As our “beloved” 2020 drifts through its final quarter, there are signs of a strong “restart” underneath the months of hardship.
According to an October 12 article in the trade publication Food Logistics, the purchasing numbers for restaurants and retail purveyors have significantly increased in recent months, overcoming some of the lows brought on by the pandemic and lockdowns earlier this year.
The article stated that in February, restaurant purchases were only 30 percent of typical numbers. About 20 percent of all restaurants closed during that stage of the pandemic, and many others were operating with limited hours and personnel. By September, however, purchases were back to 80 percent of the normal dollar volume for those that survived.
That’s great news, that means that restaurants are getting busier and people are beginning to find a way through the lingering specter of the pandemic.
While the recovery is strong, there are still problems on the supplier side—fewer restaurants mean more unused product in the supply chain as well as lower revenues. To help, the FDA stepped in by easing labeling regulations and helping those suppliers ship directly to retail consumer outlets, assisting the receiving side of the supply chain in providing product to sell.
Problem – solution: the yin and the yang of business. At Adams Cold Storage, we have seen this at play during the past year.
Though our facility has been consistently utilized by other essential industry partners during the pandemic, there have been some issues that we’ve tackled along the way. Our retail customers have needed more space; we have creatively found ways to assist them. There have been some of our customers who have seen their shipments slow to a drizzle, and a few, unfortunately, who have seen their shipments nearly stop.
At each step, we have worked to provide suitable, safe solutions to assist them during this time.
It’s a balancing act for all of us. For us, our mission has been to reach out to our partners to meet their needs. As those needs get met, new partners arise.
This is the way life goes. If one thing has been true during these turbulent times, it is that consistency, reliability, and targeted flexibility will guide us to recovery.