Smaller Thanksgiving gatherings mean big wins in turkey sales

TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - The holidays are looking a bit different this year, but families are still finding ways to celebrate even if they aren’t physically together. This year many families are planning smaller gatherings for Thanksgiving.

“It appears to us that we have more people doing individual celebrations with smaller groups,” said Ashley Shick, the director of communications for Bashas’ Family of Stores.

With potentially more people having Thanksgiving dinners, Shick said Bashas has seen a 20% increase in turkey sales compared to last year, and the sales of their heat and serve meals doubled. She said large birds are continuing to sell with the average turkey weighing 14 to 16 pounds.

“Planning for an anticipated increase in the number of gatherings and just doing our best to watch the market and make sure our customers have what they need to celebrate safely,” Shick said.

Instead of hosting a big gatherings and inviting loved ones to their homes for Thanksgiving, many people are inviting family and friends to a Zoom call. Steve Page, who was grocery shopping Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2020, plans to do exactly that.

“It’s a Zoom Thanksgiving, with my wife and myself down here, my brother in Colorado and sisters in Washington state and Oregon,” Page said. “So we will all keep in touch.”

Despite the pandemic keeping them apart, it’s a creative way to spend time together for the holiday.

“It’s just a period of time where you’ve got to be resourceful,” he said.

Susan Cobb also downsized her Thanksgiving plans this year.

“It’s just gonna be myself and my daughter and then we’ll do phone contacts tomorrow with family that’s not here,” Cobb said. “Very small. We are doing a very small turkey breast and all the other trimmings.”

Nonetheless, she’s keeping the holiday spirit alive.

“Happy Thanksgiving, and be grateful for what we’ve got,” Cobb said.

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