an astonishing 12 billion eggs eaten in the country every year. It’s not that surprising, with the increasing popularity of brunch and families using eggs as a good, quick alternative at mealtimes.
However, since the tail end of 2022, rising utilities costs and food shortages have contributed to an on-going shortage of eggs being produced. In addition, the prevalence of bird flu around the country has led to culls of huge commercial flocks and large-scale commercial production facilities being closed down.
And the severity of the issue could mean that shortages will continue, both commercially and for consumers, for some time to come. All of which means that an egg-heavy ‘signature dish’ for the Coronation is likely to be harder to come by, or cost significantly more to produce. And with public concerns over the quality of eggs imported to the UK, this supply chain issue could be one to force a change in consumer habits.
Technology & the Coronation
However, beyond this, even the most hard-boiled (sorry!) Procurement professionals would be hard pushed to argue with the estimated benefits that the Coronation stands to bring to the UK. Overall, the country’s economy stands to see an additional £3 billion in revenue, with over £350 million expected in the hospitality industry alone. It’s great news for an industry that has faced its own challenges in recent years, with the boost being heavily linked to the additional Bank Holiday the UK will have as part of the celebrations.
Within the supply chains that have had to ramp up production to meet deadlines before the big day technology has been used to very good effect to assist this. Leidos, whose Logistics Commodities & Services Transformation technology has been used for military procurement, have helped small businesses scale up production of ceremonial outfits and regalia.
It’s the latest in the line of major events using technology within supply chains to make processes more efficient, and helping SMEs be involved when, in the past, scale and timings would have made this much more challenging.
