US Foods Response to Corona Virus (COVID-19)

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catering

Amid the Corona Virus (COVID-19) crisis, UUS Foods has continued to respond to consumer inquiries and provide valuable resources to the food industry. Below is an open letter to consumers and FAQs.

Letter to Consumers

March 13, 2020
Dear Valued Customer,

Given the recent developments around the coronavirus (COVID-19), we would like to share what US Foods is doing to support the health and safety of our associates and customers.

Pandemic Preparedness and Response

We have a senior cross-functional team managing our response and working to address immediate and emerging needs. This team is closely monitoring the situation and developing action plans for both associate and customer needs, drawing upon many resources including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to make informed, fact-based decisions.

Health & Safety

Keeping our associates and our customers safe is our top priority and we are employing several measures to support their continued well-being. These include:

  • We are continually reinforcing CDC Illness Prevention Guidelines to all associates. We have directed all associates not to report to work if they have symptoms that are consistent with CDC guidance and to contact a medical professional. We are instructing all associates to comply with CDC guidelines if the associate is returning to the United States from countries identified by the CDC as having widespread sustained transmission.

  • Our Human Resources team is working closely with our distribution centers to provide oversight on these protocols, including return to work decisions.

  • We have implemented enhanced cleaning procedures and are providing additional sanitation products to all locations.

  • We are limiting non-essential visitors at all locations.

  • We have enacted business travel and event attendance restrictions aimed at limiting travel,

    attendance at large events and in-person meetings when alternatives are available.

    We understand that you may have additional business or delivery requirements during this unprecedented situation, and we will work with you to make adjustments wherever we can. Please alert your sales representative if you need to adjust your delivery instructions to reduce human interactions. If you are requesting that US Foods drivers submit to temperature screenings or complete health questionnaires, we will review your request with the driver and confirm whether he or she is comfortable with the request. In the unlikely event the driver is not comfortable with providing their health information, rest assured we will make alternate arrangements.

    Please be assured that our top priorities are the health and safety of our employees and our customers, as well as maintaining a high level of service to you, our valued customer. As the situation evolves, we will continue to modify our plans as needed to deliver on those priorities.

We appreciate your continued partnership and support. Sincerely,

Steve Guberman
Executive Vice President Nationally Managed Business

Jay Kvasnicka
Executive Vice President
Locally Managed Sales and Field Operations

FAQs

February 27, 2020 US Foods Customer Coronavirus Update

Below are answers to some frequently asked questions related to Coronavirus.

What action is US Foods taking?

  • As part of our emergency and crisis preparedness plans, US Foods has a team of cross-functional experts addressing immediate and emerging concerns related to the Coronavirus. This team is closely monitoring the situation, assessing risks and potential mitigation efforts, developing supply chain contingency plans and managing communication needs.

  • As the health and safety of our associates is of the utmost importance, we continue to reiterate and support CDC Coronavirus prevention and travel advisory guidance.

    Should I be concerned about product disruptions for products coming from China?

• US Foods imports a small percent of finished products (Exclusive Brand and Manufactured Brand) from China. Many are non-food products. We are in contact with suppliers with operations in China and are receiving ongoing updates related to potential labor and logistics considerations. Today, we have experienced minimal disruptions and continue to review contingency plans should they be needed.

Should I be concerned about the safety of products coming from China?

  • The CDC has stated that they do not have any evidence to suggest that animals or animal products imported from China pose a risk for spreading COVID-19 in the United States. [Source: CDC]

  • FDA has stated that, at this time there is no evidence that food or food packaging have been associated with the transmission of COVID-19, no evidence to support transmission of COVID-19 associated with imported goods, including food and drugs for humans and pets, and there have not been any cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. associated with imported goods. [Source: FDA]

  • We will continue to monitor CDC guidance and will comply with all recommendations. In addition, it is important to remember that products shipped or delivered by US Foods vendors must adhere to all applicable laws and regulations, including applicable food safety and quality requirements set by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Federal and Drug Administration (FDA) and other applicable government agencies for imported products.

    Should I be concerned about products from other countries that are impacted by Coronavirus?

• We will continue to monitor the CDC for updated guidance related to countries outside of China.

What is US Foods doing to plan for potential changes in product availability as the virus spreads in the United States?

• We continue to monitor updates and address contingency plans as applicable.