COVID-19 Coverage for Foodservice Supply Chain
March 8, 2022
Restaurants Debate Masks as COVID-19 Rules Rapidly Disappear
Some keep, some drop as Americans are divided on the issue.
March 3, 2022
Drive-Thru Business Continues to Grow
“Part of the reason the off-premises market has been able to do so well in the pandemic environment has been a greater focus on technology.”
February 9, 2022
Shortage of Disposable Coffee Cups Stirs an Energy Crisis
America’s latest shortage is of disposable cups, a potential energy crisis for an up-and-at-’em nation accustomed to caffeine on the go
February 1, 2022
Arabica Coffee Futures Rose 76% and Still Climbing
Drought, frost, freight, and the pandemic are roiling the world’s top coffee-growing region.
January 24, 2022
U.S. Food Supply is Under Pressure
Weeks of workers calling in sick add to continuing supply and transportation disruptions.
January 21, 2022
Supply Chain Shortages Still Affecting Industry
Operators say lack of items, increased prices are toughest to deal with.
Fast-Food Restaurants React to Inflation
“We expect unprecedented increases in our food basket costs versus 2021.”
January 11, 2022
U.S. Beef Prices Rise Again as Workers Get Sick
Production has slowed as the omicron virus variant sickens workers.
January 10, 2022
According to the USDA report, cream availability has decreased, leading butter churners in the central U.S. to have to split cream with other dairy processors, such as cream cheese providers.
Lattes go Missing, Drive-Thrus Slow as Omicron Hits U.S. Restaurants
Service at U.S. restaurants has slowed as Omicron, the latest COVID-19 variant, sickens workers and scares off others, leaving many businesses without enough staff.
January 3, 2022
Pricey Chicken Puts Thighs on Restaurant Menus
For restaurants struggling with the high cost and tight supplies of breasts and tenders, chicken thighs are cheaper and easier to get.
December 20, 2021
Shipping and Logistics Costs Expected to Keep Rising in 2022
Companies are bracing for more steep increases in shipping and logistics prices next year after supply-chain costs soared in the scramble to move goods during the Covid-19 pandemic.
December 14, 2021
Restaurant Menus are Shrinking
Higher food costs and staffing shortages are making for slimmer menus with fewer ingredients.
December 10, 2021
High Fertilizer Prices, Tight Supplies May Affect 2022 Acreage
A warning that global high prices and tight supplies of fertilizer will contribute to rising food price inflation and may result in global food shortages in the coming year
December 9, 2021
New York City is Facing a Cream Cheese Shortage
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, we've seen no shortage of shortages. "I've never been out of cream cheese for 30 years. There's no end in sight."
November 29, 2021
38% of operators expect holiday sales to top pre-pandemic levels
This forecast demand is welcome news for the industry as many restaurants struggle to make up for the past year and a half of lost sales, labor problems and supply chain shortages.
November 15, 2021
Prices are Soaring and Sales are Holding
But what's next for restaurants?
November 8, 2021
Meat Prices Continue to Surge With Worker Shortage
And industry experts expect meat to keep gaining through the holidays and beyond.
October 25, 2021
Is Supply Chain a Scapegoat for Bigger Issues?
The overwhelming temptation is to blame all the world’s supply chain problems on the pandemic but there may be more to the story.
October 19, 2021
Restaurant Recovery Loses Momentum
Dining-in was less common in September compared to last year.
October 1, 2021
Fast-Food Chains Close Indoor Seating as Cities Mandate Vaccine Checks
By eliminating dine-in options, restaurants are forced to rely entirely on carry-out, drive-thru and delivery orders – which are generally more profitable.
September 28, 2021
The US liquor supply chain could take years to recover
"You can't go back five years and retroactively plant more agave".
Restaurants will never be the same, but maybe they'll be better.
Restaurants in the age of COVID.
September 23, 2001
Supply Chain Contracts Get Revamped After COVID-19 Disruptions
Companies are looking for more specific terms and indexed pricing to account for the delays, soaring costs in supply chains.
September 20, 2021
Shortages and sourcing issues are becoming the new normal for restaurant operators.
September 17, 2001
COVID Lockdowns in Asia Deepen Supply Chain Pain
Palm-oil plantations and coffee farms struggle with labor shortages and transportation curbs as cases surge.
September 13, 2021
Restaurants close dining rooms again as Delta-driven infections spread
COVID's resurgence is creating whiplash for restaurants.
September 1, 2021
Get the 2021 State of the Restaurant Industry Mid-Year Update
The National Restaurant Association released a mid-year supplement to the 2021 State of the Restaurant Industry Report, illustrating the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the industry. The update looks at key indicators and trends influencing the industry’s recovery as of June/July 2021, including the current state of the economy, workforce, operational costs, and food and beverage sales.
August 25, 2021
Demand Exceeds Capacity for U.S. Food Suppliers
Some of the largest U.S. food distributors are reporting difficulties in fulfilling orders.
August 24, 2021
QR Codes have Replaced Restaurant Menus, Likely Here to Stay
Codes help adjust menu offerings on the fly, accounting for elements like inflation, fluctuations in food and commodities prices, and other variables.
August 10, 2021
Delta Variant is Hurting Restaurant Recovery
Some consumers are rethinking their return to dining out, according to executives and industry data, a shift that threatens the U.S. restaurant sector’s rebound.
August 9, 2021
NYC foodservice suppliers worry about the impact of new indoor-dining vaccine rule.
New York City will be first in the U.S. to require people to show proof of vaccination to dine indoors at restaurants, causing a ripple effect of responses.
August 2, 2021
The Pandemic-Era Restaurant Menu
How COVID has forced restaurants to re-think what they serve.
July 19, 2021
Demand is soaring, but so are the costs restaurants face — for ingredients, supplies, and staff which are all in short supply. The dynamic is playing out on the menu in the form of pricier meals.
June 28, 2021
Restaurant Rebound Held Back By Shortage of Everything
Just when demand is surging, hospitality businesses are squeezed from all sides, including lack of workers and rising costs of supplies.
June 4, 2021
The Supply Chain is Empty. Restocking it is Complicated...
We are now in the most violent inventory cycle since the early 1920s.
June 3, 2021
New Laws Keep Alcohol To-Go On the Menu Permanently
Since the pandemic started, permanent laws have passed in 13 states, with bills active in at least six others. The rules vary. Some require food purchases, others impose drink limits or mandate tamper-proof containers.
May 21, 2021
Food Supply Chains Are Stretched as Restaurants Come Roaring Back
“The start up has been, in many ways, as difficult as the shutdown…Everybody is trying to turn it on immediately and the capacity might not be there.”
May 20, 2021
Thousands of Restaurants Remain Closed
A vast majority of restaurant operators reported that profitability is down from pre-pandemic levels and costs are up.
April 28, 2021
Even in a Pandemic, Consumers Still Demand Sustainable Packaging
Despite the pressures of COVID, sustainable packaging has emerged as a top priority as consumers show more interest in their environmental footprint and that of the overall food system.
April 5, 2021
The Latest Supply Chain Disruption: Plastics
Disruptions of the raw materials for many common kinds of plastics are now occurring. They are the latest problem to strike global supply chains.
April 2, 2021
Agility and Resilience Are Now More Important Than Cutting Costs
COVID-19 disruptions highlighted the benefits of real-time data and emphasized to procurement leaders that they need visibility into suppliers and sourcing to know how to best react with agility to disruptions.
March 29, 2021
Traffic in Suez Canal Resumes, Backlog Could Take Months to Clear
The Suez backlog threatens to make it even more difficult for European and U.S. companies to keep products in stock.
March 25, 2021
Ship Blocking Suez Canal "Lile a Beached Whale", Could be stuck for weeks
The blockage comes on top of the disruption to world trade already caused in the past year by COVID-19.
March 17, 2021
Restaurant Worker Vaccine Eligibility and Dining Room Reopenings by State
The latest on indoor dining and vaccinations.
March 10, 2020
CDC Observes Link Between COVID Spikes and Restaurant Dining
The findings don’t prove cause and effect, but the statistically significant patterns are in line with previous studies and expert advice
March 3, 2021
Texas Bars and Restaurants Will Open For Business at Full Capacity
Governor said the Lone Star State must open 100% to ‘restore livelihoods and normalcy’; Mississippi also lifts restrictions.
March 2, 2021
Drive-Through Lanes Become Hotter Commodities During the Pandemic
Some restaurant chains that already rely on drive-throughs are bulking up with even grander versions, in part to help meet a rise in digital orders.
February 22, 2021
There's no credible evidence that suggests COVID can be transmitted through food or food packaging.
“Our confidence in the safety of the U.S. food supply remains steadfast" says the FDA, USDA.
February 8, 2021
Shipping Companies Try to Avoid Choked Southern California Gateways
The backups have tied up inventories for weeks in some cases as ships wait to reach berths while cargo that has been offloaded sits for long periods at packed freight terminals, where operations have slowed as dockworkers have coped with an outbreak of coronavirus cases.
February 2, 2021
The World's Biggest Canola Grower is Running Short
Supplies of major commodity crops are dwindling worldwide as buyers hoard food supplies.
January 27, 2021
We're one year into the pandemic, here's the state of the situation
Restaurants were hit harder than any other industry.
January 21, 2021
Truck Drivers Prefer Short Hauls and Long Distance Freight is Feeling it
Employment has remained fairly flat in long-distance general freight transport as drivers prefer to stay close to home during the pandemic.
Restaurants Adapt for Post-Pandemic Success
Restaurants across segments have simplified menus to meet the surge in off-premises orders. Full-service restaurants were most likely to streamline menus, with 63% of fine dining restaurants and 53% of casual dining restaurants offering fewer menu items in 2020, compared to 35% of quick-service restaurants.
January 15, 2021
CA Port Congestion and Cross-Industry Labor Shortage: A Messy Situation
35 ships are anchored off the west coast awaiting berthing spots with congestion expected to continue until at least February. The port facilities have been slowed in part by impact of COVID-19 on labor availability which also affects turnaround time for truckers at all terminals.
January 14, 2021
When Will Trucking capacity Catch up?
Trucking companies have not fully recovered their employment levels to where they were when the pandemic began. In the meantime, freight volumes have expanded beyond where they were in March of last year. Most forecasts show demand staying elevated for the first half of 2021 but there could be a bright spot to it all.
January 13, 2021
Prices Soar as Grain Supplies Shrink
Dwindling stockpiles of U.S. grains have sent prices for corn, soybeans and wheat skyrocketing.This marks a sharp reversal from earlier in the year, when the global coronavirus pandemic cast doubt about grain consumption. Now, demand is climbing, particularly from China, which needs grains to rebuild hog herds after culling millions infected by African swine fever.
January 2, 2020
The Future is More Drive-Thru and Less Dine-In
KFC, Taco Bell orders fast food growth to go.
December 23, 2020
Cold Weather is Crushing Outdoor Dining
As temperatures plunge and people retreat back inside, some businesses that have come to rely heavily on their new outdoor spaces are finding themselves fighting for survival again - this time, in a battle with the weather.
December 21, 2020
New Restrictions Scramble Restaurant Chains, Moving Food and Employees Around
Large dine-in chains are finding it difficult to enact uniform approaches to the pandemic when dealing with different regulations across the country about how they can operate.
December 20, 2020
Chains Suffer New Losses in latest COVID-19 surge
New dining restrictions hurt Darden, Starbucks, Brinker.
December 18, 2020
Supplier Vaccination Rate is the Newest KPI for 2021
Suppliers that can demonstrate they have an inoculated workforce will be in position to meet the forecasted post-pandemic economic expansion.
December 11, 2020
The order takes effect Monday and deals a major setback to city restaurants.
December 10, 2020
Updated Restaurant and Foodservice Return to Work Guidelines
Things are changing -read the latest from the Restaurant Law Center.
December 8, 2020
Have New York's Restaurants Passed the Point of No Return?
You do not need us to tell you that things are very bad for almost everyone involved in New York’s hospitality industry, and yet somehow, this week, they’ve started to look even worse.
December 7, 2020
New Shutdowns are Hurting Full-Service Restaurants
As government shutdowns increase again amid rising COVID-19 numbers, transactions are plunging at full-service restaurants across the United States.
November 30, 2020
COVID Closures Mount but Who Will Hurt the Most?
Market analysts are working to make an unknowable number as knowable as possible with recent updates on expected restaurant closures. “While we expect same-store sales to backtrack in November given the cold weather, virus resurgence and lockdown restrictions in some markets, we don’t expect sales levels to fall below what is required to maintain positive cash flow”.
November 19, 2020
Updated Restaurant and Foodservice Return to Work Guidelines
Here's the latest from the Restaurant Law Center with information about Kentucky, Minnesota and Oregon.
November 18, 2020
Tracking, Tests Help Maintain Meat Output
U.S. meat giants including Tyson, Cargill Inc. and JBS USA Holdings Inc. are working to defend against another rise in infections, issuing masks, checking employees’ temperatures and installing dividers between processing-line work stations. But weeks of record-breaking daily infection totals have the U.S. food sector again on edge for potential disruptions.
November 17, 2020
Food Industry Asks for Priority Vaccine Access to Protect Supply Chain
Food industry groups said they strongly support prioritizing essential workers in critical infrastructure industries, including those responsible for ensuring the continuity of the U.S. food supply. “Prioritizing vaccinations for food, agriculture, retail and [consumer packaged goods] workers will be a key intervention to help keep workers healthy and to ensure that agricultural and food supply chains remain operating”.
November 14, 2020
As COVID-19 cases continue to increase across the country, a number of states and localities have instituted new restrictions on restaurants, including prohibitions on indoor dining. Read the latest from the Restaurant Law Center.
November 12, 2020
Global Food Supply Chains are Holding Up
Food supplies have held up despite warnings. The last mile is still the most difficult. “There were issues in the fruit and vegetable supply chains and the meat processing chains, but markets reacted the way they should. Bulk products remained unscathed.”
November 10, 2020
JB Hunt Sees Elevated Demand Thru at Least Q1
Freight market described as “tight” and “chaotic”, with an influx of west coast containers, bottlenecks on the railroads and lack of warehouse labor leading to delays. The potential of a further wave of coronavirus is adding to demand.
November 4, 2020
Updated Return to Work Guidelines
As COVID-19 cases continue to increase around the country, several states have announced new mitigation measures that impact the restaurant industry. Read the latest from the Restaurant Law Center, visit restaurantlawcenter.org for more resources.
November 2, 2020
As Wing Prices Soar Wingstop Hedges With Bone-In Thighs
Wingstop Inc. began testing bone-in-thighs on menus in seven markets last week as a possible hedge against fluctuating fresh-wing prices, the company said Monday. “We recently negotiated a pricing mechanism with our largest poultry suppliers that mitigates the impact of continued inflation in bone-in chicken wings over the near-term.”
October 31, 2020
Restaurants Face New Wave of COVID-19 Restrictions as Cases Surge
Some areas of the country have reimposed tighter restrictions on dining. Overall, chain restaurants are bouncing back more quickly than independent establishments, but the uncertainty around the surge of Covid-19 cases makes forecasting their recovery even more difficult.
October 28, 2020
Chaos in the Cheese Market as Soaring Prices Scramble Planning
Restaurants nervous about ordering cheese they can’t use are buying products just one month in advance versus their typical approach of booking purchases up to a year early. Producers worry, ‘How am I going to sell all this Parmesan?’
October 22, 2020
Signs Point to Prolonged Trucking Rally, Buckle Up for a Wild Q4
While demand is increasing, capacity is simultaneously decreasing, further elevating rates. Transportation capacity has reached a two-year low, and tender rejection rates are at an all-time high as a result. Although shipment volumes are accelerating, they’re not yet back to pre-pandemic numbers.
October 19, 2020
USDA Analysts Forecast Higher Hog Prices Ahead
A month ago, the USDA estimated market hogs would sell for an average of $37 per 100 pounds during October, November, and December, compared with the current estimate of $51. The trend of higher prices will extend into early 2021 due to a pinch in pork output because fewer hogs will be available. “First-quarter 2021 hog prices are expect to averaged $47 per (100 pounds), almost 11% greater than a year ago.”
October 15, 2020
Ag Prices Keep Rising as Countries Rush to Hoard
A number of factors are adding to a rally in prices for corn, wheat and soybeans, including floods in China and the country’s increased purchases to meet commitments under its phase one trade deal with the U.S. Others are hedging against Coronavirus. “Many may buy now but could buy less into the new year because they won’t need it”.
October 9, 2020
To-go Packaging Remains Problematic
The pandemic has caused shortages of even basic items like paper bags, “It’s still a challenge. We are looking at import partners to fill in the gaps.” Sales for years were “spotty” for packages with tamper-proof seals until the pandemic arrived but now such bags, including those that are biodegradable, are in high demand.
COVID, drought and a lot of uncertainty around the world has driven strong demand for basic foodstuffs as well as posing logistical challenges to harvests and snarling supply chains. “There’s no shortage of wheat now, but what happens in the winter and next year?”
October 8. 2020
Preventing Adversarial Supplier Relationships
Given the uncertainty that lies ahead, it is especially important now that companies try to avoid antagonizing the members of their ecosystems. For procurement professionals, the temptation is to use their company’s clout to pressure suppliers to reduce prices. Here’s one unique solution to consider.
October 6, 2020
Cold Storage is Hot Thanks to COVID
Cold storage facilities are having a moment as the food supply chain adapts to the pandemic. Americold is building two cold-storage facilities in Connecticut and Pennsylvania for Ahold Delhaize USA which are due to be completed in 2022.
October 3, 2020
Updated Return to Work Guidelines
Read the latest changes from the Restaurant Law Center with updates for Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Illinois and North Carolina.
October 1, 2020
Meat Supply Chain Starts to Examine Future Risk Management
The meat industry will increasingly look at automation and robotics as well as other ways of reducing the reliance on a labor force, especially since labor was an issue even prior to COVID-19. “Plants will look very different in the coming years”.
September 26, 2020
Updated Return to Work Guidelines
Read the latest changes from the Restaurant Law Center with updates for Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington DC and Wyoming.
September 24, 2020
Volatile Poultry Market is Expected Into 2021
Pressures from foodservice and wholesale customers will be a balancing act for food companies throughout the rest of 2020 and into 2021. Broiler prices were 20% lower in August and down 42% year over year for leg quarters.
September 23, 2020
U.S. Pork Exports to China Surge and it’s Not All Pigs Feet
JBS may have shipped 370% more U.S. pork to China this year through Aug. 31 than at the same period in 2017. Chinese demand is seen rising further after Beijing blocked imports from Germany, which has suffered an outbreak of ASF.
September 20, 2020
Meat Was In Short Supply, Now It’s On Sale
Rising production and lower demand are pushing down meat prices. Gordon Food Service Inc., one of the biggest U.S. distributors to restaurants, is selling some beef cuts for half what they cost a few months ago.
September 18, 2020
Pandemic Drives Zero-Based Category Management
As firms search for ways to cut spending and forecast demand in unpredictable times, zero-based category management and zero-based budgeting are back in style. "It’s horribly painful and amazingly impactful” and also means re-thinking vendors.
September 14, 2020
Washington State Potato Losses Top $1B
The pandemic disrupted the supply chain, particularly in the foodservice sector where French fries made from frozen potatoes and russets grown for restaurants for baked potatoes went unsold.
September 13, 2020
Updated Return to Work Guidelines for Foodservice Establishments
The latest from the Restaurant Law Center with updates for Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, New York and Pennsylvania.
September 9, 2020
New York City to Resume Indoor Dining at Restaurants
Indoor service can resume September 30th at 25% capacity - after a 5 month shutdown.
September 7, 2020
To-Go Packaging Shortages are Easing, But Operators Still Have to Compromise
Now, chain operators are using whatever packaging they can get their hands on — at any cost — until they can once again access their preferred eco-friendly products.
September 4, 2020
Trucking Companies Report Stronger Freight Demand
With demand up, prices on spot markets are running well ahead of year-ago levels. The upswing in demand and spot-market pricing is raising costs for businesses hustling to replenish goods after coronavirus lockdowns, especially for key transport lanes from West Coast seaports
August 31, 2020
Transaction Declines Now In Single Digits – That’s Good News
Recovery continued at a quicker pace for quick-service chains, with transactions down 8% compared to a year ago. Full-service chains, which were most impacted by mandated dine-in closings that slowly are being lifted, saw transactions decline 19% year-over-year, a 57-percentage point gain from the steepest decline of 76% in the week ended April 12.
August 28, 2020
The Cheesecake Factory rehires majority of 41,000 furloughed employees.
August 27, 2020
Hormel Foods Warns of Supply Shortages
The firm said that it would have a hard time meeting high demand for certain products because of supply chain, staffing and production problems brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
August 25, 2020
Coronavirus is Causing a Can Shortage
As bars and restaurants closed customers rushed to buy canned drinks and food. "Demand is just kind of crazy".
August 24, 2020
Spot Rates Are High – Will Contract Rates Catch Up?
With spot rates surging in recent months, the consensus should be that contract rates will soon rise. However, weakness in the economy could stall that.
Despite Wild Weather, a Bumper Crop of Corn and Soybeans Expected
It’s not all good news for farmers as the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S. in March hobbled domestic demand for grains as restaurants and other institutions nationwide shut down.
August 20, 2020
Beef Exports Slump While Pork Surges
For the first six months of the year, exports of American beef tumbled by 15%, probably due to COVID-19 turmoil, while pork exports soared by 28% compared with 2019 levels, said the USDA.
August 19, 2020
Updated Return to Work Guidelines for Foodservice Establishments
The latest from the Restaurant Law Center with updates for California, Florida, Illinois and Tennessee.
August 17, 2020
Smaller U.S. Wineries Are Getting Hammered
“When you add both the shutdowns of tasting rooms and closures of restaurants, 44% of sales fell out from underneath the wineries in one night”.
August 16, 2020
Winter is Coming Soon to Outdoor Dining – So Are Blankets and Plastic Domes
Outdoor dining has been a saving grace for restaurants with the space for it. When the weather no longer cooperates, “we could really be in trouble”.
August 14, 2020
Brinker Expects Delivery and Takeout Sales to Continue Long After Pandemic
“I don’t think that we’ll ever go back to the mix we ran prior,” said Brinker CEO Wyman Roberts, who credited the pandemic for pushing many consumers to try delivery through third-party apps for the first time.
August 13, 2020
Updated Return to Work Guidelines for Foodservice Establishments
The latest from the Restaurant Law Center with updates for Alaska, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.
In China, Imported Meat Tests Positive For Coronavirus
Two cities in China have found traces of the new virus in imported frozen food and on food packaging, raising fears that contaminated food shipments might cause new outbreaks.
August 12, 2020
Smithfield Lost $72M in Second Quarter In COVID Related Expenses
The firm spent $350 million to protect workers and the food supply.
August 10, 2020
Will Global Demand Save U.S. Dairy?
The U.S. Dairy Export Council reported that U.S. dairy exports in June were 28% higher in volume and 22% higher in value. “This year’s gains have been all the more impressive in that they were achieved during one of the most disrupted dairy trade environments in history”.
August 8, 2020
Updated Return to Work Guidelines for Foodservice Establishments
The latest from the Restaurant Law Center with updates to Georgia, Idaho, illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Mexico, New York and Rhode Island.
August 7, 2020
Food Distributors Still Scramble to Survive, Not All Will
The food distribution industry expects to take a $110 billion loss for the year, or about a third of the industry's revenues in 2019. Many have been able to pivot, others were not so lucky.
FDA Announces Voluntary Phase Out of PFAS in Food Packaging
The FDA is opting for a phased market removal because it balances uncertainty about the potential for public health risks with minimizing potential market disruptions during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
August 6, 2020
Led by vegetable oils, dairy products and sugar, food prices extended a rebound from the previous month following sharp falls triggered by the coronavirus pandemic.
August 5, 2020
Updated Return to Work Guidelines for Foodservice Establishments
The latest from the Restaurant Law Center with revisions for South Carolina.
August 4, 2020
Despite COVID-19 Tyson’s Outlook is Strong
Even after accounting for pandemic related costs, the business continued to show strength and resilience. “We are investing in operational flexibility to ensure that we can continue to meet customer demand while living in a potentially long-term COVID-19 environment”.
August 3, 2020
Updated Return to Work Guidelines for Foodservice Establishments
The latest from the Restaurant Law Center with a revision to North Carolina.
August 2, 2020
“New Normal” Emerges for Navigating COVID-19
McDonald’s, Shake Shack, Chipotle reset their businesses with a better understanding of the current stay-at-home lifestyle.
July 30, 2020
Less Competition, More To-Go Business – Big Chains Surviving COVID
“For quick-service restaurants, they don’t want to reopen their dining rooms because this drags down profitability and increases costs.”
Updated Return to Work Guidelines for Foodservice Establishments
The latest from the Restaurant Law Center with an update for Virginia.
July 29, 2020
Another Pandemic Supply Chain Disruption - Aluminum Cans
The shift from supplying keg beer that was sold in bars and restaurants prior to March lockdowns, to consumer-direct in cans and bottles during the pandemic, has put a strain on inventory, as has the increasing consumer demand for canned beverages.
Updated Return to Work Guidelines for Foodservice Establishments
The latest from the Restaurant Law Center with updates for Delaware, Kentucky and Utah
July 27, 2020
Beef Packers’ Margins Reached Historic Levels During COVID-19 Shutdowns
As beef producers struggled, the middle of the meat supply chain had huge margin spikes during the initial peak of the pandemic, demonstrating meat is a complicated business.
July 24, 2020
Updated Return to Work Guidelines for Foodservice Establishments
The latest from the Restaurant Law Center with revisions for Idaho, Louisiana, Oregon and Washington
July 23, 2020
Pandemic Drives the Future of Foodservice: Deeper Relationships with Suppliers
Supply chain kinks required companies to learn more about what was happening in the supply chain, with freight and sourcing from suppliers. “Collaboration has reached a new level”.
July 22, 2020
Coca-Cola Sales Plunge, Recovery Uncertain
Second-quarter sales for the beverage giant fell 28% from a year earlier as out-of-home consumption—everything from restaurants to vending machines—plummeted
July 21, 2020
QSR’s Drive Decline in Restaurant Transactions
Statewide restaurant closures and restrictions are having week to week impact on transaction numbers.
Hog Backlog Forecast to Rise 2.5m By Year End
Slow slaughter capacity and backlog is creating “by far, the worst financial disaster ever for American hog farmers”.
Current Facial Covering and Health Screening Requirements By State
The National Restaurant Association’s ServSafe team has updated the attached document which tracks state and local face covering and employee health screening requirements.
July 20, 2020
Conducting Supplier Audits in a Pandemic
Given the heightened risk of supply chain disruption, many companies are challenged with having to take a closer look at their suppliers at a time when travel is difficult.
Pandemic Placing Unprecedented Pressure on Global Ag and Food Supply Chains
Poultry to account for half of world increase in meat consumption. Low economic growth this year could contribute to a further drop in agricultural commodity prices, at least in the short run.
July 17, 2020
Updated Summary of Restaurant Reopening Plans
New information from the Restaurant Law Center includes updates for Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Montana, New York, Nevada, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania.
July 16, 2020
Food Commodities Still at Risk for a Market Shock
The macroeconomic shocks induced by the COVID-19 pandemic are expected to put downward pressure on agricultural commodity prices with the potential for “a historically significant market shock” this year.
July 15, 2020
Updated Summary of Restaurant Reopening Plans
The latest from the Restaurant Law Center includes updates for California, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, Kentucky, New Mexico, Tennessee and Washington.
July 14, 2020
The beef processing industry is operating at 95% capacity with all facilities back online, pork production is up 10% over LY and chicken prices are improving.
July 13, 2020
California Shuts Down Indoor Dining and All Bars After Virus Surge
The state is now expanding the shutdown of indoor dining at restaurants and wineries to all 58 California counties and the order also includes a complete shutdown of all bars.
Global Coffee Consumption Falls as Café Culture Disappears
Devastation for growers - Citigroup Inc. predicts that futures for arabica beans could drop roughly 10% in the second half of the year to about 90 cents a pound, hovering near break-even costs.
July 10, 2020
COVID-19 Staff Cases Closes Flowers Foods in Georgia
The firm is a large provider of buns and bread for foodservice and retail, product shortfall expected to be covered by other plants it operates for the near term.
Potato Growers Hopeful The Worst is Over
Reopening foodservice outlets are helping but a slow road back to normal is expected. “We will be feeling the COVID impacts for at least two years, if not longer, as the supply chain disruptions even affected our seed potato supply”.
Packaging Shortages Force Restaurants to Get Creative
If and when operators can find the right products, many have come to accept that they will have to pay more for them and wait longer to receive them. “The supply chain has definitely been one of our biggest headaches”.
July 9, 2020
Updated Summary of Restaurant Reopening Plans
New Mexico will be closing indoor dining and Arizona is reducing indoor capacity to 50%. Read the latest from the Restaurant Law Center.
Covid Throws Meatpacking to the Future, Automation Ready to Roll
The pandemic is speeding the shift from human meat cutters to robotic butchers. Automation “is something we think is going to be revolutionary for our business. We are on the cusp of a significant rollout”.
Updated Summary of Restaurant Reopening Plans
The latest from the Restaurant Law Center includes updates to Florida, Georgia, New York and Tennessee.
July 8, 2020
As Reopenings Stall, Can Restaurants Survive a Second Blow?
Restaurant sales that had been improving since hitting lows in April are now sputtering in the first states to log rising case counts such as Arizona, North Carolina and Nevada.
July 7, 2020
Updated Summary of Restaurant Reopening Plans
Restaurants in Miami-Dade County and 6 additional California Counties must close indoor dining, and capacity has been reduced in Nashville. Read the latest from the Restaurant Law Center.
July 6, 2020
Farm Workers Are Still Getting Sick, Fruit Pickers Struggle
Growing outbreaks among farmworkers nationwide come as most employers are looking to reduce the threat of outbreaks among their workers and the coronavirus continues to sicken workers at U.S. meatpacking plants.
July 3, 2020
Should You Be Helping Your Small Business Suppliers?
The small businesses in the extended supply chain, hidden from view in the lower tiers, present the most risk and the least amount of control. It's their failure that may have the greatest impact on your business and customers.
The US Food Supply Chain is a Hot Mess, Experts Agree
Recovery could take 1-4 years, profit margins will be hit by messy re-balancing, companies will need to rewire for agility versus trying to achieve static optimization states. Let's hope farmers and food producers can hang on.
July 2, 2020
Updated Summary of State Restaurant Reopening Plans
Here's the latest information from the Restaurant Law Center.
States Tap the Brakes on Reopening, NYC Postpones Indefinitely
The indoor dining postponement in New York City and ban in counties in California followed postponements in New Jersey, Philadelphia and roll-backs of dine-in restrictions in Texas and Florida.