Food supply chain resilience and the COVID-19 pandemic: What have we learned?

Abstract

A year into the COVID-19 pandemic, this paper reflects on the changes that occurred in agrifood supply chains in Canada and the United States. The sudden shift in food consumption patterns from food service to food retail required realignment of food supply chains. For the most part, food supply chains have performed remarkably well during the pandemic. Cross-border food supply chains have continued to function effectively. The most significant disruptions emerged from workforce outbreaks of COVID-19 in the meat processing sector and in fruit and vegetable production. The paper discusses supply chain resilience and argues that agrifood supply chains are characterized by several important differences that need to be taken into consideration when evaluating resilience. Economies of scale and scope offer economic efficiency advantages in normal times, while investments in adaptability and flexibility can enhance resilience for abnormal times. Potential long-run changes within supply chains include increased automation and digitalization in food supply chains, while investments in infrastructure for online delivery services have permanently altered the food retailing landscape.