Grocery stores have mostly been unaffected one week after Hurricane Ian wreaked damage and floods in coastal South Carolina and sections of North Carolina. According to Lindsey Kueffner, the executive director of the council, the Carolinas Food Industry Council keeps a “seat at the table” in the emergency operations centers of both states.
The council informs its members before, during, and after major storms like Ian. The group organizes store passes, shares municipal limitations as they are made public, and tracks curfews to provide storm updates. After a storm or other significant tragedy, the club works tirelessly to assist members in getting back up and running, according to Kueffner. Retail members in North and South Carolina fared relatively well this time around. There were some issues in some instances, but they fared well altogether,” she said.
Grocers in both states are facing many of the same problems affecting the business as a whole, aside from a Category 1 hurricane. They have grown “nimble and creative” as a result of problems with the supply chain and labor scarcity. Kueffner clarified that businesses are figuring out various strategies to manage the stressed supply chain. In an effort to retain and recruit employees, 77 percent of supermarkets have raised pay, according to Kueffner, who cited a recent FMI poll.
In one instance, she had heard of a business hiring financial experts to assist staff in making long-term plans. Grocers continue to struggle to draw in younger generations and are making an effort to speak to their moral convictions. As it collaborates with prospective parties to combat cargo theft, the council is looking for measures to stifle organized retail crime. Along with reducing retail crime, the group wants to enact the federal Prep Act, which will help businesses with pharmacies in both states.
The CFIC is pushing for the availability of ready-to-drink cocktails in grocery shops in North Carolina especially. Although booze sales are permitted solely in state-run stores, these cocktails are permitted in South Carolina.
Before any of these bills are heard in legislative chambers, time will pass. While North Carolina does not have a session limit, South Carolina’s legislative session lasts from January to May. While parliamentarians recently ended their session, Kueffner claimed that they had been in session until “August or September.”Members of the CFIC are optimistic regardless of when these problems are brought up.
“We’re always advocating for the retail industry. We do that by first getting input from our members. They want these things passed,” Kueffner explained. Additionally, the application period for its scholarships will start in late November or early December. In July, CFIC held its yearly convention.