Supply-chain disruptions are causing a shortage of juice boxes

Juice boxes are the latest victim of the supply-chain issues causing shortages of various products across the country.

Supermarkets are running low on the children’s favorite thanks to a smaller-than-expected apple crop this year and shortages of bottles and juice box containers.

“Like many retailers, we are seeing some shortages on juice boxes and bottles of juice as suppliers are experiencing labor, logistics and packaging challenges due to COVID-19,” said Maura O’Brien, a spokeswoman for Stop & Shop, the largest grocery chain on Long Island.

“Additionally, juice suppliers have noted that volatile crops this past season have in part created a shortage on apple concentrate,” she added.

Some juice box manufacturers are now scaling back production efforts on some flavors to focus on ones that can be produced more easily, O’Brien said, adding that “cranberry-based juices and cocktails are not reporting any crop or product supply issues” — though they might be less popular with kids.

Capri-Sun and Kool-Aid are expected to resume production on some products shortly, she said, “which should help with assortment and availability.”

Hauppauge, New York-based grocery chain King Kullen is also seeing “sporadic shortages” of juice boxes and pouches, a spokesman told Newsday, citing shortages of labor for production, warehousing, and transportation.

Other items — ranging from pet foods and sports drinks to other household items — are also in short supply, the spokesman, Lloyd Singer, said.

The shortage is putting the squeeze on parents.

Sara Fahrenholz told Newsday she hasn’t been able to track down any 8-ounce plastic bottles or boxes of Mott’s apple juice that her 4-year-old son Steven likes.

“You can’t find them in the supermarket,” said Fahrenholz, 43, who lives in Plainview.

Fahrenholz told the outlet that she hasn’t had any luck recently at big-box stores like Target or Walmart, adding that “obviously the last resort is Amazon.”

Scott Boudin, 46, a producer for the Elvis Duran and the Morning Show who lives in Old Bethpage, told Newsday he’s stuck in a similar situation trying to get Honest Tea juice pouches for his 10-year-old daughter.

Boudin said he’s also witnessed shortages in his side gig doing grocery shopping for Instacart.

“That’s something that’s on a lot of people’s lists, and there are some times when I’ll go and the shelf is completely clear, no brands at all,” he told the outlet.

Kraft Heinz, the distributor of the Capri-Sun juice brand, told Newsday that a shortage of apple and pear juice concentrate, as well as of raw materials like straws have hampered production.

At the same time, Kraft Heinz spokeswoman Stephanie Peterson said, demand has surged and the company is now investing $25 million to increase production, “making us optimistic about being able to close the gap on the heightened demand,” according to Newsday.

Representatives for the makers of popular juice brands Mott’s and Honest Tea did not return The Post’s request for comment.