The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about unprecedented changes in the catering industry, affecting weddings, luncheons, family celebrations, and business meetings. Caterers now face monumental challenges in meeting the expectations of consumers, their team members, suppliers, delivery drivers, and extended networks when it comes to food safety and hygiene. Surviving in the post-pandemic era requires catering businesses to ensure fail-proof hygiene and sanitation procedures, educate their teams on health and safety expectations, and think outside the box to secure a prosperous future.
In this article, we will explore the transformative impact of the pandemic on the catering industry and the essential steps caterers must take to adapt. We will delve into the significance of upholding stringent hygiene standards and implementing appropriate products and packaging. Moreover, we will discuss the importance of embracing innovation and finding new opportunities to thrive amidst ongoing uncertainties.
Hygiene And Cleanliness In The Workplace
The first step is ensuring your team has a clearly defined understanding of your expectation when it comes to food safety.
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Bring it back to the basics with a reminder they are required to present to work with freshly laundered uniforms, and clean hair and nails.
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Install hand sanitisation units at staff entry points and make it mandatory for everyone to sanitise their hands upon entry.
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Implement a roster for hand soaps, hand sanitisers, and hand towel dispensers to be checked and topped up regularly. These touch-free soap dispensers are a popular choice to complement your workplace or bathroom. The container provides easy at-a-glance monitoring for when refills are required.
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Put signs up around the workplace reminding everyone to wash their hands. Include signs with clear instructions to wash hands correctly.
In some instances, employees will be required to wear face masks, disposable gloves, or hair bouffants when preparing or serving food. Keep an adequate level of stock on hand to ensure staff have access to these extra barriers in hygiene and cleanliness.
Remind staff that if they suspect they may have any form of virus, such as the flu or COVID-19, they are to stay home. If they're feeling unwell at work, send them home and commence immediate sanitisation of all equipment and surfaces with products developed for sanitisation.
Keep The Kitchen Clean
It’s time to review your cleaning chemicals and products to ensure they’re in-date and suitable sanitation disinfectants, given the current climate.
Develop cleaning rosters and encourage all staff to wipe down countertops and equipment before and after use. There are an array of cleaning products available that have been specially developed for the food service industry. They’ll keep your business sparkling while maintaining a clean and safe working environment for your staff, as well as a pleasure for customers who will appreciate your well-maintained establishment.
These ready-to-use sanitiser sprays are a quick and efficient way to remove unwanted bacteria and germs. It’s a quick and easy top-up with the Alpha Hard Surface Sanitiser available for bulk purchase in a 15L which is a cost-effective solution. It’s imperative food service businesses employ a clean and sanitary environment for food prep and service to ensure there is no presence of dangerous bacteria to contaminate your food.
Thoroughly Wash Fruit, Vegetables And Fresh Produce
Raw fruit, vegetables, and other forms of fresh produce may contain contaminants causing illness if consumed.
Wash fruit and vegetables by soaking them in a well-cleaned stainless steel sink. Distilled vinegar can be used however we recommend using an approved solution, such as the Sureshot Fruit and Vegetable Treatment to ensure all contaminants are removed.
Tell Your Clients About Your Hygiene Standards
Let your clients know about the high standards in cleanliness and hygiene your catering company, restaurant or café maintains. Write about it on your website and incorporate fact sheets or signage in your business promoting your initiative to provide a safe environment. This is especially comforting given the global concern surrounding COVID-19.
Encourage staff to wear face masks and disposable gloves when handling or serving food. It is also ideal to frequently wipe down counters, tables, and chairs in view of customers. These subliminal queues offer peace of mind that your establishment is safe for everyone.
As with your employees, implement hand sanitisation stations at every entry to your business, as well as points of service, encouraging customers to sanitise their hands.
TIP: These individual hand sanitisers and wipes are a great addition to any café or restaurant. Keep them in a basket or bowl on the counter or at the entrance. Take it one step further and place these at each table setting for guests to use!
Eco-friendly Single-use Products For The Win
Dine-in restaurants and cafes have implemented many new practices since the dawn of COVID. An example of this is cutlery pouches limiting handling. There are many designs and colours available with the inclusion of napkins meaning this option is valuable in maintaining safety and reminding customers that your establishment takes hygienic endeavours seriously.
Disposable cutlery is also available, some prepacked in a serving pack with a napkin, a viable option for takeaway services and food vans. If a sustainable and eco-friendly option is more to your liking, the stylish and eco-friendly BioCutlery pack is the perfect alternative.
There are hundreds of single-use and eco-friendly products available for your business. Browse our catalogue to check out the array of possibilities we have to offer.
Limit Exposure By Using Home Delivery Apps and Online Ordering
Now more than ever, consumers want quick, efficient, and easy food options they can enjoy on the comfort of their couch while watching a streaming service. It’s the new age of dining preferences and it’s time your business gets on board.
Home delivery applications like Uber Eats and MenuLog have seen incredible growth due to lifestyle trends and COVID. The benefits of these applications include:
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Minimising the number of people who visit your establishment
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Increased sales due to the demand for food delivery services
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Less cleaning is required as fewer dine-in customers mean less maintenance of public facilities such as tableware and bathrooms
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Less cleaning again with the advent of single-use food packaging resulting in fewer plates, glassware and cutlery to be washed.
Online ordering is another strategy to eliminate exposure to many people at one time. A decent online point-of-sale system will allow the customer to pay online (reducing contact) and alert them of a pick-up time. Traditionally, one person arrives to pick up their order.
Set-up Outdoors
More customers are seeking venues with outdoor facilities to eliminate their group being confined inside. Caterers have also made the leap to food trucks enabling them to service not only small events but also organisations, and often neighbourhoods.
Demand for disposable food packaging has increased as a result. However, you can also set up an outdoor dining experience to tantalise even the finest of diners. Set up some tables under shady umbrellas with a couple of chairs and you’re off to a good start. The classiest of establishments can pull off an outdoor dining experience with plants and tabletop decorations (like candles and lighting) to add pizzazz.
The benefits of setting up outdoor dining are endless. The most obvious is social distancing and fresh air. Further to that, we have a range of disposable plates, cups, and cutlery options that extend from the standard plastic range. Be sure to provide suitable waste collection bins for convenient disposal.
Safe Catering In The Future
Australians love their food and dining experiences. There will always be a need for caterers and events. One thing that will set you apart from your competitors is safe catering options, especially in this day and age. There are numerous benefits to ensuring your staff and guests stay safe and healthy while enjoying their event or dining experience with you.
Are you looking for more ways to safely cater to your customers? Contact one of our dedicated catering experts to arrange a thorough review of your catering operations and the development of a catering product plan.
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