PANIC BUYING

France Erupts as Dijon Mustard Disappears From Shelves

It’s the nation’s traditional spread, but dijon mustard is disappearing from shelves, and residents are up in arms over its potential replacements.

France is in the throes of a dire emergency after its iconic traditional staple, dijon mustard, has begun to disappear from supermarket shelves. Due to supply problems from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, climate change and COVID-19, producers of the delightful condiment have found themselves in short supply of specific brown seeds needed to make the recipe complete. At least 80 percent of the seeds come from Canada, but a recent heatwave slashed the harvest by 50 percent. “The main issue is climate change and the result is this shortage,” Luc Vandermaesen, the director of mustard manufacturer Reine de Dijon and the president of the Burgundy Mustard Association, told The New York Times. “We can’t respond to the orders we get, and retail prices are up as much as 25 percent reflecting the soaring cost of seeds.” Horseradish, wasabi, and Worcestershire sauce are said to be contenders as a replacement, but, according to the Times, don’t cut the mustard.