In response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Feed Ontario has launched an emergency food box program that will deliver supplies to food banks across the country. The new initiative is intended to help organizations meet the demands of their community, while also "minimizing exposure to COVID-19."
The emergency food box program is developed in partnership with local food banks and Food Banks Canada. To date, Feed Ontario has been able to distribute 100,000 emergency food boxes in the province. The goal is to reach 450,000 units.
Each box is packed with staple products like juice, tuna, pasta, cereal, and more. Food banks are able to add local produce, milk, eggs, and other fresh items. One box is expected to provide "seven days' worth of food per person."
Emergency Food Box Programs
Feed Ontario's Program Will Deliver Pre-Packaged Boxes to Food Banks
Trend Themes
1. Contactless Food Delivery - Emerging trend in the food industry, wherein delivery is made without physical contact to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
2. Emergency Food Supply Chain Management - Trend of creating innovative food programs that streamline the supply chain to efficiently meet the needs of affected communities.
3. Community Support Initiatives - Growing trend in businesses developing social initiatives that support and are aligned with the communities they operate in.
Industry Implications
1. Food and Beverage - Opportunity for businesses to develop an emergency supply chain management strategy, that ensures essential food service delivery to all communities in times of emergency or disaster
2. Logistics and Warehousing - Opportunity to create more efficient and responsive supply chain management systems, that ensure appropriate resources are delivered to affected areas during emergency situations
3. Not-for-profit - Opportunity for not-for-profit organizations to develop innovative programs that address emergency aid response to impacted populations, while collaborating with industry to better manage supply chain and logistics for future emergency situations.