Top 10: Supply chain issues, Portillo’s IPO, Coca Cola’s vaccine incentive - SmartBrief

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Top 10: Supply chain issues, Portillo’s IPO, Coca Cola’s vaccine incentive

This week’s most-read news was wide ranging, from stories about supply chain issues and vaccine mandates to rankings for food retailers and culinary tips.

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Food

Top 10: Supply chain issues, Portillo’s IPO, Coca Cola’s vaccine incentive

(Jon Cherry/Getty Images)

This week’s most-read news was wide ranging, from stories about supply chain issues and vaccine mandates to rankings for food retailers and culinary tips.

Most popular this week was a story covering the issues that the school foodservice industry is facing across the country. School nutrition professionals across the US report canceled or delayed food deliveries, workforce shortages and other challenges to providing meals to students. Diane Pratt-Heavner, director of media relations for the School Nutrition Association, said the supply chain and staffing issues are being experienced in school districts of all sizes.

However, school nutrition professionals are finding innovative solutions to address supply chain disruptions and workforce shortages, the School Nutrition Association said in another story that came in at number 9 on the list. Larry Wade, director of school nutrition services for Chesapeake Public Schools in Virginia, says he will consider shopping at stores such as Costco to serve meals to students and expects long term that “[o]ut of this will come a new way of doing business, a new approach to making things work for our children and providing healthy and nutritious meals.”

Supply chain issues are affecting many in the food and foodservice industries. General Mills is adapting to a tenfold increase in monthly supply chain disruptions by adding suppliers and holding daily meetings to discuss problems. “I’ve been doing this for a long time, almost 30 years, and I can tell you, it’s definitely the most challenged and dynamic supply chain environment I’ve seen in my career,” says Jon Nudi, president of North America retail, in a story that closed out the top 10.

Moving back to the top of the list, news about Chicago-style hot dog chain Portillo’s $405 million initial public stock offering ranked third — the company now has a valuation of nearly $1.9 billion and plans to grow from 67 restaurants to 600 over the next 25 years. And following close behind as the fourth most-read story this week is news about Coca-Cola offering $2,000 bonuses to incentivize employees to get fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or to secure a medical or religious exemption by Dec. 8.

Check out the rest of the most-read stories in SmartBrief’s Food & Beverage briefs:

  1. Serving school meals becoming difficult nationwide
  2. Ina Garten’s tips for risotto in 30 minutes
  3. Portillo’s maps growth plans after $405M IPO
  4. Coca-Cola to give employees $2K to meet vaccine mandate
  5. Southeastern Grocers among most-loved workplaces
  6. Survey: BJ’s, Costco, Hy-Vee among digital leaders
  7. Tips for tall, tender biscuits from expert bakers
  8. Frito-Lay, Super Coffee, Swoon debut new products
  9. School nutrition pros adapt to workforce, supply issues
  10. How General Mills works around supply chain issues

Related stories:

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