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KANGIQTUGAAPIK/CLYDE RIVER - Coffee and tea went unsweetened in Clyde River for more than a week recently as the community's two stores ran out of white sugar at the same time.

As of press time, there was no sugar for sale anywhere in town.

The Northern store in Clyde River ran out of sugar late in the week of April 13. Residents have been turning to community radio to find sugar to buy. - Jennifer Geens/NNSL photo

"We've got it ordered but it hasn't shown up," said Northern Store manager Debbie Giberson on April 22.

"I'm hoping this week."

The Northern store ran out of sugar late in the week of April 13 and has not stocked its shelf since.

"There are over 80 cases on order," said the Northern's new grocery manager, who did not want to give her name.

At the same time the Aarruja store ran out of its stockpile of sugar brought up on the 2008 sealift.

The Aarruja store ordered enough sugar to sell three cases per week, the same as it had on the 2007 sealift, but this year it was not enough.

Last year's supply was large enough that there was no shortage, according to Aaruuja's grocery manager Isapee Sanguya.

On April 22, Sanguya said he anticipated Aarruja's order of sugar would arrive sometime that week or the next.

One resident said people have been going on community radio asking if anyone had any sugar to sell.

The Northern's grocery manager said the sudden shortage came from the high demand from the Quluaq School and its breakfast program, which bought 15 cases from the Northern last week.

Each case of sugar contains 20 two-kilogram bags.

Freight arrives every day in Clyde River by air but the Northern staff doesn't know what's on the plane until that morning.

"Today is cooler foods and milk," said the Northern grocery manager.