French-fry airlift gives McDonald's Japan a brief respite

Scramble for spuds continues with no end in sight to supply chain woes

20211230N McDonalds fries

Heavily dependent on North American potatoes, McDonald's Japan found itself in a pickle this November when flooding near the Port of Vancouver worsened supply chain disruptions wrought by COVID-19. © Reuters

EIKI HAYASHI and RISA KAWABA, Nikkei staff writers

TOKYO -- McDonald's put medium and large servings of french fries back on its Japanese menu Friday after flying in much-needed supplies, ending a weeklong restriction caused by shortages that have stymied the nation's food industry.

But shipments to Japan still face extensive disruptions. And with restaurants here almost entirely dependent on imports for the fast-food staple, just how long the supply chain issues could drag on is unclear.

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