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Sysco Corporation announced the launch of a new “Foodservice Doesn’t Brake for Adversity” campaign designed to help small foodservice businesses stay in business. The campaign will consist of strategically placed messages across multiple channels designed to encourage Americans to support their local restaurants and also highlights the resilience of all foodservice workers.

Harrington Hoists has announced the release of their TCK Series Air Hoist line. These hoists are designed for fast lifting requirements in demanding industrial settings and are available in 3 ton and 6 ton capacities in both pendant or cord control. Harrington also expanded their high-performance TCL Series Lube Free Air Hoist line to include 3 ton and 6 ton capacities. 

Sweet Earth is adding to its frozen retail lineup of meatless, plant-based snacks and entrées this summer with a variety of new flavors, sizes, products and suggested retail pricing (SRP), including burritos, sausages, jerkies, bowls and deli slices.  

This week on our From the Cold Corner podcast, I spoke with Josh Knott, president of the Refrigerated Foods Association (RFA) and Knott's Fine Foods in Paris, Tennessee. We discussed worker safety, supply chain slowdowns due to COVID-19 precautions, and how panic buying and fear of perceived food shortages by consumers can be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

To date, three plants have experienced at least one confirmed positive COVID-19 case among their teams. At each of the affected plants, George's immediately implemented COVID-19 response plan actions, making sure that all health, safety, and sanitation measures were implemented, including deep cleaning procedures and notification of any coworkers who had possible close contact with these individuals. The approach, and the practices  adopted, follow the guidance issued by the CDC and utilize the hierarchy of controls.

Cooper Farms is working to provide food and resources to their fellow Ohioans. The farm and food company, located in western Ohio, has made several donations over the past month, providing over 21,000 protein-rich meals, including nearly 6,000 pounds of turkey and 27,000 dozen eggs to the Ohio Association of Food Banks in a series of deliveries from the turkey, pork and egg company. An additional 1,100 pounds of turkey burgers were donated to area groups providing socially distanced serving of hot lunches for children and meals after virtual church services.

Borden Cheese donated 48,000 units of its Borden Cheese Crisps ‘n Cubes snack trays to Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee, which is part of the national Feeding America network. The donation, which was delivered to Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee in Nashville, Tennessee, will be distributed to hungry adults and children in 46 counties across the state. Additionally, a portion of the donated product will go to essential health care workers on the front lines at Nashville General Hospital.

Smithfield Foods expressed its support for the activation of the Defense Production Act which safeguards the country’s food supply that provides sustenance to hundreds of millions of Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also protects the livelihoods of millions of American family farmers who produce bountiful livestock supplies but rely on meat processing facilities to convert that abundance into food. Grocers and restaurants are dependent on farmers, processors and distributors to supply protein to the country. This action helps ensure the American people will not experience protein shortages.

GEA Refrigeration Technologies’ Texas service branch, currently located in Houston, is moving to a new location in Pasadena, Texas. The brand-new facility is centrally located relative to customers and vendors, at 3451 Pasadena Blvd., Pasadena, TX 77503. The move is expected to occur during May and be completed by June 1, 2020. All phone numbers and contact information will remain the same.

The adage, "shoot for the moon and you'll still land among the stars" comes to mind when assessing frozen food sales since early March. The rocket launch of consumer stockpiling created astronomical sales figures that were impossible to sustain, but now that buying has leveled off, the year-over-year numbers look like they'll be hovering around +30% over 2019 sales for weeks to come, if not the rest of 2020, according to new data from the American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI) and 210 Analytics. That means the meteoric sales arc created by panic buying in March has a long way to go before it comes down to normal levels.