Heavier turkeys flying off the shelves ahead of Thanksgiving feasts

With no more pandemic restrictions, higher bird prices aren't deterring families from holding large gatherings this year.

The birds are bigger and they’re more expensive, but they’re still being (ahem) gobbled up by local customers getting ready for their first large Thanksgiving feasts in three years.

As with almost everything these days, inflation, supply chain issues and labour shortages are conspiring to jack up the prices of turkeys at local butcher shops and grocery stores, but Montrealers appear to be taking it in stride. Butchers and grocery stores expect to do swift business this weekend, selling out all the turkeys they ordered for the traditional Thanksgiving meal.

Grain-fed turkeys at higher-end butchers were fetching between $9 and $12 per kilogram, roughly a 10-per-cent increase from the previous year.

At Maître Boucher in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, co-owner Frédéric Lévesque said gas prices are affecting his bottom line, as he’s paying at least 30 per cent more in transportation costs.

“There were two small increases over the year,” Lévesque said, adding that most of the prices of his Quebec-based, grain-fed turkeys increased by about 10 per cent. However, Quebec company Ferme des Voltigeurs upped its prices dramatically, by roughly 50 per cent, he said.

“I don’t know why the prices went up so high, but I think it has to do with the demand for their product,” Lévesque said.

At the Atwater Market, Jéremy Gérant, whose family owns Boucherie Claude & Henri, said since people have been permitted to gather in greater numbers this year, larger turkeys are selling very well.

“At least four, five people have come in to ask for the biggest possible turkeys,” said Gérant, the son of owner Éric Gérant. “They’ll take a turkey of 35 or 40 pounds — really a mastodon.

“Last year we sold smaller turkeys, but we sold a lot because all the restaurants were closed.”

He, too, has seen prices increase a little less than 10 per cent compared with last year.

“It’s really the price of grain that’s affected things, because of what’s happening in Ukraine,” Gérant said. “The price has really gone up, and so it costs more to feed the turkeys.”

Gérant ordered roughly 1,000 turkeys, and doubled his staff for the Thanksgiving period; he expects to sell out by the end of the weekend.

“Our turkeys are from Quebec, grain fed and free range without antibiotics or hormones,” he said. “They’re happy turkeys.”

Across the way, one of the priciest turkeys was an organic one with a price tag of $122.96, or $17.95 per kilogram.

Ferme Saint-Vincent owner Imen Mehrezi said you can taste the difference in the quality.

“Our customers really are very health conscious, so they don’t mind paying more for that,” Mehrezi said.

Since she runs a direct farm-to-market business, she can better absorb the increase in fuel prices, so she said the prices of her turkeys have stayed relatively stable this year. However, the labour shortage has hit her company, too, as she no longer has an employee dedicated to taking orders by phone.

Boucherie Adelard Belanger Et Ses Fils manager Charles Cuny said it also has not increased its prices since last year. The butcher shop negotiated good prices with its suppliers and scaled back on its markup to help save money for customers. A turkey there costs $9.99 per kilogram, and they’re also grain-fed Quebec birds.

Cuny recommends people buy turkeys that weigh roughly one pound per person they are expected to feed.

Those who can’t afford to buy whole turkeys can buy half ones, or parts of a turkey.

More affordable turkeys can also be found at grocery stores.

Walmart was advertising Butterball turkeys at $5.45 per kilo. At PA, it costs $8.80 per kilo for a fresh whole turkey, while Métro was selling its Butterball turkeys at $6.45 per kilogram.

Naturally, a Turkey isn’t for everyone, and the good news for vegetarians, is that there are more and more meatless alternatives to turkey.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is rebranding the holiday Thanks-vegan and lists numerous alternative recipes on its site like a cashew nut roast with herb stuffing.

More locally, the health food store Teva, on Queen Mary Rd., recommends hosts ask the vegetarian who is coming over what meat alternative they prefer, as some are turned off by the taste of meat, while others prefer their meatless meat to taste like the real thing.

Employee Bill Giannos said the key is to make sure there is protein as part of the dish, because serving just side dishes won’t cut it in terms of providing essential nutrients.

“You have to combine the right type of vegan alternatives to get as much proteins and amino acids as possible,” he said. “Asking for advice always helps.”

Some meat substitutes, like Beyond Meat or other plant-based sausages and burgers are growing in popularity, but Giannos advises people check the ingredients carefully, because they are notoriously unhealthy.

If this seems too much to cope with, some people may want to head out of town and visit family in Toronto or Ottawa. If they didn’t book early, they are out of luck, since train tickets were nearly all booked Friday morning, while bus tickets were nearly sold out. Rental cars were not available in the city for the weekend. All that travel means there will be plenty of cars on the road, so check your route to avoid road closures, or use Google Maps or Waze, which has all the closures up to date, so you don’t feel like a turkey caught in perennial road construction.

jmagder@postmedia.com

twitter.com/jasonmagder

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