Food Trade News

COVID-19: Food Industry Takes Action

0

In this special update, foodtradenews.com takes a company-by-company look at how leading food and drug industry retailers and wholesalers are dealing with the COVID-19 crisis.

Below are links to what these companies are reporting on their websites and on social media. We will constantly update this section as companies adapt to the changing situation.

If you would like to suggest additions, please contact us at [email protected].


PMA COVID-19 Update

* This is a living document that will be updated on a regular basis until it is no longer needed. For the most up-to-date information, please visit the PMA coronavirus update page.

April 13

PMA to Host First Virtual Town Hall Meetings for Members On April 15 

The COVID-19 pandemic is having widespread ramifications on personal and professional lives throughout the fresh produce and floral industry. In this PMA Virtual Town Hall, we will come together as an industry to engage with PMA experts and fellow members as we discuss the challenges our members and industry are facing.

This Virtual Town Hall will provide an opportunity for members and experts alike to come together in smaller groups to connect and share concerns, observations, successes and best practices surrounding the effects of COVID-19 on our industry.

We hope you will find value in sharing response tactics and seeing the bigger picture of how our industry will play a vital role in the ongoing health of our world.

At this time, as always, we thank you for being a PMA member.

REGISTRATION DEADLINE:
To ensure you are able to participate in this live Town Hall, please register no later than 9:00 a.m. Eastern time on Wednesday, April 15.

Apr 15, 2020 12:00 PM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Family Patriarch Steve Ravitz Dies From Complications Of COVID-19 At 73

Steve Ravitz
Steve Ravitz

Steve Ravitz, retired president of Ravitz Family Markets, died on April 8 from complications of COVID-19. The Ravitz family owns five ShopRites and one Price Rite in the Cherry Hill-Camden area of South Jersey. Steve’s son Jason announced his father’s death on his Facebook page.  He was 73 years old.

“We are deeply saddened by the death of our beloved father and friend Steve Ravitz, the patriarch who guided our family business, Ravitz Family Markets, for 40 years before retiring in 2019. Steve died on Tuesday night at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia from complications due to the coronavirus. Upon his retirement, Steve passed the leadership of the family company to his sons Jason, Shawn and Brett. Steve served on the board of directors of Wakefern Food Corp. for 27 years before retiring in 2015.”

Steve Ravitz represented his family’s third generation of grocers, following in the footsteps of his grandfather Dave and his father Stanley, who opened his first store in 1950 on Broad and Susquehanna Streets in North Philadelphia. In 1968, Stanley Ravitz opened his first supermarket in Cherry Hill, NJ  and his son Steve joined him while attending Saint Joseph’s University, working side by side with his father and brother Ron.

In 1984, the company became a member of Wakefern Food Corp. Steve Ravitz managed the transition of five Shop ‘N Bag stores to ShopRite locations and led the development of the “Kosher Experience,” something of which he was very proud.

Steve Ravitz was a renowned business leader in the South Jersey community. He served as both president and chairman emeritus of the Ravitz Family Foundation, a private non-profit that was founded in 1996 by his parents Doris and Stanley as their way to give back to the community. The organization grew under Steve’s direction, with the foundation making grants over the years to more than 250 charities and community-based organizations in South Jersey, according to the foundation’s website.

Steve Ravitz was also a longtime supporter of many other organizations including JDRF of SNJ, Boys and Girls Club, and Jefferson University Hospital, where he served on the board of directors. He was also past president of Temple Beth Sholom and Crescent Memorial Cemetery.

Camden County Freeholder Jeffrey Nash released a statement on behalf of the board of Freeholders regarding the passing of Steve Ravitz: “This morning we received the crushing news that one of our county’s most notable boosters and business owners succumbed to the novel coronavirus. This was a gut punch for me, our board and the county because Steve and the Ravitz family were always there to help residents in the most need and were always willing to provide to the underserved.

“In fact, as the coronavirus pandemic was ramping up a month ago, Steve and his family didn’t think twice about providing the county with $10,000 to feed seniors and anyone who was at risk of going hungry in these historic times. We will miss his willingness to serve our region from his position with Temple Beth Sholom to his support of the arts in Cherry Hill. He was a good man who always saw the best in society.

“Steve was the cornerstone of our community, volunteering on several nonprofit boards and someone you could always count on, we will miss his smile, levity and intelligence, and we will miss his constant presence in Camden County. As we come to terms with his passing, we will keep Steve’s children, grandchildren and extended family in our thoughts and prayers.”

Steve Ravitz is survived by sons Shawn, Jason and Brett (who represent the fourth generation of family leadership) as well as David; his daughter Remy Strause; daughters-in-law Debbie Ravitz and Lauren Ravitz; son-in-law Brett Strause; brother Ron Ravitz; and eight grandchildren.

The family asks for privacy during this trying time.

Acme COVID-19 Update

* This is a living document that will be updated on a regular basis until it is no longer needed. 

April 8

ACME Markets Announces it will Limit Store Capacity

ACME Markets announced today that the company will implement additional social distancing protocols across all its 164 stores. Effective immediately, ACME will begin limiting the number of customers who can be inside a store at one time to approximately 20% of the store’s overall capacity, unless otherwise mandated.  The company expects to have this completed in all stores by Thursday, April 9.

“The health and safety of our customers, associates and their families is our top priority,” said Jim Perkins, President of ACME. “We believe this is an important step to help reinforce proper social distancing.”

In addition to limiting the number of customers inside the stores, ACME is also sourcing masks for all store and distribution center associates. The company expects masks to be available in all stores by the end of the week.

These measures are in addition to those already in place, including:

    • Plexiglass: As an added precaution in our ongoing efforts to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, we installed Plexiglass partitions in our checkout lanes in all of our 164 stores. We ask that customers be mindful in standing behind the partition during their transaction. 
    • Designated Line Queuing and One-Way Movement: We placed directional arrows on the floors to promote one-way foot traffic through stores, including up and down aisles. This is in addition to decals marking off 6-foot spaces through the checkstands and other areas that can cause lines to form like our deli, meat, seafood and pharmacy departments.
    • CDC Cleanliness Guidelines: We regularly remind our associates to follow all CDC guidelines for frequent hand washing, hand sanitizer use, and surface cleaning.
    • Running Clean Stores: We’ve taken enhanced measures to clean and disinfect all departments, restrooms and other high-touch points of the store throughout the day, as well as a deep cleanse at the end of each business day. Cart wipes and hand sanitizer stations continue to be available at key locations within the store for your convenience.
    • Adjusted Store Hours: Our stores have adjusted their hours to 7 a.m. – 10 p.m. to give our teams the time they need to rest, restock shelves and get ready to serve the community, unless otherwise mandated by law.
    • Dedicated Shopping Windows: We have set aside dedicated shopping hours from 7 – 9 a.m. Monday to Friday for senior citizens and other at-risk populations, such as pregnant women or those with compromised immune systems. We ask our non-senior and non-at-risk customers to respect these hours for those who need them most, and to avoid shopping during these times.
    • Free Pharmacy Delivery: We are offering free same-day and next-day delivery of prescriptions to patients through at least May 1.
    • Product Returns:  Out of an abundance of caution, our return policy is temporarily changing. We are not accepting returns at this time.
    • Reusable Bags: As always, customers are free to bring their reusable bags in our stores; however, for the safety of our associates we ask those who are using reusable bags to please bag their own groceries.  Our staff will continue to bag orders with store provided bags.

 

Safeway COVID-19 Update

* This is a living document that will be updated on a regular basis until it is no longer needed. For the most up-to-date information, please visit the Safeway COVID-19 page.

April 14

Phase II-Vendor Health Screening Checks IN-STORE W/ OUT TEMP CHECKS

Dear Vendor,
There is no higher priority to us than your health and safety. Over the last several weeks, we have strictly implemented the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We implemented enhanced procedures to ensure our locations and all of our frequently touched surfaces are clean, sanitized and disinfected. We have also encouraged you to practice frequent handwashing and use hand sanitizer throughout the day.
Per a request from the Center for Disease Control, starting on 4-13-20, we will be conducting Health Screening Checks for all associates and vendors out of an abundance of caution. All vendors, including delivery drivers, salespeople, merchandisers, and other vendor employees, must report to the designated Health Screening Station in the store location before they begin any work in the store every day. Vendor employees entering via the Receiving/Back Door must report to the Receiving Area Screening Checkpoint. Vendor employees entering via the Main Entrance must report to the Time Clock Screening Checkpoint.

During the Health Screening check, you will be asked the following question:
Please notify the screener if you answer YES to any of the following questions:
1. Do you have any of the following symptoms, that are unusual for you?
a. Cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, chills and body aches?
2. Do you have any of the following symptoms?
a. diarrhea, nausea/vomiting?
3. Do you have, or feel like you have a fever?
4. Do you have a member of your household suspected or diagnosed with COVID-19?

If you answer “Yes” to any of those questions during your Health Check Screening, we will ask you to leave the store immediately and contact your employer and follow your company’s procedures. As always, if you feel sick or if you are experiencing any symptoms, we ask that you not visit our store locations.

Our company and our teams are doing everything possible to help curb the spread of COVID-19. This step is just as important as all the other measures we take every day to ensure we are maintaining a clean, sanitized and disinfected environment.
Please let me know if you have any questions. We hope you stay well during this difficult time and thank you for all you are doing to help our communities weather this pandemic.

Stephanie Maxwell Ridoré, Esq
Director of Human Resources & Labor Relations

April 9

Vendor Health Screening Self-Checks (Phase I)

Dear Vendor,

There is no higher priority to us than your health and safety. Over the last several weeks, we have strictly implemented the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We implemented enhanced procedures to ensure our locations and all our frequently touched surfaces are clean, sanitized and disinfected. We have also encouraged you to practice frequent handwashing and use hand sanitizer throughout the day.

Out of an abundance of caution, starting immediately, we will be asking all associates and vendors to conduct Health Screening Self-Checks. Health Screening Self-Check Signs will be posted by the store’s time clock and by the store’s Receiving/Back Door. 

 

The Health Screening Self-Check will ask you to immediately notify your supervisor if you answer YES to any of the following questions:

  1. Do you have any of the following symptoms, that are unusual for you?
    1. Cough?
    2. Shortness of breath?
    3. Sore throat?
    4. Chills and body aches?
  2. Do you have any of the following symptoms?
    1. Diarrhea?
    2. Nausea/vomiting?
  3. Do you have, or feel like you have a fever?
  4. Do you have a member of your household suspected or diagnosed with COVID-19?

 All vendors, including delivery drivers, salespeople, merchandisers, and other vendor employees, must report to the designated Health Screening Self-Check Station in the store location and complete the self-check before they begin any work in the store every day.  Vendor employees entering via the Receiving/Back Door must report to the Receiving Area Screening Self-Check Station.  Vendor employees entering via the Main Entrance must report to the Time Clock Screening Self-Check Station.

If you answer “Yes” to any of those questions during your Health Check Screening, please leave the store immediately and contact your employer and follow your company’s procedures.  As always, if you feel sick or if you are experiencing any symptoms, we ask that you not visit our store locations.

Our company and our teams are doing everything possible to help curb the spread of COVID-19. This step is just as important as all the other measures we take every day to ensure we are maintaining a clean, sanitized and disinfected environment.

Please let me know if you have any questions. We hope you stay well during this difficult time and thank you for all you are doing to help our communities’ weather this pandemic.

Division HR Lead

Letter To Customers

To our valued customers and neighbors,

This week, families and friends throughout our region will observe Passover and Easter. From the Safeway family to yours, I want to share our warmest holiday wishes.

Together, as a region and as a nation, we are facing an unprecedented health crisis that limits our ability to physically gather to celebrate. But whether you are sitting down to a small Passover seder in person or an Easter dinner connected via online video, our stores are here to help make your holidays special.

We are also working to help keep our customers, associates, and vendors safe. As we all navigate the COVID-19 public health crisis together, please know Safeway is doing everything we can to prioritize the health of our associates, customers, and vendors, and to ensure our customers have access to the food, medications, and other essential goods you need at this critical time.

Every day our team looks for ways to improve our key services and safety measures. Today I’d like to share some updates, including significant actions we have recently taken and new procedures we are adding this week.

Easter Sunday, April 12

To allow our employees time to spend with their families, all Eastern Division Safeway stores in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Delaware will close at 5 p.m. on Sunday, April 12th. Our stores will reopen at 6 a.m. on Monday, April 13th.

New Store Hours

  • To allow for deep cleaning, sanitizing, and restocking, all Safeway Eastern Division stores (with the exception of select stores operating 24 hours/7 days a week) will now be open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
  • Safeway has reserved every Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 7-9 a.m. so senior citizens, pregnant women, and customers with compromised immune systems can avoid crowds. We have asked all customers to please respect these special hours for our at-risk customers who need them most.
  • To accommodate at-risk customers, all Safeway pharmacies will now open at 8 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

 

Safety and Cleaning Protocols We’ve Already Put in Place

•         Our stores installed Plexiglas sneeze guards at check stands and other service counters to provide a protective barrier between customers and our cashiers and customer service associates.

•         Every day, throughout each day, we are implementing enhanced measures to clean and disinfect all departments, restrooms, and other high touch points in our stores.

•         Our store associates are washing their hands at least once per hour and are asked to stay home if they feel sick.

•         Our associates are allowed to wear gloves and masks. We are in the process of sourcing disposable masks, and we will distribute them to associates as soon as they are available.

•         Cart wipes and hand sanitizer stations are available at key locations within our stores for our customers’ safety and convenience.

•         We have paused self-service operations like soup bars, wing bars, and salad bars.

•         All of our stores are implementing social distancing practices. We are making regular audio announcements, and we have installed signage and designated waiting spots with floor markers at check stands and other stations where people most often congregate, such as our service delis, bakeries, meat, and seafood departments, and pharmacies. At check stands, we are asking customers to please wait until the customer in front of them has finished collecting their groceries before unloading.

 Enhanced Social Distancing Through One-Way Traffic

Starting Friday, April 10th, our stores will be placing directional arrows on floors to promote one-way foot traffic through stores, including up and down aisles. This is in addition to decals already on the floors marking off 6-foot spaces at check stands and other areas that can cause lines to form.

Limiting Store Occupancy

Also, on Friday, our stores will limit occupancy levels to one person per 150 square feet during normal business hours and one person per 300 square feet during special hours reserved for seniors and other vulnerable customers (Tuesdays and Thursdays between 7-9 a.m.). Each store will utilize one front entrance/exit to ensure enforcement, and a store associate will be assigned to the doors to manage traffic.

 

Self-Check Health Screenings 

This week, Safeway stores are posting signs at entrances and in back rooms that ask everyone who visits our stores to perform a self-screening prior to shopping or clocking in. The signs ask associates, customers, and vendors to stay home if:

·         a member of their household has been diagnosed with or is suspected to have COVID-19, or

·         they have symptoms, including a cough, fever, shortness of breath, sore throat, diarrhea, nausea, or chills and body aches

Dedicated Cleaning Staff

To maintain enhanced cleaning and disinfecting, our stores have assigned associates to positions exclusively responsible for cleaning surfaces throughout the stores.

Masks for all store, distribution, and manufacturing associates

We are in the process of sourcing masks for all front-line associates, and we will distribute them as soon as they are available. As a reminder, the CDC continues to recommend social distancing of at least six feet, even while wearing masks.

As we continue to serve our communities during the crisis, we will adjust our procedures to address new developments and meet changing needs. We appreciate our customers patience and understanding, and we will continue to keep you updated.

On behalf of our entire team at Safeway, it is an honor to serve the community at this important time. We look forward to helping you prepare for the upcoming holidays.

Sincerely,

Tom Lofland

President

Safeway, Eastern Division

April 8

Safeway Eastern Division Stores Announce Additional Safety and Cleanliness Measures

Limited store occupancy, one-way foot traffic decals, self-screenings for symptoms, dedicated cleaning staff among new measures being implemented across the division’s stores and distribution centers

Lanham, MD – Safeway is introducing several new precautionary measures to its stores in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Delaware to further protect associates and customers during the COVID-19 outbreak.

“As we continue to serve our communities during the crisis, the health and safety of everyone who walks through our doors remains a top priority,” said Tom Lofland, President of Safeway’s Eastern Division. “We appreciate our customers’ patience and understanding during this unprecedented time.”

The following measures will be implemented this week:

Enhanced social distancing through one-way traffic: Stores will place directional arrows on the floors to promote one-way foot traffic through stores, including up and down aisles. This is in addition to decals already on the floor marking off 6-foot spaces at the checkstands and other areas that can cause lines to form like our deli, bakery, meat, seafood, and pharmacy departments.

Limited Store Occupancy: Stores will limit occupancy levels to one person per 150 square feet during normal business hours and one person per 300 square feet during special hours reserved for seniors and other vulnerable customers (Tuesdays and Thursdays between 7-9 a.m.). Each store will utilize one front entrance/exit to ensure enforcement and a store associate will be assigned to the doors to manage traffic.

Self-check health screenings: Safeway is posting signs at entrances and in back rooms that ask everyone to perform a self-screening prior to shopping or clocking in. The signs ask associates, customers, and vendors to stay home if:

  • a member of their household has been diagnosed with or is suspected to have COVID-19, or
  • they have symptoms, including a cough, fever, shortness of breath, sore throat, diarrhea, nausea, or chills and body aches

Dedicated cleaning staff: To maintain enhanced cleaning and disinfecting, Safeway stores have assigned associates to positions exclusively responsible for cleaning surfaces throughout the stores.

Masks for all store, distribution, and manufacturing associates: Safeway is in the process of sourcing reusable masks for all front-line associates and will distribute them as soon as they are available. As a reminder, the CDC continues to recommend social distancing of at least six feet, even while wearing masks.

New Store Hours:

  1. To allow for deep cleaning, sanitizing, and restocking, all Safeway Eastern Division stores (with the exception of select stores operating 24 hours/7 days a week) will now be open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
  • Safeway has already reserved every Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 7-9 a.m. so senior citizens, pregnant women and customers with compromised immune systems can avoid crowds. We have asked all customers to please respect these special hours for our at-risk customers who need them most.
  • To accommodate at-risk customers, all Safeway pharmacies will now open at 8 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.These measures are already in place:
  • Installed Plexiglas sneeze guards at check stands.
  • Placed social distancing posters and floor markers in the stores.
  • Paused self-service operations like soup bars, wing bars, and salad bars.
  • Enhanced measures to clean and disinfect all departments, restrooms, and other high touchpoints of the stores, every day.
  • Making cart wipes and hand sanitizer stations available at key locations within the store for customers’ convenience.
  • Ensuring that store associates are able to wash their hands at least one time per hour and reminding them to stay home if they feel sick.

 

USO Of Metropolitan Washington-Baltimore Welcome Guests To Annual Awards Dinner

Giant Food, Trinchero Family Estates Team Up For Wine Tasting At Wizards Game

Albertsons Promotes Rainwater To EVP; Downey Joins NGA As SVP

Albertsons has promoted Evan Rainwater to executive vice president of supply chain and manufacturing.In this new role, Rainwater will be responsible for the company’s global procurement, manufacturing, and distribution groups.

“Evan is relentlessly focused on creating and executing key strategies and tactics that create a lean operating culture,” said Vivek Sankaran, president and CEO, Albertsons Companies. “His background in logistics and extensive experience with our manufacturing operations will be a key asset for our entire supply chain operation.”

Rainwater most recently served as Senior Vice President of Manufacturing, overseeing the company’s 20 food production plants, which include seven milk plants, four soft drink bottling plants, three bakery plants, two ice cream product plants, two grocery/prepared food plants, one ice plant and one soup plant. He also leads our company’s Goods Not for Resale efforts.

Prior to the merger with Albertsons, Rainwater had been directly responsible for Distribution and Manufacturing budgetary, quality and service expectations at Safeway.

Before joining Safeway, he held senior management roles in both manufacturing and logistics for Winn Dixie, Rubbermaid and the plastics division of Mobil Oil.

The National Grocers Association (NGA) recently announced that Jonathan Downey has joined its team as senior vice president of industry relations.

“I’m pleased to welcome Jonathan to the NGA Team.  His years of experience working closely with CPG and supplier companies will be an asset to NGA, our members, and the independent supermarket industry,” said Greg Ferrara, NGA president and CEO. “I look forward to working closely with Jonathan as we develop our associate member programs and launch the Public Policy and Industry Leadership Forum this September 22-24 in Washington, DC.”

Downey worked for the Consumer Brands Association (previously the Grocery Manufacturers Association), starting there in 2006 as an intern in the membership group and since then has held a variety of positions including vice president of member value creation. He was responsible for membership strategy, growth initiatives, and other revenue generating activities.

“I’m thrilled to be joining a terrific organization that represents the independent supermarket operators that are critical to communities across the country,” said Downey. “I’m looking forward to working with Greg, the NGA team, and our members to build a forum where retailers, wholesalers, CPG suppliers, and solution providers can collaborate and create more value for their customers.”

Downey holds the designation of a certified association executive (CAE) from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). He is also a member of the ASAE Membership Professionals Council.

IGA Chairman Emeritus Dr. Tom Haggai Passes Away At 89

Dr. Tom Haggai, chairman emeritus of the Independent Grocers Alliance (IGA) died March 27 of natural causes. Haggai became involved with IGA beginning in 1972 and spent more than 40 years with the organization.

During his IGA career Haggai served in a variety of roles, including non-executive chairman and later chairman and CEO. In 2016 he stepped down from his daily duties at IGA and was named chairman emeritus.

Haggai was the first person from outside the supermarket industry to have a position on the board and he was named IGA president and CEO in 1986. In the 1990s, under Haggai’s leadership, IGA membership grew worldwide.

He also developed the Red Oval Family Partner program, an alliance of the industry’s premier food manufacturers and service providers to provide resources to member independents. The Hometown Proud theme was also Haggai’s idea and it still defines IGA’s roots and its retailers commitment to community involvement and personalized customer service.

A native of Kalamazoo, MI, and resident of High Point, NC, Haggai was also a radio commentator, public speaker and Southern Baptist minister.

Survivors include his wife, Buren; four children; seven grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and a brother.