Navigating the New Landscape #3

May 2020 – Get grip and understand the foodservice operator challenges before and after Covid 19.

As we enter an important phase of the pandemic, with some states reopening and new COVID-19 case numbers fluctuating, we are exploring how consumer behavior continues to shift, operational innovations within restaurants and changes in foodservice industry activity.

Operational innovations have created new roles and technological solutions
Risk mitigation has been the theme for weeks, giving rise to new operational roles at the unit level and within technologically enhanced ordering systems. New roles, such as concierges whose job is to act as a greeter, bouncer and traffic cop, have been created to control the flow of foot traffic and queuing systems in a way to ensure social distancing guidelines are met. Enhanced janitorial duties have also been introduced, where a sanitation specialist is focused on keeping surfaces clean throughout operational periods. On the technology side, “order anywhere” apps to facilitate touchless transactions have entered the market. Even the automat has returned with renewed interest, now utilizing tech-driven service systems.

Social-distancing, coronavirus and Covid-19 are three phrases now permanently etched into our lexicon. In this article, we look forward at what we believe are the other long-term impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on the U.S. Foodservice industry. We have structured our look forward through three lenses: consumers, operators and manufacturers.

After speaking to numerous foodservice leaders over the past few weeks, we believe it is helpful to spend some time looking forward because predicting the long-term impacts can help us better prepare our companies, processes, portfolios and employees for success.

These are unprecedented times and if the crisis is the true catalyst of change then we can expect some sea-change impacts on consumer behaviors and expectations. Operators and suppliers will respond and modify their business models for the new post-crisis world. How we plan, how we go-to-market, how we communicate and collaborate and how we interact with consumers is all going to change.

Covid Foodservice Challenges, navigate in the new foodservice landscape and download the infographic.