Then there are even more entrepreneurial restaurants and
caterers—even chains including Panera and Big Boy—who also added an assortment
of goods they had on hand (or they were able to secure it from their
foodservice distributors) to sell directly to consumers. Assortments include
alcohol, boxes and cans of ingredients, flour, meats, produce and yes, even
toilet paper.
Major foodservice-only distributors like Sysco have already
started helping their restaurant customers create these new mini markets. Its
new website, Sysco Pop Up Shop, notes that “restaurants now have the
opportunity to offer additional ‘essential’ products” and offers resources on
how they can get started resources and grow the business.
