WATCH: Bob Burke On Managing Employees and Resources Through A Crisis

The effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic are still uncertain as the virus takes its grip on the U.S., shutting businesses and shifting employees into a new remote work environment. But for food and beverage brands grappling with new challenges brought on by the outbreak, there’s not a moment to lose.

In the coming days, weeks and months, companies both large and small will have to face tough questions about how they can adapt to the sudden dramatic shift in the market. With movement and face-to-face interactions restricted, how can sales teams still be effective? As funding becomes more scarce, how can company resources be directed to support business priorities? And in light of this extraordinary global crisis, how should leaders think about the dynamics of employee and broker relationships both immediately and for the long term?

How companies respond to those questions of employee and resource allocation, among others, will help illuminate how they will fare once the outbreak gets under control. In a conversation with BevNET managing editor Martin Caballero, veteran natural CPG consultant Bob Burke, principal at Natural Products Consulting LLC, offered his insights and perspectives on how brands can manage their teams, relationships and finances to both survive this trying period and to thrive at its conclusion.