While enduring nearly two years COVID-19, we have been bombarded with new words, new phrases and new knowledge.  We have learned so much about things we had always taken for granted.

Who ever thought of the food supply chain?  A jammed port of Vancouver, a shortage of shipping containers, Trans-Canada Highway bridges washed out, truck driver shortages.  And now they need to be COVID vaxxed?

What else could go wrong?

Allow my Collins dictionary to tell us a supply chain is a network between a company and its suppliers to produce and distribute a specific product or service.  Producers, vendors, warehouses, transportation companies, distribution centres and retailers.

Here in wee NOTL's Old Town this week, we got a double whammy when it came to the last link in the food supply chain.  On Sunday and Monday, Mother Nature gifted us with a massive snow dump.

Monday, almost all residents were confined to quarters, and even our amazing NOTL roads department could only put a dent in the deluge. So, most food retailers were closed, with only Mary at our precious Avondale able to open the doors for customers.

The next day, panic set in as the Queen Street Valu-mart (now known as thee Independent Grocer) had to close for the day to complete its very expensive and impressive renovation.  

Two days of hardship, with locals running short of frozen pizza, ketchup and deli meats and cheeses. Sheesh!

A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. We take our fantastic NOTL retailers for granted, until events conspire to remind us that we are so fortunate to live here.

Viva supply chains.