Grocery stores struggling to meet demands

Food suppliers say they went through stock inventory during initial lockdowns, and have yet to catch-up.

FIRE CONTROL AND RESCUE DISTRICTSTATION AT 10-30 ON TUESDAYMORNINTHE WALL STREET JOURNALREPORTING GROCERY STORES AROUNDTHE COUNTRY STRUGGLING TO METHE DEMAND OF THE INFLUX INCUSTOMERS.LOCAL FOOD SUPPLIERS SAY THEYWENT THROUGH STOCK INVENTORYDURING INITIAL LOCKDOWNSANDHAVE YET TO CATCH UP.

FOX 4’MIANA MASSEY HAS THE STORY.(00-05)(:33-:38)The surge in COVID 19 casecausing an increased demand initems such as canned soup, rice,flour and milkThis mom and pop grocery storehaving to drive all the way toMiami each week just to keepitems on the shelvTHE PALM STOREA FORT MYECOMMUNITY STAPLE SINCE 1968ITS A RESTAURANT, CONVENIENCEAND GROCERY STORECO-OWNER BILLY JABER TOOK OVERAND REMOLDED EARLY THISYEAR.CUSTOMER NICK NAMED FORITS DARK BLUE STATURE"the store is known as bluestore fort Myers, the wholecommunity knows us as the bluestore"THE WALL STREET JOURNALREPORTING MANUFACTURES SUCH ASGENERAL MILLS, CAMPBELL SOUP ANDCONAGRA BRANDS ARE PUMPING OFOOD AS FAST AS THEY CAN BUTSTILL CAN NOT REPLENISHINVENTORIES"its random stuff, its not jusone thing that’s the problemabout it.

It can be a certaindrink at one point, you getfrom a vendor and the next weekthey don’t have any" BILLY JABER// CO-OWNEAS CASES OF COVID-19 CONTINUE TORISEMANY PEOPLE CHOOSING TAKE OUT ORTO STAY HOME AND COOK LEAVINGGROCERY STORES STRUGGLING TOMEET DEMAND"a lot of the vendors are eithshort-staffed or low oninventorNOW MORE THAN EVER.JABER’S GOALIS KEEP HIS CUSTOMERS HAPPY,EVEN IF THAT MEANS TAKING ROADTRIPS TO MIAMI SOMETIMES TWICE AWEEK TO STUCK UP ON SUPPLIES"its been tough but its just awave, i mean we’re all in ittogether we just have to r