Question: What is the employment situation like where you are?

[Bamabuzzard]

I wanted to share this in this thread. My son plays baseball with a kid whose dad works for Sysco Foods and he's been with the company 20+ years. He's worked his way up into a pretty "nice" position. I saw him last night at baseball practice and he told a group of us that they anticipate food costs to their restaurant vendors and other vendors to increase by 30-35% within the next year.

 

[92tide]

I wanted to share this in this thread. My son plays baseball with a kid whose dad works for Sysco Foods and he's been with the company 20+ years. He's worked his way up into a pretty "nice" position. I saw him last night at baseball practice and he told a group of us that they anticipate food costs to their restaurant vendors and other vendors to increase by 30-35% within the next year.

the food supply chain is a train wreck right now. we only work on the export side of things, but import is really bad too. both domestic and im/ex trucking are in a big crunch

my transport costs (inland, ocean, handling) on a box of apples out of washington state has gone up about 65% in the last year and a half and really strong domestic demand has kept the f.o.b. (packing house) prices relatively high

 

[MobtownK]

the food supply chain is a train wreck right now. we only work on the export side of things, but import is really bad too. both domestic and im/ex trucking are in a big crunch

my transport costs (inland, ocean, handling) on a box of apples out of washington state has gone up about 65% in the last year and a half and really strong domestic demand has kept the f.o.b. (packing house) prices relatively high

Our schools are also having this problem.

Unfortunately & unsurprisingly, Ivey is using $400 of covid relief money on more private prisons instead of increases for schools.

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/alabama/articles/2021-09-26/alabama-schools-battling-food-shortages-amid-pandemic

edit - $400 million, not $400

 

[selmaborntidefan]

the food supply chain is a train wreck right now. we only work on the export side of things, but import is really bad too. both domestic and im/ex trucking are in a big crunch

my transport costs (inland, ocean, handling) on a box of apples out of washington state has gone up about 65% in the last year and a half and really strong domestic demand has kept the f.o.b. (packing house) prices relatively high

So, Mr. Van Delay, you're hoping to add the "importing" next year??

 

[selmaborntidefan]

How's it going?


Here's the best metaphor I can give you (or is it a simile?):

Every single day I feel like Martin Brody after the first shark attack in the "Jaws" movie.

 

[MobtownK]

the food supply chain is a train wreck right now. we only work on the export side of things, but import is really bad too. both domestic and im/ex trucking are in a big crunch

my transport costs (inland, ocean, handling) on a box of apples out of washington state has gone up about 65% in the last year and a half and really strong domestic demand has kept the f.o.b. (packing house) prices relatively high

What are causing these issues? I've noticed prices of some low cost food going up by 50 cents this week, after increasing last year as well.

If the supply chain issues get fixed, I don't see prices going back down on the retail side - they know that they can charge more and will.

 

[92tide]

What are causing these issues? I've noticed prices of some low cost food going up by 50 cents this week, after increasing last year as well.

If the supply chain issues get fixed, I don't see prices going back down on the retail side - they know that they can charge more and will.

there are a ton of interacting factors that are causing issues right now.

for our business (wholesale fruit export), ocean shipping in and out of the u.s. is one of the biggest issues. the shipping costs have gone through the roof and getting container space, especially in some ports, is very hard to do. in addition to the constantly increasing shipping costs, there are massive delays due to multiple factors; lack of equipment (containers, chassis, trucks), lack of workers (especially in trucking), sheer congestion at the ports (look up what is happening in los angeles/long beach). these delays really cause issues with fresh produce. so in short, our costs have spiked and the service is horrific

at the farm, they are dealing with labor issues (this was a problem prior to covid), and their own supply chain issues wrt packaging, packing machinery, harvest machinery, etc.

i don't know too much detail about the domestic consumer side of the business, but i do know that buying patterns have changed pretty drastically leading to a lot of shifts in what has for the past several years been a relatively stable supply chain. this has impacts on how product is packaged and shipped

 

[DzynKingRTR]

How's it going?


Here's the best metaphor I can give you (or is it a simile?):

Every single day I feel like Martin Brody after the first shark attack in the "Jaws" movie.

Jaws and covid had a lot in common.

"We need to close down "

"What about the economy?"

"People are dying "

"What about the economy?"

 

[selmaborntidefan]

I saw my boss today with my request.

Right after another supervisor resigned.

 

[92tide]

Cargo ships in line at Savannah port in Georgia waiting to unload may signal supply chain issues

The long line of ships waiting to unload at Savannah's port in Georgia underscores the supply chain challenges in getting goods to consumers more than 18 months after the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic and ahead of the traditionally busy holiday shopping season.

www.ajc.com

 

[selmaborntidefan]

Jaws and covid had a lot in common.

"We need to close down "

"What about the economy?"

"People are dying "

"What about the economy?"

There was a meme right after Covid started that had a sleazy looking photo of Mayor Vaughn, who you just know was a Trump supporter.

Another one pointed out the obvious - every single disaster movie from “The Towering Inferno” to “Outbreak” involved a politician or powerful business person not listening to an expert.

 

[MobtownK]

Cargo ships in line at Savannah port in Georgia waiting to unload may signal supply chain issues

The long line of ships waiting to unload at Savannah's port in Georgia underscores the supply chain challenges in getting goods to consumers more than 18 months after the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic and ahead of the traditionally busy holiday shopping season.

www.ajc.com

Thanks for the insight. Makes a lot more sense now. I looked up our own port afterwards - looks like Mobile is/has been expanding.

The packaging makes sense - I think it was potatoes discussed last year - needs different machinery to package the 5 lb bags we buy as opposed to pallets of potatoes that a school or food service company might purchase.

Port of Mobile Reports Record Growth

Containerized cargo volumes through Alabama's Port of Mobile continue to climb in 2021 as shippers seek uncongested gateways servicing…

www.maritimeprofessional.com

2020 potatoes

Here's why you can't find frozen fries, while U.S. farmers are sitting on tons of potatoes

Shopper Lexie Mayewski is having a hard time finding frozen french fries in Washington, D.C.-area supermarkets in the wake of coronavirus-fueled stockpiling.

www.reuters.com

 

[selmaborntidefan]

OK, so my Hem sup is moving back to Taiwan after the spring TJC inspection.
I've requested five weeks off Dec-Jan and told them - very politely - I may or may not come back, but if this can't be met to go ahead and find someone else to do the job.

Because I'm superstar, I've already written procedures how to do my job (largely, other than rare tasks). But despite ten days off, the strain is showing in my face and temper.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

the food supply chain is a train wreck right now. we only work on the export side of things, but import is really bad too. both domestic and im/ex trucking are in a big crunch

my transport costs (inland, ocean, handling) on a box of apples out of washington state has gone up about 65% in the last year and a half and really strong domestic demand has kept the f.o.b. (packing house) prices relatively high

I can only imagine. The guy at Sysco said the prices restaurants are going to have to charge to cover the increase in food costs is going to be "sticker shock" for a lot of customers.

 

[selmaborntidefan]

 

[Bamaro]

Sounds like someone somewhere is taking advantage of the situation and lining their pockets.

 

[Bodhisattva]

...., sheer congestion at the ports (look up what is happening in los angeles/long beach).

I ordered a Yamaha baby ground about three months ago. It is to be shipped from Japan, and we are still waiting. It's probably in a container ship about 500th in line for the Port of LB. Maybe we'll get it by Christmas.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

the food supply chain is a train wreck right now. we only work on the export side of things, but import is really bad too. both domestic and im/ex trucking are in a big crunch

my transport costs (inland, ocean, handling) on a box of apples out of washington state has gone up about 65% in the last year and a half and really strong domestic demand has kept the f.o.b. (packing house) prices relatively high

Wonder how many people now know that "f.o.b" stands for "free on board?"

 

[B1GTide]

Wonder how many people now know that "f.o.b" stands for "free on board?"

I had to look it up.

 

[rolltide_21]

I had to look it up.

I thought he was trying to get around the profanity filters.
I’m with you had to Google it.