From The Editor: The F&B Industry Steps Up to Help Those in Need

The 2017 hurricane season has been extremely destructive, starting with Hurricane Harvey. Hitting Texas on August 25, estimates in damages from this major storm range $150 billion to $200 billion.

Amidst the destruction, massive storms like Harvey do shine light on the everyday heroes lending a helping hand, whether it’s aiding with rescues, providing medical assistance, or donating goods to those who lost everything. And amongst those stepping up to support relief efforts is the food and beverage industry. The following are just a few instances where organizations are serving as heroes for those in need.

An Anheuser-Busch brewery in Georgia shipped canned drinking water to the American Red Cross to help hurricane relief efforts in Texas and Louisiana. More than 155,000 cans of water were sent in total. (The company says it periodically stops beer production throughout the year in order to can drinking water at the Georgia facility so it can be ready in times of need.)

With more than 100 volunteers, the grocery store chain H-E-B dispatched its Disaster Response Units and mobile kitchens to deliver relief supplies and assist residents with food, water, ice, dry goods, and medicine.

The newly formed partnership of Amazon and Whole Foods Market announced they were matching cash donations made via the Amazon website to the American Red Cross hurricane relief efforts—up to $1 million.

PepsiCo and the PepsiCo Foundation also pledged $1 million to the American Red Cross to provide vital resources to hurricane victims.

Super-store Walmart sent more than 1,000 truckloads of supplies to affected areas—most trucks were filled with much-needed drinking water.

In addition, Chobani loaded up trucks with its products to distribute to those in need.

Thank you to these organizations, and the many others not listed here, that are helping victims of natural disasters. It is nice to see the food and beverage industry making headlines for all the right reasons!

Marian Zboraj
From The Editor