Food supply chain challenges during Covid-19

[+ glutes]

Lots of links in the chain that could fail?

 

Neighbors were just quoted $60/pound for rib eye steaks to be delivered with their weekly drop off...

 

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/08/business/meat-plant-closures-coronavirus/index.html

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2020/04/04/coronavirus-tests-americas-food-supply-agriculture/5096382002/

[MikeBiDude]

Lots of links in the chain that could fail?

 

Neighbors were just quoted $60/pound for rib eye steaks to be delivered with their weekly drop off...

 

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/08/business/meat-plant-closures-coronavirus/index.html

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2020/04/04/coronavirus-tests-americas-food-supply-agriculture/5096382002/

From the CNN link:

“ Consumers are unlikely to see any shortages because of production disturbances. ”

 

 

re: $60 ribeyes...source? Delivered? Dry aged? Prime, choice, select?

Fellow restaurant consultants calculate 50 to 60% of customers are not going to restaurants at all. That’s going to result in a food supply glut, not shortages. That said, distributing could be a problem and wholesale plants like meatpackers closing down due to illness is problematic.

 

biggest problem is probably panic buying, and hoarding by consumers at regular grocery stores.

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

Stop fear-mongering until the fear is actual.

 

Price gouging does not equal supply chain failure. Assholes will always be assholes.

 

As @MikeBiDude said, it's consumer panic buying that's the issue. Stupid, greedy, fearful people.

[+ LIguy]

I'm not looking for 60 dollar rib steaks but when I went to the supermarket Monday they were loaded with beef and no limits like there was for everything else in store.

[+ Axiom2001]

Stop fear-mongering until the fear is actual.

 

Price gouging does not equal supply chain failure. Assholes will always be assholes.

 

As @MikeBiDude said, it's consumer panic buying that's the issue. Stupid, greedy, fearful people.

 

...was at a major chain yesterday (4.8.20) and was unable to purchase any of my goods to be used in my making a zucchini loaf. ...wanted four unskinned (non Tyson) chicken breasts, too; unfortunately I could not find any in this particular chain which has never seemed very crowded when I've (infrequently) shopped there. ...will postpone getting back into cooking and baking until there's a "bright star" showing a decline in what one has encountered during the past month plus in California.

[Guest]

From the CNN link:

“ Consumers are unlikely to see any shortages because of production disturbances. ”

 

 

re: $60 ribeyes...source? Delivered? Dry aged? Prime, choice, select?

Fellow restaurant consultants calculate 50 to 60% of customers are not going to restaurants at all. That’s going to result in a food supply glut, not shortages. That said, distributing could be a problem and wholesale plants like meatpackers closing down due to illness is problematic.

 

biggest problem is probably panic buying, and hoarding by consumers at regular grocery stores.

I have friends in the food processing business. Large scale national and regional footprints. They are getting near identical pickup in grocery segments to offset restaurant segments.

[big-n-tall]

Most of the grocery stores near me are fully restocked with the things (meats, fresh fruits & veggies, frozen veggies, etc.) I mentioned in another forum post that were sold out a few weeks ago.

 

There is still no toilet paper or certain cleaning products, but paper towels pop up here and there. However, I found if I go to an unconventional store, a smaller chain market (like the number of Latino grocery stores within driving distance) I can get toilet paper.

 

People are still panic buying certain things, but there doesn't seem to be a food supply chain challenge. I just think a lot of places need time to restock.

Edited April 9, 2020 by big-n-tall

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

I have friends in the food processing business. Large scale national and regional footprints. They are getting near identical pickup in grocery segments to offset restaurant segments.

 

Yep. I have a connection with HEB corporate and I'm told that while it's been a lot more work, the supply is easily there.

[marylander1940]

As meat processing plants are being forced to close, even for short periods of time, millions of pounds of meat will disappear from the supply chain, and there will be limited supply of products available in grocery stores until plants reopen.

 

 

 

[MikeBiDude]

Yep. I have a connection with HEB corporate and I'm told that while it's been a lot more work, the supply is easily there.

Meat packing plants will re-open sooner than later. Disinfecting the plants is easy. Unions allowing new (Covid 19 tested!) workers in to work the disinfected production line another story.

[EZEtoGRU]

Meat packing plants will re-open sooner than later. Disinfecting the plants is easy. Unions allowing new (Covid 19 tested!) workers in to work the disinfected production line another story.

Questionable whether they can find enough workers who aren't sick to actually go to work.

 

Meanwhile, Trump has ordered all meat processing plants to remain open. Can you force people that are infected/sick to go into work if they don't want to?

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/trump-to-order-us-meat-plants-to-stay-open-amid-pandemic/ar-BB13kmP0?ocid=spartanntp

Edited April 28, 2020 by EZEtoGRU

[marylander1940]

Meat packing plants will re-open sooner than later. Disinfecting the plants is easy. Unions allowing new (Covid 19 tested!) workers in to work the disinfected production line another story.

 

Questionable whether they can find enough workers who aren't sick to actually go to work.

 

Meanwhile, Trump has ordered all meat processing plants to remain open. Can you force people that are infected/sick to go into work if they don't want to?

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/trump-to-order-us-meat-plants-to-stay-open-amid-pandemic/ar-BB13kmP0?ocid=spartanntp

 

In most cases some of the labor force is illegally in the country and unfortunately has no way to question anything that happens in the factory when it comes to safety.

[+ DERRIK]

I wonder if the virus is more contagious in a refrigerated work place?

 

I more worry about our dependence on immigrant labor to pick crops - it appears our neighbors to the south are faring better regarding the virus.

 

Work / housing / transportation conditions for migrant labor are not known for keeping 6 foot safe distance from each other

[MikeBiDude]

Questionable whether they can find enough workers who aren't sick to actually go to work.

 

Meanwhile, Trump has ordered all meat processing plants to remain open. Can you force people that are infected/sick to go into work if they don't want to?

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/trump-to-order-us-meat-plants-to-stay-open-amid-pandemic/ar-BB13kmP0?ocid=spartanntp

Agree...and these are Union employees at these packing plants for the most part....not undocumented types. The risk is to the employees of course and not our food. Covid 19 hasn’t shown up as food borne. Yet...but it’s a tricky virus!

[Otto]

Won't order states to close.

 

Won't order industry to produce PPE.

 

Will order workers to jeopardize their lives, communities, and loved ones.

 

https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/28/847432897/trump-plans-to-beef-up-meat-production-after-coronavirus-hits-plants

[+ sniper]

I wonder if the virus is more contagious in a refrigerated work place?

 

I more worry about our dependence on immigrant labor to pick crops - it appears our neighbors to the south are faring better regarding the virus.

 

Work / housing / transportation conditions for migrant labor are not known for keeping 6 foot safe distance from each other

I would think, assuming they have PPE (which is not a certainty given the states we're talking about) it's more likely that they're not getting sick on the production line but rather in the lunch/breakroom when they remove their masks to eat. Which seems like a relatively easy issue to fix with some staggering and maybe getting some tents for an outdoor rest area.

[samhexum]

The coronavirus crisis has forced many businesses to close – factories, warehouses, businesses that employ hundreds if not thousands of workers.

 

A few businesses, including Ricas Pupusas Y Mas, a Salvadorian style restaurant in Woodside, Queens on 47th Street, have been able to maintain some operations. But business has slowed to a trickle, so they are only open four days a week, as there isn’t enough foot traffic to justify staying open.

 

Irma Vargas, an immigrant of El Salvatore runs Ricas Pupusas Y Mas with her husband Daniel, and her two daughters Amy and Abagail. The business is only a year and a half old, finally becoming established and popular with workers from those warehouses and factories.

 

On a normal day, they make hundreds of tortillas, tamales and tacos for her fans. Their great food has even been featured in The New York Times and other major food columns and websites.

 

But with self-quarantine orders in place and businesses closed, Vargas’ eatery has suffered mightily.

 

“Monday through Wednesday, we are closed because there is no business at all,” Vargas said. “So now we are open Thursday through Sunday. Some days we make $50-$75, and we might as well stay home. It’s difficult now because people were laid off, there are no jobs here and people can’t buy prepared foods. There were a lot of immigrants here, but they aren’t working now so what do we do?”

 

Vargas says they do delivery, and they are working with Seamless, Uber Eats and call in orders. But even delivery business is sparse and they can’t pay their bills.

 

The restaurant applied for SBA loans but were denied. Because they are a family run business, she says, they’re not eligible for relief under the Payroll Protection Program. They are now borrowing money from friends, and they haven’t yet paid this month’s rent.

 

“The landlord doesn’t want to negotiate. When we asked for a break, he said, ‘no, I want the whole rent,’” Vargas sighed. “We don’t know what to do. We are trying hard to stay open. We were doing well, but now nobody is coming. Nobody is helping us.”

 

Not far from Vargas is Phil Am Grocery on the border of Woodside and Jackson Heights, Queens. Joe Costillo and his father Emanuel run the 40-year-old ethnic Filipino grocery store on 70th Street only 20-blocks from Elmhurst Hospital.

 

The problem for Phil Am was not that they were mandated to close, but they were forced to close as so many were dying in their community from coronavirus.

 

“We closed our store out of an abundance of caution for staff and customers – we saw early on that the area was lit up and was a hot-bed of coronavirus,” Costillo said. “We saw this first hand and people were getting sick left and right incuding some employees. There was high anxiety so we had to close.”

 

The Queens immigrant community has had a much higher number of people infected with Covid-19 because residents live in more crowded homes, share quarters and are forced to go to work when others had the luxury of staying home.

 

But last week, Costillo re-opened, taking phone orders and keeping customers at bay through a small window where they hand groceries out the cubby hole and limit exposure to people. That business is starting to pick up slowly, but they are under the financial gun to pay vendors, taxes, insurance – luckily, they own the building so we don’t worry about paying rent.”

 

Costillo is just trying to keep his head above water and keep up with bills, and he continues to pay employees, but “we are reaching the end of our rope.”

 

He worries even more for neighbors who must stay closed, mostly ethnic restaurants that he would patronize that might have to be shuttered because they can’t open and won’t make their rent. That would leave many stores around him vacant and damage the community, he says.

 

“Some folks who have to make their rent and make money are in real trouble,” Costillo said. “We are doing things we didn’t do before, including creating a website that my father didn’t think we needed. People come to us because it is familiar to them – comfort food. But for others like the restaurants, they are just trying to hold on as long as they could and they are hemorrhaging money – some will choose to close – we can only hope they will recover.”

[samhexum]

My sister's doing some shopping for me this weekend. The 2 dominant chains in my area are Shoprite and StopNShop. (My best friend and I want one of them to change their name, because we always say the wrong one when we're talking about shopping.)

 

StopNShop has 80% lean ground beef advertised through Thurs. for $3.49/lb. She's going there tomorrow. Shoprite's sale ends today, and she needed some things from there, so she went today. She called me from the store & told me they had the 80% lean for $3.99/lb and did I want her to get it or wait for tomorrow? I told her to grab it for me, because who knows whether StopNShop will actually have anything.

 

Under normal circumstances, I'd never pay over $2.99/lb and often a bit less.

[rvwnsd]

Won't order states to close.

 

Won't order industry to produce PPE....

It is worth noting that an attempt was made to invoke the Defense Production Act to prevent 3M from exporting masks and respirators.

 

 

...

Will order workers to jeopardize their lives, communities, and loved ones.

 

https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/04/28/847432897/trump-plans-to-beef-up-meat-production-after-coronavirus-hits-plants...

[/url]

When reading the executive order

, one notices that a key passage (highlighted in purple bold italics, below) is repeated throughout the Order:

"...Secretary of Agriculture shall use the authority under section 101 of the Act, in consultation with the heads of such other executive departments and agencies as he deems appropriate, to determine the proper nationwide priorities and allocation of all the materials, services, and facilities necessary to ensure the continued supply of meat and poultry,

consistent with the guidance for the operations of meat and poultry processing facilities jointly issued by the CDC and OSHA...."

 

Supermarkets started advertising for immediate job openings at the start of the pandemic hitting the US. The positions are required to re-stock, continuously clean, and deep clean after the stores close. The meat packing industry and its union should have anticipated their workers getting sick and started recruiting temporary workers to fill in. Additionally, they should have modified their workplaces, as other industries have done, to enable social distancing and increased sanitation practices.

[samhexum]

The meat shortages are here: Costco and Kroger warn of limited supply

 

 

The meat shortages have come sooner than expected — likely thanks to the hoarders.

 

Costco on Monday said it will be limiting customers to just three packages of meat per shopper, while Kroger supermarkets posted an alert on the meat section of its website warning that it may have limited inventory “due to high demand.”

 

Grocers have been bracing for a run on meat in mid-May as major meat processing plants, including Tyson Foods, have been forced to shut down production. But the shortages appear to have come earlier than expected as consumers worried about the meat shortage have been stocking up, experts say.

 

Tyson Foods, which had closed a number of plants last month after employees had become ill with the coronavirus, said on Monday that the pandemic will disrupt the meat supply chain for many more months despite an executive order from President Trump to keep processing plants open.

 

“Operationally, we have and expect to continue to face slowdowns and temporary idling of production facilities from team member shortages or choices we make to ensure operational safety,” the company said.

 

Among its better known brands are Hillshire Farm and Jimmy Dean.

 

[Otto]

The meat shortages are here: Costco and Kroger warn of limited supply

 

 

The meat shortages have come sooner than expected — likely thanks to the hoarders.

 

Costco on Monday said it will be limiting customers to just three packages of meat per shopper, while Kroger supermarkets posted an alert on the meat section of its website warning that it may have limited inventory “due to high demand.”

 

Grocers have been bracing for a run on meat in mid-May as major meat processing plants, including Tyson Foods, have been forced to shut down production. But the shortages appear to have come earlier than expected as consumers worried about the meat shortage have been stocking up, experts say.

 

Tyson Foods, which had closed a number of plants last month after employees had become ill with the coronavirus, said on Monday that the pandemic will disrupt the meat supply chain for many more months despite an executive order from President Trump to keep processing plants open.

 

“Operationally, we have and expect to continue to face slowdowns and temporary idling of production facilities from team member shortages or choices we make to ensure operational safety,” the company said.

 

Among its better known brands are Hillshire Farm and Jimmy Dean.

 

 

I think that what was originator of this thread was trying to say.

 

And for you fast food freaks:

 

https://www.delish.com/food-news/a32369440/wendys-beef-supply-shortages-coroanvirus-report/

[samhexum]

Restaurant slammed for ‘COVID-19 surcharge’ on meal

 

The owners of a Missouri restaurant are pleading with people online to stop harassing their employees after a customer posted a photo of their receipt that showed she was charged a “Covid 19 surcharge” for a meal.

 

The customer posted the photo of the receipt from Kiko Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Lounge in West Plains on May 11, writing: “Scuse me … what? A covid surcharge…?”

 

The tweet went viral, and Twitter users began hurling insults at the staff of the restaurant for the surcharge, the steakhouse wrote in a Facebook post.

 

They wrote that the surcharge was applied because of an increase in the price of meat and poultry because of the coronavirus outbreak.

 

“Please understand we are not doing this to take advantage of you guys!” the restaurant wrote in the Facebook post.

 

“We are doing this hoping we can adjust the surcharge weekly rather than just raise all of our prices on our menu due to increase prices from our supplier on meat, poultry, seafood & produce,” they added. That actually seems sensible and sensitive to me. I get that it seems exploitative, but I don't think that was the intent.

 

Meat prices in the US have shot up in recent weeks, increasing more than 8 percent in April.

 

In response to the backlash, the restaurant said it would take the surcharge off and instead raise their prices across the board. However, it added that it would be offering a “good promo deal” so customers can “enjoy our meal with a low cost.” :confused:

[handiacefailure]

Restaurant slammed for ‘COVID-19 surcharge’ on meal

 

The owners of a Missouri restaurant are pleading with people online to stop harassing their employees after a customer posted a photo of their receipt that showed she was charged a “Covid 19 surcharge” for a meal.

 

The customer posted the photo of the receipt from Kiko Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Lounge in West Plains on May 11, writing: “Scuse me … what? A covid surcharge…?”

 

The tweet went viral, and Twitter users began hurling insults at the staff of the restaurant for the surcharge, the steakhouse wrote in a Facebook post.

 

They wrote that the surcharge was applied because of an increase in the price of meat and poultry because of the coronavirus outbreak.

 

“Please understand we are not doing this to take advantage of you guys!” the restaurant wrote in the Facebook post.

 

“We are doing this hoping we can adjust the surcharge weekly rather than just raise all of our prices on our menu due to increase prices from our supplier on meat, poultry, seafood & produce,” they added. That actually seems sensible and sensitive to me. I get that it seems exploitative, but I don't think that was the intent.

 

Meat prices in the US have shot up in recent weeks, increasing more than 8 percent in April.

 

In response to the backlash, the restaurant said it would take the surcharge off and instead raise their prices across the board. However, it added that it would be offering a “good promo deal” so customers can “enjoy our meal with a low cost.” :confused:

 

A place here charged me a surcharge and I was pretty pissed off because they didn't disclose it. I used a local through last week and ordered off the menu at the drive through and the amount was more than listed on the menu and I was told due to the Covid crisis they were tacking on a 10 or 15 percent surcharge and it was being split among the staff for having to work through this. No problem with them doing it and think it's a nice gesture but they should either change the menu board prices or have a sign up stating there is a surcharge.

[DR FREUD]

One of our better restaurants on the beach not only stayed open for take out, touchless service, but offered 25 percent off ALL orders. So much for the surcharge.

[curiousbynature12]

I think it may be more interesting to look at the following concerning US food supply chain challenges:

 

• Meat processing plants linked to COVID-19 hot spots
  
• Farmers forced to euthanize millions of pigs:
  
• Thirty Workers, Four USDA Inspectors Dead Amid Meat Plant Coronavirus Outbreaks
  
• Coronavirus and Farmworkers: Is the Food Supply at Risk?
  

 

Personally, I think Americans should be more concerned with protecting workers and inspectors and creating safe conditions on farms and meat processing plants. It's good for the people and businesses involved, but would do a lot to protect our food supply chain that is uniquely vulnerable to COVID-19.