There is a saying that states “May you live in interesting times.” Some believe the phrase is shared as a blessing, others purport that the phrase is meant as a curse. For the citizens of the world today, there is no doubt we find ourselves sharing the experience of living in interesting times. All 7.8 billion of us, experiencing similar challenges, trying to figure out how to manage our way through issues that most of us haven’t faced in over 100 years, and do so while maintaining a positive attitude.

For those of us who are in the food industry and related support businesses, we have been fortunate enough, for the most part, to weather the storm. We continue to manufacture our products, maintain our supply chain, get product to our customers, and we have learned how to operate our businesses remotely, efficiently, while never missing a beat. The Chicago-area food and beverage companies continue to provide industry-wide business leadership, providing a guiding light through the fog of the pandemic.

We should take great pride in what we do for a living; we feed the nation and in some cases the world. From the late 1800s, Chicago has been the food capital of America and has led the industry in food innovation. This leadership role continues today. There is no city in our country that is better positioned to lead in food innovation, production, and industry leadership than the city of Chicago. Having been born and raised in this great city, I could not be more proud of the work we have done in making certain that people have food on their tables; whether it be because they purchased our products in their store of choice, or were provided the food they need via a food bank or pantry. We should never take lightly our responsibility to society.

There is no doubt that COVID-19 has been a challenge. But the blessing that has come in conjunction is the love, caring, and empathy we have shown our co-workers, our customers, our business partners, and our community. I love this industry and love the role that we play. WE FEED AMERICA!

I wish you continued success as you diligently provide leadership and compassion to those with whom you come in contact on a daily basis. Thank-you for being a valued member of the Chicagoland Food & Beverage Network and for being such a great representative of our industry.

Joel Warady

CFBN Chairman