JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Several national meat companies have closed plants amid the COVID-19 pandemic sparking concern among shoppers about access and costs.
In South Dakota, one of the largest pork processing facilities, employing about 3,700 workers has shut down after one person died and hundreds more tested positive for the virus. Chicken processor Purdue and beef company Cargill have announced similar facility closures.
Tillman's Meats and Country Store in Mandarin has also felt the impact of COVID-19. Owner Richard Gayadeen said he purchased masks for employees right away and the store implemented social distancing standards to protect customers, the new reality as employees pack-up orders to be shipped or picked-up curbside.
In November, Gayadeen invited the On Your Side team behind the counter as he prepared Thanksgiving turkeys: an occasion he compared to the Super Bowl given the focus and intensity required to fill orders.
Months later, we are not in the same room. Rather, interviewing Gayadeen via video chat in a corner of his store so that he could remove his mask just for a moment.
“If it means working everyday 10-12 hours a day and getting more staff in and attending the needs of the customers and putting things in place to ensure customer safety from a COVID-19 perspective, then yes,” he said.
Gayadeen’s suppliers are local or regional, which has given him some relief as he’s been assured quantities and orders are fine. Prices, on the other hand, are rising, but he is not passing that along to customers: he added there is a responsibility to the community and now’s the time to help each other.
“We have longstanding relationships with many producers including small family-run producers in Georgia and Florida so even if these big producers shut down that doesn’t pose a problem for us,” Gayadeen said.
Business has been consistent and the smoker is still on. Regular customers observe the signs out front which indicates only five people are allowed inside at a time. Guyadeen said he has even packed orders to send to people in other states who have been impacted by shortages. One coming from as far away as Western Canada.
He said Tillman’s has lasted through hurricanes and tough economic times so the pandemic, he stresses, will be no different.
“We’ve been here, we are here, and we’ll be here,” Gayadeen said.
He said his family is hopeful and praying not just for their livelihood but everyone impacted by COVID-19.