A Message From our Bayou Chapter President Buddy Aucoin

Well, well, well.. who could have predicted a year like 2020?  To say it came with many challenges for our industry probably is the understatement of the year.  I can tell you though, I've never been more proud of the industry that I’ve spent a large portion of my life in. Seeing it from both sides of the business has been both interesting and overwhelming at times. I have watched my fellow restaurant peeps adapt in ways that I would never imagined.  We’ve seen everything from outside dining, drive through windows, creative to-go options, and delivery. There are many that have changed their online presence to adapt to the new norm just to keep their doors open.  We are the most resilient industry I know!
 
We have also seen things on the broad line side we never thought we would.  Watching the world shut down is a scary thing when you’re sitting on hundreds of millions of dollars of inventory.  Many broad liners quickly adapted and moved into new markets as the shutdown continued to progress and people weren't moving around as much.  All fresh product quickly sold, was donated, or moved into a freezer.  The items they couldn't sell was transitioned over to the retail side to help feed everyone on lockdown.  The market has moved in all directions as meat prices quickly skyrocketed, only to have the bottom fall out a few months later with processing plants shutting down because they couldn't find employees. Despite all the craziness, our industry kept fighting.
 
We have scratched, pulled, punched and kicked to get through 2020.  I have learned to never ask, “What else you got 2020?"  Many of us have endured everything 2020 has thrown at us, and we are ready for it all to be over and  to get back to what we do best.  We are in the business of putting smiles on faces, and I pray 2021 will be our year.

I can't wait to give everyone a hug. 

Buddy Aucoin
​DJ's Grille
LRA Bayou Chapter President