By Chikomborero Chiobvu The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a lot of uncertainty among businesses and small agricultural companies. Due to lockdowns and stay at home orders around the world, many companies have been hit hard and are trying to see if they will survive this period and post lockdown. However, one thing that remains constant is people need to eat. More people practice social distancing and avoid leaving their homes, causing the meal-kit subscriptions to be extremely popular. Meal-kit subscriptions are services that allow people to choose recipes online and have all the ingredients sent to their doors (Olito, 2020). As many countries face complete lockdowns, companies such as Hello Fresh, and South Africa´s Ucook, have seen a surge in orders over the course of the lockdown and stay at home orders. Ucook saw its demand increase by 25% since the beginning of March (Richard Holmes, 2020). Fresh produce makes part of the ingredients that are placed in these meal kits, thus making this a potential industry that small produce farmers could consider post lockdown. Life might not get back to what it was, the ability to adapt to these changes is what will set businesses apart. A potential venture that small produce farmers could take is partnering with meal-kit companies as well as start their meal-kit businesses in an attempt to diversify their product portfolio and ensure stable cash flow. Restaurants could also follow the meal-kit trend by providing their popular dishes in meal kit form. This allows their consumers to enjoy their favorite meals in the comfort of their own homes. This business expansion also allows for a flow in the value chain as farmers can continue providing to their customers in the restaurant industry. References Olito, F., 2020. My HelloFresh meal delivery kit is a surprise game-changer during the coronavirus pandemic. Here are 6 reasons why. [Online] Available at: https://www.insider.com/hellofresh-subscription-during-coronavirus-2020-4 [Accessed 26 April 2020]. Richard Holmes, 2020. UCOOK is on fire. [Online] Available at: https://www.businesslive.co.za/fm/life/food/2020-04-16-ucook-is-on-fire/ [Accessed 26 April 2020]. Original article can be found on: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-small-produce-farmers-could-adapt-pandemic-chikomborero-chiobvu/?trackingId=Db7wrNdUZSLp7XRPG%2BNzMg%3D%3D If you have any interests or concerns, you can contact the writer via: cchiobvu@gmail.com Comments are closed.
|