As the coronavirus pandemic continues to disrupt everyday business, professionals in convenience services are using creative strategies to run operations and provide food and beverages to their customers. Each week, we’ll highlight the important work being done by leaders in our industry. Have something you’d like to share with us? Email us here.
GoJava, a Canadian office coffee and pantry service operator, jumped into offering home grocery delivery service to meet rising demand in Toronto and Ottawa. Founder & CEO Eugene Ace says the company’s employees have been heroic in their efforts to help residents and quickly adapt to the new situation.
Q: What is one key to success you have committed to, especially now with the coronavirus pandemic?
A: We have committed to keeping the company alive and doing anything we can to drive new revenue streams and keep the team employed. We are also committed to supporting our community in whatever way we can. That is why we launched grocery delivery.
Q: Are there any creative strategies you can share from your experience so far of navigating the crisis?
A: As soon as the lockdowns started, we saw the demand for home grocery delivery and decided to jump in. We launched a new Shopify store, GoJavaGrocery.ca, over a weekend, lined up new suppliers, and started doing deliveries.
Q: Could you share with us a story of your employees going above and beyond during this crisis?
A: Our employees are the absolute heroes. They have worked tirelessly to launch a grocery delivery program, source new products and suppliers, develop new procedures, and, most importantly, deliver the groceries to desperate residents all over Toronto and Ottawa. Our operations team has banded together to help the company and the community, and they are an inspiration to us.
Q: What is one piece of advice you would like to share with other operators at this time?
A: Get creative if you haven't already. This is not going to pass quickly so we need to think of new ways that we can help our customers, our communities and our employees.
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