Sysco announces the launch of Foodie Solutions, an innovative platform created to support foodservice operators in today’s rapidly changing business climate. With its broad-based perspective from supporting restaurants and other foodservice operators across the country, Sysco identified the most essential tools to help customers respond quickly to shifting business requirements and trends resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Brookshire Grocery Co. (BGC) has given more than $20.4 million to its over 15,000 employee-partners which includes a third round of gift cards delivered to all active employees since the pandemic hit its market area in March. Full-time employees are receiving a $200 BGC gift card and part-time employees are receiving a $100 BGC gift card totaling $1.9 million given to help with those recovering from Hurricane Laura and the pandemic.

By any measure, 2020 has been a historically difficult year for foodservice distributors. COVID-19 wiped out business for foundational customers like restaurants, hotels, caterers, stadiums, schools and other volume foodservice clients starting in March, and even today, as states attempt to re-open amid the uncertainty of where the pandemic is heading, an argument could be made that foodservice distributors have had to continuously pivot more than any other cold chain segment to stay afloat.

Americold, the world's largest publicly-traded owner and operator of temperature-controlled warehouses, has partnered with Feed the Children, a leading nonprofit focused on alleviating childhood hunger, to support COVID-19 relief for families in crisis.

Looking back on what we’ll call 2020 B.C. (Before Coronavirus), the pipeline for cold storage construction was already robust and healthy. According to research by commercial real estate firm CBRE, overall industrial construction—which encompasses cold storage, along with warehouses, distribution centers, manufacturing facilities, self-storage, office and flex space—was at 298 million square feet (MSF) before COVID-19, bolstered by the ongoing rise of e-commerce. 

In the upcoming September issue of Refrigerated & Frozen Foods, we highlight the pandemic pivots made by Sysco and US Foods in 2020 due to COVID-19 and its effect on foodservice clients like restaurants, hotels, caterers, stadiums, and other volume venues. While putting that story together, we also had a chance to speak to another foodservice distribution giant, Golden State Foods (GSF) and its Chairman and CEO, Mark Wetterau.

Pierre’s Ice Cream has created a special line of ice cream pints in recognition of all heroes – everyone who has adapted, struggled, sacrificed and persevered during this challenging time – and to raise money for local food banks.

 Perdue Farms has delivered 40,000 pounds of protein to help the West Annapolis Pop Up Pantry in its mission to provide underserved families with nutritious meals amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The donation is part of Perdue’s “Delivering Hope To Our Neighbors” hunger-relief initiative that is helping provide meals for struggling individuals and families.

Foster Farms will close the main Livingston processing plant on Tuesday evening, September 1 and not resume operations until Monday evening, September 7.  During this downtime, the company will complete two rounds of deep cleaning and two rounds of COVID-19 testing covering all 1,400 plant employees. The testing program will ensure that all workers first reentering the plant on September 7 will be free of COVID-19. 

Due to high demand, Ramar Foods announces a shortage on its ube (purple yam) supply. Purple Yam has been the popular comfort food for the diaspora and has been enjoyed in several ice cream flavors under Ramar's Magnolia brand. The all-natural ube supply is experiencing a shortage. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and surges in grocery, the supplies are going to be limited.