Knoxville Food Business Resilience During Covid-19
Similar to other food businesses across the nation, food businesses in the Knoxville area are encountering unprecedented challenges in the face of COVID-19. In order to stay afloat, they have had to make many changes to overcome the new obstacles that the pandemic has brought.
To get a better idea about the specific challenges that these businesses are facing and how they have been able to persevere through the past four to five months, we spoke with five local Knoxville food businesses. These businesses have in many ways faced similar challenges, yet they have also all combatted their own unique obstacles. As a result, they have had to come up with their own solutions to help them survive through the difficult times.
When asked what perseverance looks like to the food truck Ramen Bones, which specializes in Japanese ramen cuisine, owner Miki Nolan explained, “For us, resilience means adapting well, and making these day-to-day adjustments and decisions based on our values. I prioritize the ramen, the community we serve, and the culture we come from.” Nolan detailed the challenges that have come along with owning a business and operating during COVID-19; Ramen Bones had to change to an online ordering system before they ordered new equipment, which would allow them to safely take orders at the truck’s window. However, compared to brick-and-mortar restaurants, which have greater expenses and less flexibility, Nolan commented that as a food truck, Ramen Bones has “definitely… had the advantage.”
Enjoy Latin Food, is another local Knoxville food truck. Enjoy Latin food serves primarily Venezuelan and Bolivian food, and it considers itself to be at an advantage to brick-and-mortar restaurants. Co-owner Maria Sira says that her business is at a large advantage because of the flexibility that she has in being able to go to various neighborhoods. But, this is not to say that Enjoy Latin Food has not confronted its own challenges. The food truck began operating this year at the end of March, which is right when COVID-19 started to become a threat to public health in the United States. Sira admitted that at first she was scared about opening her business because it was her first time selling food, because she did not speak English, and because of the uncertainty that surrounded the pandemic. But, thanks to help from the Health Department, which gave Enjoy Latin Food guidance on matters including which neighborhoods Sira and her partner could safely serve their food, Sira states that she was able to successfully open and operate her business.
Farmacy, a brick-and-mortar restaurant which serves modern Southern food in West Knoxville, has had to be innovative as a result of the challenges that have come with COVID-19. Farmacy created a to-go system where customers can place an order outside of the restaurant, sit on the outside patio while waiting for their food, and should they choose, customers are permitted to eat their to-go food on the patio. General Manager and part-owner Mckenzie Threlkeld commented that the patio has helped with business and that it has “worked out as intended… [the patio] accommodates the want and need [that people have] to sit down together.” She also shared concerns about having to cut staff hours and added that the atmosphere “can get grim.” In response, Farmacy has created engaging activities to boost staff morale. For example, Farmacy created a meme wall where staff members can attach printed versions of their favorite memes, and the restaurant also holds “wacky Fridays.”
Simpl, which serves southern small plates, is a relatively new restaurant that opened in South Knoxville last August. Chef Kendale Ball expressed concerns similar to Sira’s: as a new business, it has been particularly difficult to combat the challenges that COVID-19 has brought. In addition to having to cut down the number of hours of certain staff, Ball explained that Simpl has faced many financial difficulties in the past couple of months. For example, Simpl is a completely eco-friendly restaurant and, as a result of increased demand for takeout, the restaurant has had to purchase more eco-friendly takeout boxes, for which he notes, the prices “have gone through the roof.” Additionally, many meat purveyors that Simpl relies on have raised their prices. In response, Simpl has started working more with local farms and it has adapted its menu to be more vegetarian-friendly. Ball estimated that the menu is now about 70% vegetarian, in comparison to about 50% before the pandemic. He claimed that, “it has been fun… to run more vegetarian options to expand people’s palates.” Ball thinks that he will likely maintain the predominantly vegetarian menu even after meat prices drop back down.
Cooks on the Curb, a Knoxville packaged-food business specializing in Pimento Cheese, has also seen an increase in prices from food suppliers, which is a huge obstacle for the predominantly cheese based company. Owner Angie Cook commented that the price of dairy products has gone way up; the price of cheddar cheese has gone up 70%. She explained that places have also been putting limits on how much cheese any single company can purchase, which is another major obstacle. But, Cook notes, there is a silver lining: the support that members of the community have shown. She says that sales at the farmer’s market have increased, and that the community is “really embracing small businesses…people are appreciative and wanting to show their support.” She feels more positive about her business, and she has really appreciated being able to talk to customers at the farmer’s market.
Other businesses expressed similar feelings of gratitude for the support that they have received from the Knoxville community. After Farmacy closed its doors to the public for dine-in, the restaurant took a strong hit in sales. “In the beginning,” Threlkeld stated, “Farmacy’s sales were down 40-50%.” Farmacy took to Facebook and Instagram and posted about the restaurant’s financial struggles. Threlkeld explained the thought process behind the post, “throughout all of this… my team [and I] decided to be as transparent and as honest as we normally are… and when things got scary, we were honest about where we were at.” The community’s response to the post was overwhelmingly positive. “Everybody in the Knoxville community is supportive of the local businesses,” Threlkeld said.
Sira of Enjoy Latin Food also praised the community and asserted that “the community has been a blessing” because, in addition to being welcoming, the community has been receptive and open to trying her food.
In addition to expressing his appreciation for having been able to “get to know some... loyal customers” during this time, Ball also commented, “we have tremendous support within the local community…we are very fortunate to have that support system.”