Pho noodle shortage affecting C.O. restaurants and food supply stores
(Update: Adding video, comments from Pho House owner)
REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- A shortage of Banh Pho noodles across the West Coast is causing concern for one Redmond restaurant.
Nicole Taylor, owner of Pho House off highway 97 in Redmond, said her Portland-area supplier told her Wednesday she'll be receiving only 10 pounds of banh pho noodles. Normally, she gets 100 pounds.
"I was shocked," Taylor said. "I was like, 'Okay -- it's about three hours before I'm supposed to get my shipment, and just one bag for me.. wow.' So that was upsetting,” Taylor said.
She tried to find noodles at US Foods Chef’Store in Bend, but said they were completely out as well.
Taylor said early Thursday afternoon, she had a number of pre prepared noodle bags, and only one stored bag from the previous shipment.
She said all those noodles would be gone by the end of the day.
Taylor said her restaurant still has broth, meat, vegetables and all the other ingredients, and will use replacement noodles if necessary.
"Just the pho noodles, which is what we're known for,” Taylor said, in response to what they're short on. “And the other Vietnamese restaurants in the area, so it's going to be interesting."
Dang's Vietnamese Restaurant in Bend was unavailable for an interview, but said they're feeling the shortage as well.
Pho Viet in Bend was closed Thursday and not available for comment.
NewsChannel 21 also spoke to ARJ, Pho House's food supplier over the phone.
Company co-owner Sue Kasem said a labor shortage in a California factory that ships all over the country is the root cause of the problem.
Kasem said the factory had to stop production one day a week because of it, but expects deliveries to be back to normal next week.
Taylor, dealing with a labor shortage of her own, now has a lot on her plate. (Or not enough, you might say.)
NewsChannel 21 asked how she is managing both shortages.
"Lots of prayer,” Taylor said after a laugh. “Having faith that there's light at the end of the tunnel, and just offering what we can, doing what we can -- surviving."
