UNITED STATES - The tether between foodservice and grocery sectors has never been stronger as some of the biggest names in retail continue stepping up to support others amidst COVID-19 concerns. From donations to employee bonuses, retailers are working to mitigate the financial and social impacts that the current climate will have on our food industry. Now, these industry leaders are working to aid restaurant and other foodservice employees through the opportunity to transition to a grocery job.
As it seeks to fill nearly 30,000 job openings, Albertsons Companies announced yesterday in a press release that it is partnering with major companies to provide part-time jobs to employees who have been furloughed or had their hours cut. The company fully understands and appreciates that most people will return to their previous jobs when the crisis is over, and the company and partner employers are fully supportive of the other’s efforts to keep people working.
“The most valuable asset and the core of any business is people, and we are working hard with many Human Resource teams across a variety of businesses who are actively defining next steps for their employees,” said Albertsons President and CEO Vivek Sankaran. “So many businesses in the hospitality and retail sectors are scaling back hours or temporarily closing as their customers remain home and adhere to shelter-in-place orders. We are grateful to be a resource to help fill a critical need in our own business and take care of people who want to continue working during this time of national emergency.”
Wisconsin-Salem-based grocer Lowes Foods is also joining in on this effort, targeting jobless restaurant employees in order to strengthen its workforce, according to Triad Business Journal. Lowes notes that these new employees are a perfect fit as the flow of foot traffic is expected to level out as the virus begins to wind down.
"We're looking to hire people from restaurants and bars," Lowes Marketing Director Kelly Davis told the news source. "When things get back to normal, they will be able to go back to their jobs. We're trying to think super-creatively."
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is another retail representative at the forefront of this effort. According to Business Insider, Bezos released a statement this weekend that urged laid off restaurant workers to join the Amazon team as demands continue to rise for the e-commerce player.
"At the same time, other businesses like restaurants and bars are being forced to shut their doors," Bezos said. "We hope people who've been laid off will come work with us until they're able to go back to the jobs they had."
As reported on Today, other retail operators who are actively hiring include Dollar General, Kroger, Sprouts Farmers Market, and Walmart.
As more innovative ways to support the food industry come to light, keep a tab open for us at AndNowUKnow.
