In June, Whataburger took the unprecedented step of reducing its breakfast hours to mitigate the effects of an egg shortage due to an outbreak of avian flu. A commodities expert said the outbreak could result in an egg supply shortage. Earlier, in April, NRN senior finance editor Jonathan Maze asked in a blog if it was time to worry about the effects of the disease.
In March, burger chains McDonald's and Burger King said they would push chicken menu items in the midst of high beef costs. At the time, Burger King re-introduced Chicken Fries, while McDonald’s brought back Chicken Selects.
Chicken wings
Wing prices have risen 63 percent in this year compared to the same time in 2014, according to Denver-based food purchasing cooperative SpenDifference. See why chicken wing prices are rising when they should be falling. Plus, find out how Buffalo Wild Wings is trying to take the swing out of wing prices.
Cheese
In November 2014, Papa John's said robust same-store sales, particularly in North America, helped the pizza chain offset skyrocketing cheese prices during the third quarter.
Pork
In March 2014, porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, or PEDv, a disease that kills young piglets, pushed pork prices 30 percent higher than the preceding year.