Some Subway India shops have stopped serving tomatoes of their salads and sandwiches attributable to high quality issues, the most recent transfer by a overseas model as costs of the staple have soared almost 400 % to report highs within the nation.

A Subway outlet at a Delhi airport terminal introduced the “Temporary Unavailability of TOMATOES” in an indication saying the restaurant couldn’t get sufficient provide that handed its high quality checks.

“Hence for the time being we are forced to serve you products without tomatoes,” it stated. “We are working to get the tomatoes supplies back.”

Everstone Group’s Culinary Brands, which has the grasp franchisee for some 200 of India’s 800 Subway and manages the provision chain for all of them, didn’t reply to a request for remark.

It was not clear what number of shops had been affected.

Many Indian shops had been nonetheless providing tomatoes, in response to checks of meals ordering apps and calls to shops, however at the least two in New Delhi, one in Uttar Pradesh and one in Chennai within the south had stopped.

“It’s very expensive,” stated one Subway retailer worker.

In the capital New Delhi, tomatoes was retailing for about 168 rupees ($2.05) a kg (93 cents a pound) on Saturday, after touching round 240 rupees.

The authorities blames the upper costs of tomatoes on a lean manufacturing season as monsoon rains disrupt transport and distribution. It follows months of upper costs for gadgets starting from milk to spices.

The authorities in latest weeks has organised cellular vans to provide tomatoes at cheaper charges, with a whole bunch queuing every day.

Global restaurant chains like Domino’s and KFC are additionally launching lower-priced merchandise in India, the place customers have reduce spending attributable to excessive inflation. Domino’s is aggressively selling a 60-cent seven-inch pizza, the model’s least expensive worldwide, within the nation.