Looking back on what we’ll call 2020 B.C. (Before Coronavirus), the pipeline for cold storage construction was already robust and healthy. According to research by commercial real estate firm CBRE, overall industrial construction—which encompasses cold storage, along with warehouses, distribution centers, manufacturing facilities, self-storage, office and flex space—was at 298 million square feet (MSF) before COVID-19, bolstered by the ongoing rise of e-commerce. 

In the upcoming September issue of Refrigerated & Frozen Foods, we highlight the pandemic pivots made by Sysco and US Foods in 2020 due to COVID-19 and its effect on foodservice clients like restaurants, hotels, caterers, stadiums, and other volume venues. While putting that story together, we also had a chance to speak to another foodservice distribution giant, Golden State Foods (GSF) and its Chairman and CEO, Mark Wetterau.

Pierre’s Ice Cream has created a special line of ice cream pints in recognition of all heroes – everyone who has adapted, struggled, sacrificed and persevered during this challenging time – and to raise money for local food banks.

 Perdue Farms has delivered 40,000 pounds of protein to help the West Annapolis Pop Up Pantry in its mission to provide underserved families with nutritious meals amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The donation is part of Perdue’s “Delivering Hope To Our Neighbors” hunger-relief initiative that is helping provide meals for struggling individuals and families.

Foster Farms will close the main Livingston processing plant on Tuesday evening, September 1 and not resume operations until Monday evening, September 7.  During this downtime, the company will complete two rounds of deep cleaning and two rounds of COVID-19 testing covering all 1,400 plant employees. The testing program will ensure that all workers first reentering the plant on September 7 will be free of COVID-19. 

Due to high demand, Ramar Foods announces a shortage on its ube (purple yam) supply. Purple Yam has been the popular comfort food for the diaspora and has been enjoyed in several ice cream flavors under Ramar's Magnolia brand. The all-natural ube supply is experiencing a shortage. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and surges in grocery, the supplies are going to be limited.

The American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI) reaffirms the safety of frozen foods after Chinese officials reported frozen proteins tested positive for coronavirus.

Deep Indian Kitchen, the #1 frozen Indian food brand in the country, has announced the launch of its new direct-to-consumer website featuring its most popular Indian dishes and free 48-hour shipping across the U.S. As more consumers discover the safety and convenience of online grocery shopping and increasingly search for authentic global flavors to enjoy, Deep Indian Kitchen’s e-commerce platform aims to meet these consumer needs.

After several delays due to COVID-19, John Soules Foods, the City of Valley, and the Chambers County Development Authority (CCDA) announce that construction on the new John Soules Foods facility in Valley, Alabama, has begun.

Brookshire Grocery Co. (BGC) remains committed to doing the right thing by extending appreciation pay to Sept. 11 for its more than 14,000 retail and logistics employee-partners as a thank you for them doing their best every day to serve customers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This $1 more per hour is an extension of the pay increase that started March 24.