Happy Friday! (It feels like everyday is Blursday. ) It’s going to be a hot weekend but it’s still a weekend.
Macro:
- Other than the fun-house mirror that is the stock market, most everything – COVID, closings, retail sales,new unemployment – was bleak.
- While most of the science is now saying that the virus doesn’t survive long on surfaces, China has decided to ban shrimp imports from Ecuador, a COVID hotspot.
- Similarly, Italians struggling with the rest of the EU.
- Here is a running link to food plants that have closed or suspended operations because of the outbreak.
Retail and Consumer
- The National Retail Federation issued a statement encouraging its members to adopt mask requirements for store entry. This week WalMart joined Target, CVS, Starbucks and Kroger, among others, in adopting the policy.
- Supermarkets have been killing lately it but their long term future is a bit more cloudy.
Restaurants and Foodservice
- 53% of restaurants that closed due to the pandemic closed for good.
- Restaurant re-openings rudely reversed.
- Here are a couple of links to articles on Ghost Kitchens. On one hand they are a momentary fix for restaurant operations unable to seat clients. The demand for culinary experiences has not abated and they help fill the bill. However, they may have a permanent place in the dining landscape as a way of managing overhead costs, particularly for new concepts and young chefs.
Lagniappe
- Eataly, after a decade, is still fascinating and still resists classification