How the Pandemic Has Forever Changed the Way We Eat

With many restaurants closed for in-person dining on and off throughout the pandemic, the food service industry shifted to delivery and takeout as a business imperative. According to SEC filings, food delivery apps experienced tremendous growth in 2020 earning a combined $5.5 billion in revenue from April through September of 2020—compared with $2.5 billion from the same period in 2019. Consumers also reported “ordering in” more in general with 63 percent of Americans ordering food delivery at least once a week and 21 percent doing so three or more times, according to a 2020 LendingTree survey. 

As President of the Food & Delivery segment of Novolex, I’ve had a front seat to these dramatic changes, and to the challenges facing the industry as it struggles to survive and adapt. As restaurants reimagined takeout and venues shut down their bars, we too repurposed and rebalanced our portfolio repeatedly to meet changing demands—whether we were converting food packaging supply…