Sign up for our special edition newsletter to get a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic.

The meat shortages have come sooner than expected — likely thanks to the hoarders.

Costco on Monday said it will be limiting customers to just three packages of meat per shopper, while Kroger supermarkets posted an alert on the meat section of its website warning that it may have limited inventory “due to high demand.”

Grocers have been bracing for a run on meat in mid-May as major meat processing plants, including Tyson Foods, have been forced to shut down production. But the shortages appear to have come earlier than expected as consumers worried about the meat shortage have been stocking up, experts say.

Tyson Foods, which had closed a number of plants last month after employees had become ill with the coronavirus, said on Monday that the pandemic will disrupt the meat supply chain for many more months despite an executive order from President Trump to keep processing plants open.

Related Video

“Operationally, we have and expect to continue to face slowdowns and temporary idling of production facilities from team member shortages or choices we make to ensure operational safety,” the company said.

Among its better-known brands are Hillshire Farm and Jimmy Dean.