The Coca-Cola FSOP Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resource Site
Dear Valued Partners,In these unprecedented times, Coca‑Cola North America is taking action to support communities, employees and you, our valued customers impacted by the COVID‑19 pandemic. Coronavirus is indeed challenging businesses large and small in ways none of us could ever have imagined. No industry is immune to this crisis.
Coca-Cola is supporting the foodservice industry with multi-dimensional response efforts. Please see below for a letter from our President, and resources that may be helpful during this difficult time. Together We Can.
Supporting the Industry
Born in Foodservice over 130 years ago, Coca-Cola aids the industry.
A Message from Kathleen Ciaramello
I am directly responsible for Coca Cola North America’s business partnerships with restaurants, cinemas, theme parks, hotels and airlines to name a few channels. The toll this crisis is taking on our foodservice and on premise (FSOP) partners, in particular, is heartbreaking. As a 35 year foodservice veteran, I want you to know that I personally feel your struggle and your suffering.And, I want you to know that we’re here with you and for you. The passionate and creative ways I have witnessed restaurant operators and other business owners adapt to this constantly changing scenario including shifting to a drive thru/delivery/ takeout only model while making the safety of guests and employees their top priority is heartwarming. Your grit and grace are truly inspiring.
We know you’re experiencing dramatic traffic declines, unexpected interruptions and temporary closures. These are trying times for everyone. But in this season of uncertainty, you can count on one thing with certainty: our unwavering support.
Our company’s purpose to refresh the world and make a difference has never been more important. To date, in North America we have activated multi dimensional response efforts to support communities and customers, including:
• The Coca Cola Foundation has awarded $13.5 million in grants to six nonprofit organizations working on the front lines of the U.S. and Canadian humanitarian response to the pandemic: Feeding America, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada, Food Banks Canada, Center for Disaster Philanthropy and The Greater Atlanta COVID 19 Response & Recovery Fund.
• We are taking several actions to use our advertising and marketing resources to spread solidarity during these challenging times. On April 6, we used our company and Coca-Cola brand social media handles to promote a message of support and togetherness, and will use the scale of our Coca-Cola brand handles to share helpful information and meaningful messages from our partner community organizations like the American Red Cross, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Salvation Army and Feeding America, among others. On March 21, we updated our digital sign in New York’s Times Square to stress the importance of social distancing. The creative featured the iconic Coca-Cola logo with the Spencerian script letters deliberately spaced far apart, accompanied by the statement: “Staying apart is the best way to stay united.
• We provided each of our 8,000-plus Coca-Cola North America employees across the U.S. and Canada with a $100 delivery credit for either DoorDash, Grubhub, UberEATS or Skip The Dishes to help support the foodservice industry. We are encouraging our entire organization to place meal delivery orders to enjoy with their families during this difficult time. Our Coca-Cola North America plants have also implemented regular routines to order takeout meals from our customers as a thank-you to our associates who are working hard to produce our products. This effort adds up to an immediate injection of nearly $1 million into the restaurant industry.
• We’ve joined forces with our industry peers and even our primary competitor to support #TheGreatAmericanTakeout initiative. This movement encourages Americans to order delivery or takeout meals to support the restaurant industry. We are asking our employees, bottling partners and industry partners to participate in and promote the campaign, and we're leveraging our own social channels to encourage our fans to eat delivery or pick-up meals.
• To support U.S. restaurant workers financially impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, Coca-Cola North America last week made a donation to the Restaurant Employee Relief Fund (RERF.US) to help reach the organization reach an impressive fund-raising mark of $10 million in just 10 days.
We also launched this site – Coca-Cola Rapid Response Resource – with access to free resources to assist restaurants during this crisis. The site includes tips for optimizing takeout and drive-thru operations, the latest on COVID-19 safety guidelines for restaurants, information about third-party restaurant delivery services, and more.
Our commitment to our purpose and to our customers’ business is the foundation of everything we do.
We are in this together.
Sincerely,
Kathleen Ciaramello
Coca-Cola North America
President - Foodservice & On Premise