For food and beverage brands, COVID-19 creates unique litmus test

Things are not normal.

Our society has changed in unimaginable ways, with shelter-at-home orders, non-essential companies either shutting their doors or migrating to a work-from-home model, and industries like food service being forced to adapt their business strategies overnight. Furthermore, it’s unclear how long it will be before “normalcy” returns.

As we settle into new routines and try to maintain order in this uncharted territory, we can also find effective ways to support one another. Forward-thinking brands are demonstrating their ability to nimbly pivot and provide creative solutions that address new consumer needs.

We’d all do well to take a page from their book.

Strain on the food chain

The coronavirus pandemic has created tremendous difficulties for the food system, as demand has shifted and supply chain routes have been disrupted. Crops that were planted earlier this spring and intended to supply hotels, schools, restaurants and businesses can’t easily be rerouted to grocery stores for consumers or even to food banks, leading to a distressing amount of food waste, empty shelves and increased food insecurity.