WASHINGTON, DC — September 14, 2005 — Hundreds of supermarkets recovering from Hurricane Katrina need immediate help to prepare their stores for the return of families who evacuated their communities, the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) said today, responding to requests from Congress and the Department of Homeland Security for disaster relief recommendations.
“These Americans deserve clean, safe and abundant food on day one when they return — particularly after all they’ve been through,” said FMI President and CEO Tim Hammonds.
Food retailers can serve them best if the government provides the support needed as they clean, sanitize, rebuild and restock their stores. Helping small, family-owned businesses is especially critical since their operations may be concentrated in the hardest-hit areas.
“Whenever disaster strikes,” Hammonds emphasized, “the food industry is always among the first to respond. Retailers act with urgency and compassion, which is rooted in a commitment to their communities and to their neighbors who are the customers they serve every day. Having supermarkets up and running is essential to restoring a sense of normalcy to people’s lives.”
FMI provided Congress a comprehensive list of industry needs. The most important immediate requests include:
The industry is still evaluating the support needed to recover since the full extent of the damage is not yet known. For more information on the food industry’s response to Hurricane Katrina, please visit www.fmi.org.
Food Marketing Institute proudly advocates on behalf of the food retail industry. FMI’s U.S. members operate nearly 40,000 retail food stores and 25,000 pharmacies, representing a combined annual sales volume of almost $770 billion. Through programs in public affairs, food safety, research, education and industry relations, FMI offers resources and provides valuable benefits to more than 1,225 food retail and wholesale member companies in the United States and around the world. FMI membership covers the spectrum of diverse venues where food is sold, including single owner grocery stores, large multi-store supermarket chains and mixed retail stores. For more information, visit www.fmi.org and for information regarding the FMI foundation, visit www.fmifoundation.org.
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