Wholesalers, distributors and area supermarkets are struggling today to ensure that the area’s food supply is interrupted as little as possible.
It’s a challenge.
Though many supermarkets are open and trying to restock their shelves as quickly as goods are flying off of them, other stores are flooded. Some, though unharmed, are surrounded by flooded roads and unable to open.
Capitol City Produce, which supplies food mainly to hotels, restaurants, universities, supermarkets and school systems, is among those affected. The wholesaler’s warehouse off O’Neal Lane sustained some flood damage—but less than originally anticipated—and the company has notified its customers it won’t be able to service them for at least the next seven days. Chief Operating Officer Darin Arceneaux says broadline distributors like Sysco are helping out in the interim.
The area’s other major food wholesaler, Associated Grocers, is up and running, trying to keep up with demand. The company’s Anselmo Lane headquarters did not sustain any damage, nor did its delivery trucks. Like the supermarkets it supplies, however, many of AG’s employees have been affected by the flood and are unable to come to work.
“As an employer, we are obviously struggling,” says AG President and CEO Emile Breaux. “We have a lot of employees who are not able to come to work.”
At LeBlanc’s Frais Marché, an independent supermarket supplied by AG, owner Randy LeBlanc says the lack of personnel has been his biggest challenge by far. He estimates about 50% of his employees are out, either victims of the flood or helping family members who are.
Similarly, at Calvin’s Bocage Market, at least 20 employees were unable to come to work today. Owner Calvin Lindsly was restocking shelves, while his family members were working the checkout lines.
So far, supermarkets that are in operation are managing to keep up with demand for many items, though not all. Water is in short supply, as are bread and chips. LeBlanc says AG has done a much better job restocking his store than have the national vendors.
Also running low are paper products and cleaning supplies.
“It’s a little unusual to be running low on dry goods but maybe people know they might not be able to get back out for a while,” LeBlanc says. “Plus a lot of dishwashers aren’t working so paper plates and paper cups are going fast.”
—Stephanie Riegel
