Solutions to the Concerning Supply Chain Disruption

The pandemic has proven problematic in several aspects of our life and our community. From the way we work and shop to the way we consume food. As COVID-19 begins to impact several different industries, it creates a domino effect on aspects of our society many don’t even think of. We’re focused on helping families, school lunch programs, and students who are all impacted by the unknowns of the market. 

Making Due with What’s Available

Concern: Districts have gotten to know the struggle of unavailable food products, or the difficulty of receiving orders on time. Firstly, know you are not alone. The National School Lunch Programs serve 30 billion students, and many schools are focused on doing the best they can with what they have.

Solution: PrimeroEdge helps you make the best of what is available. Our Inventory module for districts allows real-time communication between the central office and your sites for accurate information. You can make quick decisions based on what you have when you have it. 

Maximizing Your Budget with Minimal Worry

Concern: The Bureau of Labor Statistics has observed that food prices for items such as meat, eggs, and dairy have increased over the pandemic. Districts may need to readjust their budget and menus to minimize the aftermath.

Solution: PrimeroEdge offers Menu Planning and Production to help you analyze each plate cost to make sure each week fits within your budget and preferences. You can keep track of the pricing details that matter to you helping to prepare for any financial adjustments. 

Embracing Change In Your Menus

Concern: This new environment has increased the number of factors we are forced to consider in school nutrition. People are feeling overwhelmed, and the idea of any additional change to routines may leave them feeling uncomfortable and counterintuitive, especially when they don’t know what’s coming.

Solution: Despite hesitations, sometimes it’s best to lean in and be adaptive. For example, it’s important to be open to swapping out food items based on what the trends predict will be unavailable. It helps to be in the know to make those modifications. While school nutrition professionals are stretched for time, adjusting your schedules for more communication time with supply teams, distributors, vendor partners, and industry peers could provide much needed ideas, resources, and encouragement. Sodexo districts have made a great example of working more closely with their partners. 

“Currently, Sodexo’s K-12 division is analyzing menus that schools were using prior to the COVID-19 crisis and what those menus pivoted to as meal distribution changed in reaction to the crisis.”

“We’ve been identifying similarities between districts and are currently working with our supply team, our distributor partners, and our vendor partners to ensure we have a secured supply of food,” Sodexo Senior Manager, Culinary Offer Implementation Michael Morris says.”

This issue is, of course, bigger than ourselves and what we can suggest. That’s why most importantly, what people need is other people. While there may not be much any single company, school, or individual can do to fix this complex issue, we can all take part in being a support system for one another. Crisis breeds innovation and can bring people together if we allow it. You’re already out of your comfort zone, so why not be open to learning more about your community and the big picture? Reach out to others going through the same issues, attend webinars, and speak up when hit challenges. These times are uncertain, but we can rely on one another to get our industry through. 



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