Muhammad Amanullah | July 21, 2026
The True Post | ALBERTA, Several grocery stores across Alberta are experiencing a temporary milk shortage, with empty dairy shelves appearing in some locations after an unexpected power outage disrupted production at a major dairy processing facility in Edmonton.
The supply interruption has affected retailers and small businesses across the province, prompting some stores to limit milk purchases while they await new deliveries.
Power Failure Disrupts Milk Production
Saputo, the parent company of Dairyland, confirmed on Monday that an unexpected electrical issue occurred at its Edmonton dairy processing plant, temporarily disrupting milk production and product distribution.
The company said the technical problem has since been resolved, and operations at the facility have resumed. However, it warned that temporary shortages of certain dairy products may continue for several days.
Saputo expects product availability to return to normal by the end of the week.
Grocery Stores Introduce Purchase Limits
As supplies remain tight, several grocery stores have introduced temporary purchase limits on milk to ensure more customers can access available stock.
Smaller independent retailers say they have not received their usual deliveries, leaving dairy shelves partially or completely empty.
Bridgeland Market Among Businesses Affected
Bridgeland Market in Calgary is one of the local businesses impacted by the disruption.
Store owner Youssef Tria said the business received an email from Dairyland on July 15, informing them that their scheduled milk shipment would be delayed.
As a result, the store ran out of milk over the weekend and was unable to secure replacement supplies from other distributors because alternative suppliers require orders to be placed at least one week in advance.
According to Tria, replacement deliveries are scheduled for Thursday, leaving shelves nearly empty for several days.
Small Businesses Face Greater Challenges
Tria said supply disruptions are especially difficult for small independent retailers.
Unlike major supermarket chains, smaller stores have fewer backup suppliers and limited purchasing options. When essential products such as milk are unavailable, customers often choose to shop elsewhere, resulting in lost sales.
Although Dairyland later indicated that deliveries could resume on the regular schedule, Tria said there is still no guarantee about exactly when supplies will return.
Coffee Shops Concerned About Milk Supply
Independent coffee shops across Alberta are also monitoring the situation closely, as milk is essential for many of their beverages.
Astrid Lilles, manager of Kwo Espresso, said the café typically uses around six four-litre containers of milk every day.
Meanwhile, Emily Pohorelic, manager of Café Bicyclette, said her café can use up to twenty four-litre containers daily, depending on customer demand.
Both businesses purchase milk from grocery stores rather than directly from suppliers.
Specialty Coffee Drinks Could Be Affected
Coffee shop owners warn that if grocery stores continue limiting milk purchases—or if shortages persist—it could become difficult to prepare popular drinks such as cappuccinos and lattes.
Lilles noted that if customers are restricted to purchasing only two containers of milk per visit, cafés may struggle to obtain enough supply to meet daily demand.
Pohorelic added that business owners may have to visit multiple grocery stores to secure enough milk until regular deliveries resume.
Company Declines to Estimate Product Loss
Saputo has not disclosed how much milk or how many dairy products were lost as a result of the power outage.
The company says it is working to restore normal production and distribution as quickly as possible.
