Page 14 - Food & Drink Magazine Jan-Feb 21

COVER STORY
Maintaining supply in uncertain times
COVID-19 brought unforeseen challenges to food and beverage manufacturers trying to secure supplies required to keep operating. Nathan Pagden from hygiene and PPE supplier Foodcare explains how the company became a key part of food manufacturers’ supply chains.
MAINTAINING continuity of supply during a global pandemic is not an easy thing to do, especially when you are competing with the medical sector for supply of some of the most critical items, for example, nitrile gloves.
Our focus has always been on the Australian food processing industry and that held us in good stead. We are proud that everything we offer is designed specifically for food and beverage but that also means our customers heavily rely on us.
Reserving stock for our customers has always been the foundation of the Foodcare experience, and during COVID-19 it set us apart.
With food and beverage manufacturers under immense pressure, that point of difference was crucial for our clients.
Foodcare’s Reserved Stock System is unusual within the
industry and gives our clients a peace of mind and assurance that they will have the ongoing supply of critical items they require to continue operating.
Having critical supplies, such as disposable PPE, makes the difference between whether a site can continue manufacturing or not. We received a lot of feedback expressing appreciation for ensuring this ongoing supply, and that really heightens the importance of what we do.
For our clients, communication comes a close second to guaranteed supply. Repeatedly we were told that knowing the real situation and what was happening right throughout the supply chain was extremely important to their planning.
There have been a lot of shocks and challenges to PPE supply chain. Communicating this and keeping our customers up to date was an ongoing challenge. Nearly every stage of
14 | Food&Drink business | January/February 2021 | www.foodanddrinkbusiness.com.au