Why Is This in My Burger?... Cabbage Surprise as Industry Faces Emergency

Another "Lettuce Crisis" Triggered by Abnormal Weather
Emergency Measures in the Hamburger and Sandwich Industry

The surge in lettuce prices, widely used in hamburgers and salads, has triggered alarm in the distribution industry. Abnormal weather during the main harvest season has significantly damaged production, intensifying the supply shortage. Some franchise chains have responded by selling hamburgers with cabbage instead of lettuce as a stopgap measure.

Production Plummets Due to Abnormal Weather... Imports Also Difficult

Lettuce supply crisis leads to mixing lettuce and cabbage. Screenshot from an online community

The root cause of the lettuce crisis is erratic weather. This year, heat waves, heavy rains, and sudden cold snaps have struck in succession, severely worsening growing conditions in major producing regions such as Gangwon, Yeongnam, and Honam. In particular, heavy rainfall around Chuseok sharply reduced the quality of produce in southern areas.

Importing lettuce is not a viable solution either. Chinese lettuce is mainly imported between July and September, and as domestic shipments increase from October to November, demand for imports typically drops. As a result, there is currently a shortage of immediately available imported lettuce.

The supply shortage has led to a dramatic price spike. According to the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT) wholesale distribution information system, the wholesale price of lettuce per kilogram has soared to 5,188 won. This is a 116% increase from 2,400 won on the first day of this month, and a staggering 225% rise compared to the beginning of the year, when it was 1,592 won.

Cabbage Substitution and Suspension of Salad Sales Disrupt Distribution

This has put the distribution industry on high alert. Lotteria is temporarily substituting cabbage for lettuce in some menu items to maintain vegetable weight. Subway has also temporarily suspended sales of salad products due to the recent impact of unusually high temperatures and humidity. Samsung Welstory, a food service company, has reportedly notified suppliers that it will supply lettuce at market prices.

This is not the first time the industry has faced such issues. Last year, major franchises such as Lotteria, McDonald's, and Subway also experienced lettuce and tomato supply disruptions due to heat waves. At that time, McDonald's temporarily stopped serving tomatoes and offered free drink coupons, while Subway responded by reducing the amount of tomato in its sandwiches.