The abrupt coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19) spread quickly worldwide, affecting every country from 2019-20. Within months of the start of COVID19, two major Asian superpowers imposed social isolation and lockdown practices in their societies. The pandemic's indiscriminate nature had a negative influence on people's health and well-being and the global economy, countries, and supply chain. The unanticipated disruption has dramatically hampered the worldwide food supply chain as well as the service sector in the food and beverage industries.
According to Culinary Tides' Shifting Sands: Trends Shaping the Food Industry in 2021/22, COVID-19 and the ensuing recession have intensified and escalated pre-pandemic political and economic unrest.
We will examine the impact of the COVID-19 on the food and beverage industry through this article.
What’s going on in the Food and Beverage Industry?
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, food and beverage businesses faced huge hurdles, predominantly in terms of the production process, supply chain, delivery, and logistics. Shopping became frustrating and unsafe due to the shelter-in-place orders, which were worsened by social distancing. Dining restrictions compelled people to cook more of their meals at home, typically with cheap and readily available basic ingredients. As a result, forward-thinking grocery retailers chose e-commerce for online ordering. As the outbreak expanded, food and beverage companies re-evaluated their business strategy and supply chain operations, as well as invested in emerging technology, in order to become more nimble and adaptable in the future.
“The foods and beverages industry in Hong Kong was also badly affected when the worldwide coronavirus epidemic hit. Uncertainty and unemployment increased as a result of the obligatory closures of dine-in restaurants. As a result, restaurants and other foodservice establishments were compelled to shut down mostly overnight, while food delivery and grocery services boomed in the aftermath.”
Although the food & beverage industries experienced the most significant changes during the start of the epidemic, things are still changing. Which of these effects are irreversible? Which trends will become obsolete in the coming years? Keep reading!
Changes in Food Purchasing Pattern during Covid-19
COVID-19 accelerated the development of online grocery delivery. In the early stages of the pandemic, there was panic buying in response to the closures of restaurants, which resulted in bare shelves at grocery stores. The following are some of the dramatic changes in purchasing behavior:
Bulk purchasing
Purchases of frozen foods have increased.
Purchases of non-perishable food have increased.
Purchasing versatile food staples
According to the prevailing situation, consumers sought any available, easy, and varied ingredient as people switched to largely at-home meal prep.
However, people still needed the food, so with the new normal of isolation, they switched to online grocery stores in droves.
Changes in Dining Out Practice
F&B open rates dropped by 80% in some markets during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, restaurants, pubs, cafes, and eateries were forced to turn away customers. But now, the situation is starting to change, with the release of vaccines and the onset of spring weather, with the likelihood of easing lockdown restrictions. Food processors and delivery companies initially moved in to fill the gaps.
To keep customers tied to restaurants and bars, new and existing food delivery firms have grown up all over the world.
Accelerated Digital Adoption in the Food and Beverage Industry
As with every other category, the pandemic has spurred digital adoption throughout this time period, assisted by shifts in consumer preferences. Consumers downloaded and signed on to apps for meal delivery, online grocery delivery, and BOPIS (purchase online, pick up in-store). While many people rushed to the stores, others avoided them altogether and instead used delivery service apps for anything from groceries to food to prescriptions.
“But, innovations are underway, and COVID-19's act as a catalyst for digitalization is already opening up unprecedented prospects for the Food and Beverage industries to develop new business models.”
What Is The Future Of The Food And Beverage Industry After Covid-19?
Although, due to the instructions for social distancing and "staying at home," restaurants closed their doors to dine-in customers. Most noncommercial foodservice also ceased operations due to the closure of numerous hotels, stadiums, airports, cruise ships, offices, and other sites. As a result, many people were having trouble “keeping the lights on.” However, healthcare, corrections, and certain educational institutions remained active.
Meanwhile, supermarket stores found it difficult to keep up. So food service providers are trying to help, forming new agreements with grocery stores at breakneck speed. To help with the shortages, distilleries are becoming mini "hand sanitizer factories."
Labor will be the source of the next great wave of assistance and resource transfer across channels. As per The Wall Street Journal, COVID-19 is causing "the fastest relocation of labor since World War II." Hundreds of thousands of people are being hired by grocery retailers and delivery services (such as Instacart). Many of them come from the enormous pool of newly unemployed employees from the food service industry.
The virus has left us with a lot of unanswered questions about our future. F & B industries will close their doors in the days ahead, which will be devastating. However, one thing is certain: this industry's innovation and resiliency. Through this multi-part series, we'll do our part to discuss significant advancements and creative solutions we've noticed in the industry. This will cover a wide range of subjects, including the size of the short term shift from retail to food service and its long-term impact, stories of greater efforts toward takeaway (including first-time options for many elevated restaurants), drive-thru activities to promote sales, innovative new revenue sources for foodservice operators or suppliers (– for example, direct to consumer, meal kits, etc.), efforts to simplify and focus operations, and other significant developments. The industry will recover, and we will do everything we can to assist in the process!
If you are going to start a new food and beverage business or face any issue in your ongoing business, especially after the pandemic COVID-19, contact us to know how Ermannolelli can assist you