Couriers Assist with COVID-Related Food Logistics Crises

There’s no question about it- COVID-19 has truly created chaos across the world. As we begin to settle into our “new normal” state of home and business (sometimes in the same location), we have a clearer picture of how to predict some of the COVID related issues different industries across the world face.

The food industry has been severely impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic.

As food distribution couriers, the last six months has taught our team many valuable lessons. Thankfully, you, our customers, get to reap the benefits of that newfound knowledge. If you are operating a restaurant, food testing lab, or distribution warehouse, you might find yourself in the center of a COVID-related food transportation crisis, assuming you haven’t already!

But don’t fret! Couriers like Eagle Express can assist.

Here are some common food distribution crises that have occurred and can reoccur, and how couriers can assist you through them.

Urgent Restocking Needs

The great toilet paper shortage of 2020 wasn’t actually a shortage. It was a rapid (and unexplainable) increase in demand for a product that hadn’t ever deviated from the normal demand in the past. The same increase occurred with milk, bread, meat, and other everyday staples. All of a sudden, stores needed urgent supplies, but trucks couldn’t move product fast enough.

For a food distribution crisis like this, you call in reinforcements. Eagle Express is available 24/7 for transportation requests to help keep products on the shelves. When normal supply schedules just aren’t cutting it, additional restocking is required. Our couriers have lift equipped and refrigerated straight trucks to transport pallets of urgent product all across the region and the nation.

Drastic Changes in Consumer Preferences

Food distributors also dealt with changes in the types of products customers were purchasing. For a long time, folks weren’t sure if takeout was even safe, which meant most Americans were stocking up to cook at home. Baking supplies were in high demand, as were canned foods. This type of change triggered a crisis in the food distribution and supply chain. But couriers like Eagle helped pick up the slack.

Food couriers helped businesses tap into new sources. Whether that was local farms or distributors outside of the region, food transportation professionals stepped in to quickly create ways to get new foods and enough of these foods to customers. Sometimes that involved new relationships with local sources, but other times it involved reaching past state lines for an out of town delivery route. Couriers like Eagle handled the food logistics to ensure the changes in consumer preferences were met with adequate supply.

Driver Shortages

This pandemic has affected food distribution drivers differently than other trades. As essential workers, their jobs weren’t cut. Quite the opposite; there simply weren’t enough of them. Drivers’ hours were increased and their routes were multiplied. Unfortunately, like most Americans, many drivers were fearful of going to work each day. Even worse, some of them got sick and couldn’t work.

All of these factors created a shortage in drivers, and further exacerbated the issues in supply and demand discussed previously. Thankfully, local couriers like Eagle Express were there to assist. When businesses simply didn’t have the manpower, Eagle came on for urgent one time delivery requests, as well as for scheduled, recurring routes. No account is necessary to get started with Eagle, and our customers can expect fast, quality service whether they’re repeat clients or a one-time delivery.

Failure to Redistribute Leading to Food Waste

During COVID-19, one of the most difficult parts for the food industry is the amount of wasted food. Unfortunately, it’s a byproduct of a country in crisis. But our goal at Eagle Express is to help eliminate that waste. One way we do this is through redistribution.

Whether it’s moving food from one restaurant location to another, transporting food to our neighboring cities and states for consumption, or trucking products from distributors to food banks, Eagle Express is available at a moment’s notice to redistribute food items quickly and safely- to avoid waste at all costs.

Food distribution is such an important process, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. As our country continues to experience uncertainty, this industry will encounter crises like the ones discussed here.

As we know well, together we can achieve success. Eagle Express is committed to helping food distributors across DFW.

If your businesses is facing one of these crises, or any other challenging logistics situation, run it by our team of experts. Our knowledgeable and experienced employees and drivers are available 24/7 to help you come up with a logistics plan that works for your business. Contact us now.