NEW ORLEANS— A vicious cyber attack shut down all of the JBS beef plants in the United States, causing concerns of meat shortages across the country. They are now back online, but local grocery store owners are keeping a watchful eye.
“Right now we are paying attention to everything that is going on and we’re going to stay on top of all the suppliers so that we can make sure we have product,” Nicole Dorignac, Co-owner of Dorignac’s said.
Although they are fine right now, at Dorignac’s, Nicole Dorignac says because of the cyber attack they’re staying alert to the possibility of meat shortages.
“Hopefully we will be able to patch any holes we see coming from our normal suppliers,” she said.
She said with meat it is hard to plan and prepare because it is fresh and they don’t order the meat and then just freeze it.
“We are family-owner and operated so when something is short and we try to find out how to get it, where to get it from, and how to pull from multiple suppliers. Last thing we need right now is a computer crisis,” Dorignac said.
Even before the cyber attack, meat prices were going up because of COVID-19 and transportation and supply issues.
“So you may see the prices go up a little more, but we don’t like it when it happens. We are taking it day by day and it is just like a vicious cycle and we just hope it cycles back to normal soon,” she said.
