West Liberty, Iowa-based West Liberty Foods reported today that two additional team members at its West Liberty, Iowa facility have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of positive cases at the facility to three. To the company’s knowledge, no team members working at any other West Liberty Foods location have tested positive for COVID-19.

On our newest From the Cold Corner podcast, I talked with Roberto Peregrina from Hiperbaric about the latest trends in High Pressure Processing (HPP) and what the evolution of HPP might look like in the future. We also discussed COVID-19’s impact on Hiperbaric’s business, and what the company is doing instead of tradeshows to connect with F&B processors while travel is shut down, which is a pivot many businesses have to make today.

The sudden surge in demand for refrigerated, frozen and packaged foods due to the COVID-19 pandemic has put food processors into overdrive trying to meet the market's needs. For example, oat milk sales have increased 477% compared to the same time last year, and dried beans 231%. One area possibly overlooked in this supply chain crush is labels for food. A company might have the actual F&B product and physical packaging, but maybe not access to updated label templates to complete the food manufacturing process before it ships out to stores, direct-to-customer orders and other clients.

Giant Food, a Washington D.C. regional grocery chain, announced two new social distancing policies put into effect across all of its stores as they continue to provide an essential service for the community during the coronavirus pandemic.

United Fresh and a number of industry partners presented to the U.S. Department of Agriculture a comprehensive Produce Market Stabilization Program to immediately support critical financial needs in the produce supply chain. This was a major undertaking to understand the wide-ranging financial impact this crisis is having on our entire industry.

Fleet Advantage announced their foundation, Kids Around the Corner, founded in 2014, made a $10,000 donation to the First Responders Children’s Foundation to aid in their emergency response fund amidst COVID-19. 

Kraft Heinz's growth has accelerated in the wake of very strong consumer demand for its products and trusted brands, despite significant declines in foodservice-related sales around the world.

Our meat and poultry plants are experiencing varying levels of production impact, due to the planned implementation of additional worker safety precautions and worker absenteeism. For example, out of an abundance of caution, we have suspended operations at our Columbus Junction, Iowa, pork plant this week due to more than two dozen cases of COVID-19 involving team members at the facility. In an effort to minimize the impact on our overall production, we’re diverting the livestock supply originally scheduled for delivery to Columbus Junction to some of our other pork plants in the region.

We remain open with full functionality from quoting and sales of new systems, replacement parts, production and delivery of products and essential services to our customers. At present, our administrative, inside sales, marketing and engineering functions are being performed by ASGCO team members on a rotating working remotely schedule with full and complete access to all of the same resources they have when working out of our corporate. Additionally, every team member is reachable at their standard phone number and email address.

The T. Marzetti Company has two priorities: First, to provide for the health, safety, and welfare of our team members and by extension their loved ones. Second, to ensure that we continue to play our part in the vital food supply chain.