KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 17 — Convenience store Family Mart in Japan is resorting to limiting or reducing the sale of its fried chicken due to lack of raw materials caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Branches have started putting up notices to inform customers that they are limiting or suspending the sale of store favourite Famichiki, SoraNews24 reported.

According to the portal, Family Mart imports about two thirds of the chicken it uses for Famichiki from Thailand, but the country’s infection spike has left meat processing plants understaffed.

This means Family Mart is not able to resupply its stores with poultry meat.

Responding to the matter, the chain said it hopes to resume regular sales in December, in time for Christmas.

Fried chicken, added the portal, was one of Japan’s favourite foods to be served during Christmas parties.

In October, Japan’s KFC suspended sales of its French fries after the fast food chain ran out of potatoes due to problems brought about by the pandemic to the shipping and logistics industries.

This caused disruption of the supply routes for KFC Japan’s potatoes, which the chain imports.