Grocery stores and food companies are preparing for a possible surge in sales amid a new rise in Covid-19 cases and the impending holiday rush.
Supermarkets are stockpiling groceries and storing them early to prepare for the fall and winter months, when some health experts warn the country could see another widespread outbreak of virus cases and new restrictions. Food companies are accelerating production of their most popular items, and leaders across the industry are saying they won’t be caught unprepared in the face of another pandemic surge.
Southeastern Grocers LLC secured holiday turkeys and hams over the summer, months before it normally starts inventory planning, said Chief Executive Anthony Hucker. And grocery wholesaler United Natural Foods Inc. has loaded up on extra inventory of cranberry sauce, herbal tea and cold remedies, said President Chris Testa.
“We started talking about Thanksgiving in June. That’s earlier than we ever have,” he said.
Read the rest here: https://www.wsj.com/articles/grocers-stockpile-build-pandemic-pallets-ahead-of-winter-11601199000
I’m sure there is some veracity to the article, however, I was a buyer for a major grocery chain for several years, and it was not uncommon to have pre orders and purchase orders in the system as much as 11 months ahead of time. Certainly, buying Thanksgiving inventory the summer before is not unusual, nor out of sync with normal operating procedures.