March 27, 2020
Skimm This Podcast: Don’t Panic at the Supermarket!
If you’ve been to a grocery store lately, the many empty shelves may have you wondering if there’s enough food to go around. The good news is that, at this time, we’re experiencing a demand issue, not a supply issue.
As the Director of the Food Protection and Defense Institute and the University of Minnesota’s Integrated Food Systems Leadership (IFSL) program, Dr. Jennifer van de Ligt has a close pulse on how COVID-19 is impacting our global food system. Recently, Dr. van de Ligt shed some light in an interview with theSkimm’s Evening Podcast about the product shortages we’re currently seeing amid the coronavirus outbreak. (theSkimm is a daily newsletter and Podcast aimed at breaking down key news topics and bringing you interviews with industry experts.)
As Dr. van de Ligt explains to theSkimm (beginning at 5:45), many shoppers sparked ‘panic buying,’ giving the perception that food is limited. She assures us that’s not the case and says that foods that were harvested last season are currently in storage and just need to be distributed. However, there may be certain foods that will be hard to find at retailers because of disruptions in international travel and trade (i.e. most fresh garlic is sourced from China).
Dr. van de Ligt also tells us to help meet the demand in grocery stores, the food industry is starting to shift food previously slated for restaurants into packaging suitable for retail. Another silver lining? Nature is currently in our favor. She says the backbone of our food system – agriculture – is intact. In fact, many of our biggest growing regions in the U.S. are starting their harvest season now, such as Florida and California.
So what’s theSkimm on the outage of eggs, bread and chicken noodle soup? When Americans all went shopping at the same time – preparing to be at home for an unknown amount of time – supply available at retailers was bought out. As Dr. van de Ligt explains, our food supply chain is strong. There is plenty more food in warehouses and producers and manufactures are innovating to keep up with demand, with lots of fresh food on its way. However, as this pandemic continues to unfold, it is likely there will be stop gaps of production in certain sectors, in which we, as consumers, should continue to pivot (not panic) to accommodate.
Skimm This Podcast: Don’t Panic! At the Supermarket: Understanding the Supply Chain
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About the Integrated Food Systems Leadership (IFSL) Program
Designed for working professionals, the IFSL program is an innovative graduate certificate program that fosters leadership, collaboration, and innovation across the food system. For more information visit: https://ifsl.umn.edu.