Delivery of food and supplies to local businesses and stores have been impacted and delayed over the past week due to the winter storms. It's circumstances like these when Handy Stop Market and Café say they rely on local suppliers to keep their shelves stocked and customers happy.
"The great thing about dealing with local, that supply chain wasn't interrupted as much," explained Bradley Cruise, owner of Handy Stop.
As driving conditions became quite hazardous earlier in the week, local and national goods and food suppliers were forced to delay their shipping and distribution.
"Certainly, it's a trickle down effect. With those highways interstates closed, it delays the trucking of supplies, even as close as Baton Rouge," Cruice said. "So we can't get some of that produce that comes from there or comes from Hammond, we weren't able to get that. And then those national suppliers, it's two to three days out, some things that [we] can't get till next week."
Of course it's South Louisiana, so when the weather gets cold, we turn to gumbo and running out well... really isn't an option. And although Cruice says they ran out of their jarred roux, it was local suppliers that came in for the safe.
"Yeah we sold out of our jarred roux ,but we do have a local roux that is selling really well. So again, when that national supply chain is interrupted, the local supply chain is there. For instance, Tuesday morning I called my bread guy with Evangeline Maid and he was here delivering fresh bread for me," Cruice added. "So those local supply chains are fantastic to have when that national supply chain is interrupted."
One of the things that a local store owner stressed to us was the importance of being patient, so for instance supply that may have come in yesterday or today may actually be delayed until Friday. But hopefully after that, the schedule should start to return to normal.
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