DE PERE — "We started taking preorders on September 15th and today is the day we sold out of all of our turkeys," said Matt Lutsey.
Lutsey is the owner of Waseda Farms in Baileys Harbor, with a market in De Pere. He knows all about the trends of the market when it comes to Thanksgiving turkeys. His store orders directly from farms in western Wisconsin and parts of Minnesota. Lutsey says it's always a bit of a gamble when trying to predict the demand for the season.
"We try to order the right amount based on how last year was but every year's a different year," said Lutsey.
Lutsey says one of the trends around Thanksgiving over the last several years hasn't been about the price, but rather when people start getting in the holiday mindset.
"We had more planning ahead this year than ever," said Lutsey.
He said another trend has been the huge demand for online sales where people reserve their turkey and have it shipped to them.
One issue that consumers are focusing on this year is price. Lutsey says the cost increase is something passed down through the supply chain.
"Prices have definitely gone up because of all of the inputs from everybody from everybody in the line, whether it's the feed prices, the cost of the chick, the labor on the farm," said Lutsey.
Locally, there are still many grocery stores offering deals on whole turkeys during the run up to Thanksgiving. Meijer is currently offering turkey at 55 cents per pound, after a minimum purchase.
Several other national chains in the area are offering special discounts based on a certain minimum purchase or discount card.
