Grocers Stockpile, Build 'Pandemic Pallets' Ahead of Winter

[technicalgadget]

Grocers Stockpile, Build 'Pandemic Pallets' Ahead of Winter

By Jaewon Kang and Annie Gasparro Grocery stores and food companies are preparing for a possible surge in sales amid a new rise in Covid-19 cases and the impending holiday rush. Supermar...

ih.advfn.com

Grocery stores and food companies are preparing for a possible surge in sales amid a new rise in Covid-19 cases and the impending holiday rush.

Supermarkets are stockpiling groceries and storing them early to prepare for the fall and winter months, when some health experts warn the country could see another widespread outbreak of virus cases and new restrictions. Food companies are accelerating production of their most popular items, and leaders across the industry are saying they won't be caught unprepared in the face of another pandemic surge.

Associated Food Stores recently started building "pandemic pallets" of cleaning and sanitizing products so it always has some inventory in warehouses, said Darin Peirce, vice president of retail operations for the cooperative of more than 400 stores. The company is establishing protocols so it can better manage scenarios of high demand.

"We will never again operate our business as unprepared for something like this," he said.

These changes, a reaction to the sudden and massive shortages grocers experienced in the spring, amount to a shift from the just-in-time inventory management practices that have guided the fast-moving retail business for decades.

Now, food sellers are stockpiling months, rather than weeks, worth of staples such as pasta sauce and paper products to better prepare for this winter, when people are expected to hunker down at home. Ahold Delhaize USA, SpartanNash Co. and others say they are buying more food as soon as they can, stocking warehouses with wellness and holiday items. Many retailers are expanding distribution capacity, augmenting warehouse space and modifying shifts..

 

[Target]

I plan on storing more "rice & beans" over the next month in anticipation of the Nov 4 festivities. Been reading up on Long Term Storage of items and such.

 

[Acer-m14]

WTF .. when u cough or sneeze in the winter your shit freezes in mid air .. LOL ..

 

[Jcp123]

Makes sense. My loads have shifted away from industrial inputs to consumer goods going to stores, and moving a lot of freight from big consumer goods producers you’ve heard of. I went from about 50/50 to about 75/25. Hell, I’ll take the work in whatever form it comes.

 

[Podmonkey]

"Just-in-time" inventory management has always been shortsighted. At least for essential goods.

 

[livingston]

Everyone needs to prepare for phase 2 of the covid situation. .. a mandatory quarantine for 14 days could be a setback. .. Just ones household or an entire store or distribution center could be affected .

 

[GOPerfect]

This is something that I have been preaching for quite some time. Here on this forum as well as in my everyday life. Months ago, many co-workers laughed at me. Now they seem to all be calling me and talking to me in a non-laughing way. Trying to figure out if it is too late to start the prep.

Things are getting bad, worse by the week. It is never too late. It is never too late to prepare fro the future and for the unknown.

It worries me that some of my friends, on this forum and in face to face life will not take all of these warnings. They will not be prepared and they will go hungry.

It does not cost that much to get started and to slowly build a stock of supplies. Soups, rice, beans, canned meat, pasta/sauce and water. A few extra bucks per week can make a huge difference.

I am open to PM's if anyone really wants some tips on where to get great deals and how to begin the road to prep.

 

[Criticalt]

We have always prepared but this year we have "over done it" a bit I think.
We usually slaughter a cow for winter.
This year we slaughtered 2.
We canned 700 pounds of fruit and veggies.
We jarred 60 pounds of honey, we usually sell all but 3-5 pounds.
And we usually cull our goats for winter down to 3-4, then rebuid in Spring. Like sheep, goats taste better young.
This year we have 12.

 

[Blimey]

This is something that I have been preaching for quite some time. Here on this forum as well as in my everyday life. Months ago, many co-workers laughed at me. Now they seem to all be calling me and talking to me in a non-laughing way. Trying to figure out if it is too late to start the prep.

Things are getting bad, worse by the week. It is never too late. It is never too late to prepare fro the future and for the unknown.

It worries me that some of my friends, on this forum and in face to face life will not take all of these warnings. They will not be prepared and they will go hungry.

It does not cost that much to get started and to slowly build a stock of supplies. Soups, rice, beans, canned meat, pasta/sauce and water. A few extra bucks per week can make a huge difference.

I am open to PM's if anyone really wants some tips on where to get great deals and how to begin the road to prep.

$100 in the Walmart dried food sections for rice and beans is a lot of meals.

 

[fnfalguy]

@GOPerfect i think it’s wonderful that you offered to help steward others. Most will never take up that offer And potentially save years of errors or avoid wasting countless dollars. I have tried similar, even opened up the opportunity to take them with me to restaurant depot to help get best bang for buck. Similar results with most. Something about leading a horse to water. Almost need to drown the fucker.

 

[Catskillkid]

"Just-in-time" inventory management has always been shortsighted. At least for essential goods.

Just-in-Time works great...until it doesn't.

As you said, essential goods should be stockpiled and warehoused. If anything this pandemic has shown us is that we should move from "Just-in-Time" to "Just-in-Case."

 

[Target]

I'm going to the Chinese food store for 50lb bags of rice and see what else they have. Lots of odd to Americans stuff.
This is where they get the supplies for the company kitchen. They serve lunch & dinner to the employees daily as well as provide a meal for their bible study groups. We have a full time chinese chef .
He doesn't speak much english but sure as hell knows how to get to Turning Stone Casino.

 

[BerettaGuy]

I have stocked up on firewood, gas for the generator, MRE's as worst-case scenario.
I live in the snow belt of Lake Erie and have become spoiled by the past few mild winters.
I think an old fashion LES event of 2020 would be the icing on the cake of one ef'ed up year.
Biggest fear is a power outage of more than a few days. As far as the store shortages go. Keep an eye on trucks and trucking.
Everything comes on a truck.

 

[Cooolone]

A lot of the snowflakes can't even cook food r themselves, so prepping will be as foreign as an Eskimo teaching them how to fish!

I've built up some stocks, I'm sure not enough if a real SHTF scenario rears its ugly head! 2020 still has a lot of days left to venture into that "end of days" possibility! So I agree, stock up while you can! It's never too late to start because something is better than nothing!

 

[repete]

One thing I know I'm short on is coal for the stove, I have a lot of wood cut and split but for a severe winter I'd need more so I need to buy a ton or so of coal and stash it in the bin. Food wise my wife and I are pretty well off but if the kids and grandkids need help that's a whole nother thing.

 

[Acer-m14]

One thing I know I'm short on is coal for the stove, I have a lot of wood cut and split but for a severe winter I'd need more so I need to buy a ton or so of coal and stash it in the bin. Food wise my wife and I are pretty well off but if the kids and grandkids need help that's a whole nother thing.

hit the rail road tracks in Groveland .. bring a shovel .. lots of coal there to find and reuse lol .. just don't make a coal fire and cook hot dogs over it ..
they taste like fuel oil LOL.. trust me i know .. i was 13 then .. LOL ..

 

[Michael]

I've been slowly stocking up our pantry at home with non-perishables and canned goods. Couple extra every trip, and the bank account doesn't even notice.

"Just-in-time" inventory management has always been shortsighted. At least for essential goods.

Want to know something scary about just in time management? Hospitals run with VERY little inventory on hand and rely on several daily deliveries. If we get hit with a snow storm that knocks out delivery routes for more than a few days, we're in trouble. Most hospitals now are doing ok with ppe, but before covid hit, there was only a few days worth on hand of anything at any given time.

 

[GOPerfect]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/10/02/food-bank-shortage-feeding-america/

 

[GOPerfect]

Worried about more shortages, grocery stores are stockpiling goods

Grocery stores across the United States are stocking up on products to avoid shortages during a second wave of coronavirus.

www.cnn.com

 

[GOPerfect]

Americans Are Stocking Up on Bottled Water

/PRNewswire/ -- For many Americans, being able to stock up on essentials from the comfort of their own home has been a small comfort through an otherwise...

www.prnewswire.com

 

[Blimey]

I'll need a list soon. Definitely TP

 

[GOPerfect]

I'll need a list soon. Definitely TP

I am forever adding to my list.

Spices, broths, different types of medicines and vitamins. Short term as well as long term foods.

Bleach, cleaning products. Extra soap, toothpaste and brushes.

This is almost a game to me, a hobby.

 

[Blimey]

I am forever adding to my list.

Spices, broths, different types of medicines and vitamins. Short term as well as long term foods.

Bleach, cleaning products. Extra soap, toothpaste and brushes.

This is almost a game to me, a hobby.

One thing I really want is high % rubbing alcohol but I still can't find it. The shelf life is infinity from what I can tell, and it used to be readily available of course. I've found some 70% recently but I want better.

I do try to keep a few extra bottles of advil or tylenol around because it's a must-have, pretty cheap, and should be good for a few years.

 

[repete]

I am forever adding to my list.

Spices, broths, different types of medicines and vitamins. Short term as well as long term foods.

Bleach, cleaning products. Extra soap, toothpaste and brushes.

This is almost a game to me, a hobby.

It kind of becomes an obsession doesn't it? Just when you think you have almost everything then all of a sudden you realize you forgot something obvious like spices or tampons.
The real bitch about it is the stuff doesn't last forever and it's work keeping it rotated, just yesterday I was adding and moving some of our stash and noticed the dates ( I write the bought on and best by dates on the outside of the boxes) and some of the stuff needs to be used by 2024 ! Damn the years go by quick!
I bought a bunch of boxes specially made that hold 4 #10 cans and have preprinted labels on them and are made of treated cardboard to help keep the cans from rusting. If anyone's interested I'll try to find the name.

 

[SonOfSun]

I am forever adding to my list.

Spices, broths, different types of medicines and vitamins. Short term as well as long term foods.

Bleach, cleaning products. Extra soap, toothpaste and brushes.

This is almost a game to me, a hobby.

Too many people don't think of the bolded items. Last thing you want is 8+ months of food but you run out of dental care 1 month in.

I'd be careful on the bleach though, it degrades over time. If you want long term bleach storage you want to store powdered bleach (ie. pool shock). That stuff will last a LONG time (well over a decade) if stored properly.

Edit: added a longer bleach explanation link Does Bleach Go Bad? | PreparednessMama

 

[masterswimmer]

Glad to hear some mention of dental care. I have a very nice supply of:

Toothpaste
Toothbrushes
Dental floss
Listerine

Not taking care of your teeth and possibly needing a dentist when it might not be so easy to see one can be a very painful and unpleasant ordeal.

 

[GOPerfect]

I am beyond amazed at how empty so many of shelves are in these stores.

BJ's, Sams Club, Tops and Wegmans, more empty in some spots than are full.

 

[repete]

Glad to hear some mention of dental care. I have a very nice supply of:

Toothpaste
Toothbrushes
Dental floss
Listerine

Not taking care of your teeth and possibly needing a dentist when it might not be so easy to see one can be a very painful and unpleasant ordeal.

Common things like your list and other stuff gets over looked, don't forget cold/flu medicine pain relievers (LOTS of them) and stupid stuff that you almost never use but when you need it you really NEED it like eye glass repair kit. Everything you use in your daily life can and should be taken into consideration depending on what your prepping for.

 

[C_staz]

Been prepping myself. Buying items that were hard to purchase.

Currently building a fort out of TP.

 

[JaguarJaguarGolf]

Anybody have info on rumour USA “going dark” for 120 days after election?