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Virtual roundtable focused on the foodservice sector for Fresh Produce from PMA
The most pressing COVID-19 disruptions connected members of the fresh produce supply chain in virtual roundtables on April 22. The top themes, challenges and insights about foodservice in USA are here.
This roundtable was a great way to rate how The Produce Marketing Association (PMA) members feel about the future of the industry. Only 35% said that their organization is in a better position than they were last week.
According to the results of roundtable, menu planning is left as a guess for now. The question of whether the ingredients of menu items will be available will likely lead to fewer menu items once establishments reopen.
There is no single answer to the question that is suitable for everyone to what can reopen and recover first. When asked 66% of participants noted that, the recovery period would be between 6-12 months, with 33% saying 6-9 months and 33% saying 9-12 months.
In another poll, 60% of individuals say that for consumers returning to food service after the cancellation of social distance measures, safety and social distancing are the biggest barriers.
Better communication regarding the business needs of participants and communication with the general theme of working with each other will make relations with customers and suppliers stronger in the future. 79% of individuals noted it.
Upon the whole, uncertainty about what the future looks like remains strong. 47% of participants observed that the volume of produce passing through food service channels in the “new normal” would be worse than before. 79% also said they would need to make some changes in order to succeed in the future “normal state”.
These roundtables are for PMA members. PMA announced other roundtables in following weeks: The next virtual roundtable focused on the foodservice sector will be held Wednesday, April 29. The recordings of past Virtual Town Hall general sessions can also be viewed on pma.com
Source: PMA Produce Marketing Association
Contact: Mrs Mary LENHOFF
Marketing Operations Manager
