McCormick (NYSE: MKC), a leading purveyor of spices, condiments, and other flavorings, reported earnings this week, and the results are interesting not only for McCormick shareholders, but also for the investing community in general as they might provide some insight into what's to come as earnings season picks up. However, the escalation of inflation and supply chain costs as well as COVID-related impacts in China were unanticipated and further contributed to the challenges. COVID-related shutdowns in China during the second quarter also had an outsized impact on results as that country is McCormick's second-largest in sales.