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Top 10 business and industry food service stories of 2020

The year’s top stories include how B&I operations are dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, including a new COVID-complaint concept by Sodexo.

Becky Schilling, Group Content Director/Editor-in-chief

November 13, 2020

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The business and industry market was rocked by the coronavirus pandemic this year. As companies shut down their offices to stop the spread of the virus, food service programs in these locations were left with severely reduced occupancy and dining customers.

The year’s top B&I stories focused on two phases of the pandemic—the immediate impact and the reopening phase. One of the feel-good stories from the early days of the crisis was the World Central Kitchen, led by chef Jose Andres, who helped feed stranded passengers on the cruise ship Grand Princess. In conjunction with Bon Appetit, World Central Kitchen fed meals for 3,500 passengers.

Restaurant Associates (RA) also shows up on the list of top stories, first with the creation of a new “safety czar” position. The contract management company says the position focuses on safety and sanitation measures that are rooted in fact over opinion. The new safety czar is also doing training for associates.

RA also makes the list with its revamped catering program, offering boxed meals to limit contact and cross-contamination.

Sodexo clocked in with the top two stories of the year. The first story is how the contract management giant is dealing with new coronavirus limitations, including saying goodbye to the traditional salad bar and expanding pickup and delivery service.

The second story is follow up to the first story, with a new COVID-complaint B&I concept called Modern Recipe.

Check out these stories and more in our top 10 B&I stories for 2020.

Read more about:

Sodexo

About the Author

Becky Schilling

Group Content Director/Editor-in-chief

Becky Schilling is Food Management’s editor-in-chief, and the group content director for Informa’s Restaurants and Food Group, managing editorial for digital, print and events for Nation’s Restaurant News, Restaurant Hospitality, Food Management and Supermarket News media brands. Becky holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Texas A&M University and a master's degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. Before joining Food Management in 2014, Becky was with FoodService Director magazine for seven years, the last two as editor-in-chief. Becky is a history nerd and a sports fanatic, especially college football—Gig'em Ags—and tennis. A born and raised Texan, Becky currently resides in New York City.

Becky Schilling’s areas of expertise include the onsite foodservice industry (K-12 schools, colleges and universities, healthcare and B&I), foodservice menus, operational best practices and innovation.

Becky Schilling is a frequent speaker at industry events including The Association for Healthcare Foodservice (AHF), The National Association of College & University Food Services (NACUFS) and The Society for Hospitality and Foodservice Management (SHFM).

Becky Schilling’s experience:

Group Content Director, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (Feb. 2020-present)

Editor-in-chief Food Management (Nov. 2014-present)

Director of Content Strategy & Optimization, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (March 2019-Feb. 2020)

Editor-in-chief, Supermarket News (April 2019-March 2019)

Executive Editor, Supermarket News (July 2016-April 2017)

Editor-in-chief, FoodService Director magazine (March 2013-Oct. 2014)

Managing Editor (FoodService Director magazine (March 2012-March 2013)

Associate Editor (FoodService Director magazine (Nov. 2007-March 2012)

Contact Becky Schilling at:

[email protected]

@bschilling_FM

https://www.linkedin.com/in/becky-schilling-39194ba/

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