By Jaewon Kang, March 1, 2020
Write to Jaewon Kang at jaewon.kang@wsj.com
Supermarkets are preparing for a surge in demand and shoppers are stocking up on staple foods and cleaning supplies as more cases of the new coronavirus appear in the U.S.
For weeks, as the outbreak advanced mainly in China, food retailers focused on maintaining supplies of products they procure from Asia such as tuna, mandarin oranges and garlic.
Their attention shifted this week as cases multiplied from South Korea to Iran and as the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned of a potential pandemic. Health officials in Washington state on Saturday reported the first death of someone who had tested positive for the coronavirus in the U.S., one of some 60 confirmed cases centered on the West Coast.
Now grocers are working to prevent shortages and preparing for a spike in demand for disinfectants and long-lasting items such as pasta and canned food. Some are ramping up orders from suppliers.
“This is like a natural disaster, but it’s an illness,” said Doug Baker, vice president of industry relations at FMI, a trade group for food retailers. ….
Read more here: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/grocers-prepare-for-surge-in-demand-as-coronavirus-spreads/ar-BB10zqi7