隨著新冠疫情迅速在全國蔓延,美國民眾也被迫改變了自己的生活方式,。健康問題,、經(jīng)濟的不確定性、生活受限和交通管制接踵而來,。面對這些幾個月前還無法想象的現(xiàn)實問題,,許多人不禁發(fā)問:危機當頭,我和我的家人是否能獲得充足的食品,?
美國食品供應鏈的強大毋庸置疑,,這一點我覺得大家可以放心。為了確保各地商店都能有充足的商品供應,,供應鏈上的生產(chǎn)商,、分銷商和零售商正在不分晝夜的工作。與以往一樣,,當出現(xiàn)國家緊急狀態(tài)時,,食品企業(yè)又一次挺身而出,,努力確保民眾的食品供應,。
盡管最近幾周需求激增,但包括我們在內(nèi),,各地的分銷商都在增加供應量,,并采取了一系列措施,來防止疫情期間出現(xiàn)食品供應短缺的情況,。為了確保食品能安全,、可靠地從生產(chǎn)者手中送到零售商店,美國做出了諸多努力,,而我們將繼續(xù)在這項工作中扮演中流砥柱的角色,。
美國民眾首先應該明白,這種國家層級的任務離不開強有力的公,、私合作,。我和我的同事們花費了大量時間與聯(lián)邦、州及地方政府的官員進行接觸,。比如,,為了確定未來幾周、幾個月的工作計劃,,我們與白宮,、農(nóng)業(yè)部,、聯(lián)邦緊急事務管理局及美、加兩國的地方衛(wèi)生官員都進行了直接溝通,。
為了強化供應鏈,,許多食品行業(yè)的領導者已向聯(lián)邦、州和地方政府尋求支持,,希望政府可以鼓勵負責任的消費行為,,讓身體健康的關(guān)鍵崗位員工能夠繼續(xù)工作,同時確保貨車在高速公路與普通道路上能夠順暢通行,。幸運的是,,行政當局已經(jīng)同意了我們的許多請求,例如公開勸阻人們不要囤積食品,,同時宣布食品工人為關(guān)鍵行業(yè)從業(yè)人員,。等到時機成熟時,我們希望政府能夠采取更多的支持措施,,如為工人們提供平價托兒服務等,。
這項國家任務的另一個基石是一線工人與駕駛員的巨大奉獻。雖然工作時間很長,,工作量巨大,,但他們始終把美國消費者的需要放在首位,日以繼夜地全力工作著,。
為了補充庫存,、讓商品進入供應鏈,生產(chǎn)商與食品加工商始終在馬不停蹄地趕訂單,。我們每天都會送出超過25萬種不同類型的產(chǎn)品,,以滿足消費者的各類需求。雖然某些產(chǎn)品現(xiàn)在需求量巨大,,但經(jīng)過與供應商溝通,,我們確信美國的食品供應充足無虞,民眾完全無需擔心,。
有時商店內(nèi)衛(wèi)生紙,、面粉或大米等商品,會因哄搶而出現(xiàn)斷貨,,對此大家不必擔心,,因為分銷商正在不斷補充庫存。同樣值得注意的是,,由于美國正處于緊急狀態(tài),,物價有所上漲,我們已在努力通過供應商了解漲價原因。
最后,,為了給工人提供支持,,讓他們能夠安心、安全地工作,,分銷商們也制定了新的規(guī)章制度,。在自營配送中心和零售店,我們都實施了嚴格的衛(wèi)生與社交距離規(guī)定,。同時,,我們也鼓勵員工以健康為重,并為所有確診感染新冠肺炎或可能受設施關(guān)閉影響的員工提供帶薪休假,。
為了公司2.1萬名員工的健康,,以及能夠讓他們在辛苦工作之余獲得適當休息,我們決定再雇用1,000名工人,。近期,,我們還與另外兩家食品供應鏈公司簽訂了正式協(xié)議,根據(jù)需要,,他們將為我們提供更多的工人,、司機及拖車。
一句話:美國民眾應該相信,,國家采取的大量措施正在有條不紊地進行中,,能夠確保食品供應充足。因此,,我們不建議囤積食品或購買大量其他商品,,這種行為毫無必要。
新冠疫情讓我們產(chǎn)生了各種各樣的焦慮情緒,,但真的不必擔心買不到優(yōu)質(zhì)食品或是價格不合理,。成千上萬的食品工人、立法者和監(jiān)管者都在為之而努力,。
我們應該感謝司機、零售店店員,、倉庫員工以及其他不辭辛勞的人,,為了保障商店和社區(qū)的食品供應,他們一直在努力工作著,,沒有他們的付出,,等待我們的將是空空如也的貨架。(財富中文網(wǎng))
史蒂文·斯賓納是聯(lián)合原生態(tài)食品公司的CEO兼董事長,。
譯者:梁宇
審校:夏林
隨著新冠疫情迅速在全國蔓延,,美國民眾也被迫改變了自己的生活方式。健康問題、經(jīng)濟的不確定性,、生活受限和交通管制接踵而來,。面對這些幾個月前還無法想象的現(xiàn)實問題,許多人不禁發(fā)問:危機當頭,,我和我的家人是否能獲得充足的食品,?
美國食品供應鏈的強大毋庸置疑,這一點我覺得大家可以放心,。為了確保各地商店都能有充足的商品供應,,供應鏈上的生產(chǎn)商、分銷商和零售商正在不分晝夜的工作,。與以往一樣,,當出現(xiàn)國家緊急狀態(tài)時,食品企業(yè)又一次挺身而出,,努力確保民眾的食品供應,。
盡管最近幾周需求激增,但包括我們在內(nèi),,各地的分銷商都在增加供應量,,并采取了一系列措施,來防止疫情期間出現(xiàn)食品供應短缺的情況,。為了確保食品能安全,、可靠地從生產(chǎn)者手中送到零售商店,美國做出了諸多努力,,而我們將繼續(xù)在這項工作中扮演中流砥柱的角色,。
美國民眾首先應該明白,這種國家層級的任務離不開強有力的公,、私合作,。我和我的同事們花費了大量時間與聯(lián)邦、州及地方政府的官員進行接觸,。比如,,為了確定未來幾周、幾個月的工作計劃,,我們與白宮,、農(nóng)業(yè)部、聯(lián)邦緊急事務管理局及美,、加兩國的地方衛(wèi)生官員都進行了直接溝通,。
為了強化供應鏈,許多食品行業(yè)的領導者已向聯(lián)邦,、州和地方政府尋求支持,,希望政府可以鼓勵負責任的消費行為,,讓身體健康的關(guān)鍵崗位員工能夠繼續(xù)工作,同時確保貨車在高速公路與普通道路上能夠順暢通行,。幸運的是,,行政當局已經(jīng)同意了我們的許多請求,例如公開勸阻人們不要囤積食品,,同時宣布食品工人為關(guān)鍵行業(yè)從業(yè)人員,。等到時機成熟時,我們希望政府能夠采取更多的支持措施,,如為工人們提供平價托兒服務等,。
這項國家任務的另一個基石是一線工人與駕駛員的巨大奉獻。雖然工作時間很長,,工作量巨大,,但他們始終把美國消費者的需要放在首位,日以繼夜地全力工作著,。
為了補充庫存,、讓商品進入供應鏈,生產(chǎn)商與食品加工商始終在馬不停蹄地趕訂單,。我們每天都會送出超過25萬種不同類型的產(chǎn)品,,以滿足消費者的各類需求。雖然某些產(chǎn)品現(xiàn)在需求量巨大,,但經(jīng)過與供應商溝通,,我們確信美國的食品供應充足無虞,民眾完全無需擔心,。
有時商店內(nèi)衛(wèi)生紙,、面粉或大米等商品,會因哄搶而出現(xiàn)斷貨,,對此大家不必擔心,,因為分銷商正在不斷補充庫存。同樣值得注意的是,,由于美國正處于緊急狀態(tài),,物價有所上漲,我們已在努力通過供應商了解漲價原因,。
最后,,為了給工人提供支持,讓他們能夠安心,、安全地工作,,分銷商們也制定了新的規(guī)章制度,。在自營配送中心和零售店,,我們都實施了嚴格的衛(wèi)生與社交距離規(guī)定,。同時,,我們也鼓勵員工以健康為重,并為所有確診感染新冠肺炎或可能受設施關(guān)閉影響的員工提供帶薪休假,。
為了公司2.1萬名員工的健康,,以及能夠讓他們在辛苦工作之余獲得適當休息,,我們決定再雇用1,000名工人。近期,,我們還與另外兩家食品供應鏈公司簽訂了正式協(xié)議,,根據(jù)需要,,他們將為我們提供更多的工人,、司機及拖車,。
一句話:美國民眾應該相信,,國家采取的大量措施正在有條不紊地進行中,,能夠確保食品供應充足。因此,,我們不建議囤積食品或購買大量其他商品,,這種行為毫無必要。
新冠疫情讓我們產(chǎn)生了各種各樣的焦慮情緒,,但真的不必擔心買不到優(yōu)質(zhì)食品或是價格不合理。成千上萬的食品工人,、立法者和監(jiān)管者都在為之而努力。
我們應該感謝司機,、零售店店員,、倉庫員工以及其他不辭辛勞的人,,為了保障商店和社區(qū)的食品供應,,他們一直在努力工作著,沒有他們的付出,,等待我們的將是空空如也的貨架,。(財富中文網(wǎng))
史蒂文·斯賓納是聯(lián)合原生態(tài)食品公司的CEO兼董事長,。
譯者:梁宇
審校:夏林
As the coronavirus continues to spread across the country, Americans are being forced to alter their lives. We currently face health concerns, economic uncertainties, and lifestyle and travel restrictions that seemed unimaginable just a few months ago. This new reality is leading many people to ask a sobering question: Will my family and I have access to enough food during these trying times?
I believe Americans can take comfort in the fact that our country has an incredibly strong food supply chain. Manufacturers, distributors, and retailers have already been working around the clock to keep store shelves stocked in every state and territory. Just like we’ve done during past national emergencies, the food sector is working to rise to the occasion and keep the country fed.
While demand has surged in recent weeks, distributors—such as my company—have increased their output and taken a number of steps to keep food readily available throughout this pandemic’s life cycle. We’re poised to remain at the heart of the national effort to move food in a safe, secure manner from producers to grocery stores.
The first thing that Americans should know about this national effort is that it’s anchored by strong public-private collaboration. My colleagues and I are spending a considerable amount of time engaging with federal, state, and local government officials. This includes interacting directly with the White House, Agriculture Department, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and local health officials around the country and in Canada about what needs to be done in the weeks and months ahead.
To keep the supply chain well fortified, many leaders in the sector have sought support from federal, state, and local governments in encouraging responsible consumer purchasing, keeping essential and healthy associates at work, and ensuring highways and roads remain open to cargo trucks. Thankfully, these authorities have responded by beginning to adopt many of our requests, including publicly discouraging hoarding and declaring food workers as essential. We hope that additional measures, such as providing workers access to affordable childcare, will be implemented in due course.
A second cornerstone of the national effort is the tremendous output being delivered by frontline workers and drivers. They continue to go the extra mile and put the needs of the American consumer first, despite long hours and heavy workloads.
Manufacturers and food producers are working day and night to restock orders and get products back into the supply chain. On any given day, my company carries more than 250,000 different types of products to meet every possible consumer need. Although certain items have taken on greater importance right now, our discussions with suppliers have reassured us that there is ample food available and no reason for Americans to be concerned.
Whenever grocery stores do run out of goods such as bathroom tissue, flour, or rice due to exceptionally high demand, you can rest easy knowing that distributors are working behind the scenes to restock inventory. It’s also noteworthy that we have seen limited price increases during this emergency, and where we have experienced them, we’ve been diligent in working to understand the basis for such increases from our suppliers.
Lastly, distributors are establishing new protocols to provide assurance, safety, and support to workers. My company has implemented robust hygiene and social distancing requirements at our distribution centers and retail locations. We’ve also encouraged associates to prioritize their health and well-being, including through providing paid leave to any associate who is diagnosed with the coronavirus or impacted by potential facility closures.
Keeping our workforce healthy also means making sure our 21,000 associates aren’t permanently pulling lengthy shifts without relief. This is one of the main reasons why we’re hiring an additional 1,000 workers at this time. We also recently formalized agreements with two other food supply-chain companies, which are providing us as-needed access to additional labor, drivers, and trailers.
Bottom line: Americans can trust that a sizable and well-coordinated national effort is underway to keep food accessible. This means that hoarding and mass purchasing is not advisable or necessary.
Amid all of the other anxieties triggered by the coronavirus, there is no need to fear a lack of access to affordable and high-quality food. There are tens of thousands of food workers, lawmakers, and regulators committed to meeting the country’s needs.
I encourage everyone to thank the drivers, retail workers, warehouse associates, and all others working tirelessly to keep deliveries of food flowing into local grocery stores and communities. Without their unwavering commitment, the shelves would be empty.
Steven Spinner is CEO and chairman of United Natural Foods.