Essential production activities keep going and some companies are even hiring extra staff

Two food & beverage giants are in the front line with an unprecedented recruitment programme.

Kellogg’s UK has launched an urgent appeal for the recruitment of temporary workers at its Manchester plant.  The food giant has said that it will have to increase production in response to the surge in demand for long-life foods. The company is also donating food to charities to support the most vulnerable members of society.

Similarly, PepsiCo USA has announced that it will be hiring 6,000 people in the coming months while adopting stronger measures to protect employees. It also plans to increase the salaries of all employees in the United States and to provide additional bonuses for so-called “frontline employees”, 90,000 of whom will receive at least US $100 more per week (calculated on the basis of full time employment).

Moreover, the British meat processing industry also needs extra workers. According to the British Meat Processors Association, the industry is at serious risk due to the shortage of personnel caused by the pandemic. The FSA (Food Standards Agency) has stepped up its support for the industry with a series of measures in response to COVID-19. While it is impossible to carry out all the official checks, the priority is to provide the most comprehensive service possible and ensure sufficiently safe production activities.