, and a large enough dip in demand for products like ribs, sausages, and chicken wings that wholesale prices have plummeted to their lowest levels for the grilling high season in more than a decade. Some fear that the historically wet weather could continue into the summer, further dampening the prime 2019 backyard barbecue time and keeping consumers who don’t like smoking ribs in a rainstorm inside.
Polish sausage may be struggling, but there’s still hope for burgers: “This is definitely shaping up to be the year of the burger,” one analyst told Bloomberg, adding that sales have exceeded previous years. So on this, the eve of America’s independence, perhaps it’s time to finally recognize that unpredictable weather is only going to get worse from here.