How deliveries of ready meals helped catering companies overcome lockdown

Gal Gamari

Ready Meals Directly to the Farmers in the Fields

“I set up ‘HaNahala’, a boutique catering company, in Moshav Yated about five years ago. It was initially focused on home deliveries, then later expanded into events and festivities. Our charm is that we offer customized menus for events up to 200-250 people. There is a dairy kitchen and a meat kitchen, and the menu is individually customized to each client, based on their preferences. Before COVID-19, we had at least three or four different events a week, with my hands involved in all of them. During the first month of the first lockdown I was worried, because a diary full of future events had been reduced to zero activity at a stroke and it was unclear which way the winds were blowing. At the same time, I held on to my small and experienced team throughout it all.

“As soon as I understood that my way of making a living was going to change irrevocably, I decided to change tack: regular lunches for the farmers in the area, who were missing out because the restaurants were closed too. They would either come to me to collect the food and distribute it to the workers during the harvest season, or we would bring it directly to them. At the same time, I started another small brand, ‘Nachobesh’, which means ‘my soul’ in Moroccan. Through this, I provided home cooked meals in branded packaging which could be frozen, for people who were sitting at home during the lockdowns and didn’t have the energy to cook for themselves—moussaka, stuffed bell peppers, fishcakes and other dishes from our menu, as well as other dishes that I added where necessary. Between them, these two initiatives helped me to keep my head above water.

“Since the end of the third lockdown, when I understood that catering alone was not enough—even though it remains my calling and my joy—I have started preparing breakfast and lunch meals for institutions and vital organizations in the area that continued to operate throughout the lockdowns and Operation Guardian of the Walls. That is in addition to the social events that we continued to put on, including aliya la’Torah, birthdays and bris. This period has taught me that creativity and faith in my products will always enable me to succeed. Recently the diary has begun to fill up again, and we have already held an event for 250 people. It was a great joy to be able to indulge so many people after more than a year.”

Moshav Yated, Eshkol Regional Council. Tel: 053-7518696

The Diary is Filling Up, but the Events are Smaller

“I wear two hats—I’m a farmer with 30 years’ experience, with a farm in Moshav Ohad that grows primarily tomatoes and peppers, and I’m also the owner of ‘Aliba’—‘of the heart’ in Aramaic—an event space in Ofakim that I opened more than seven years ago together with my business partner, Ze’ev Danino. The space stretches over three acres and includes a hall with space for 1,500 people and an option to divide it up, along with a large and beautiful outdoor venue. 

I did not start out in the event sector, but it was something that always appealed to me, because I’m very much a people person who enjoys hosting. In terms of the food and the service, I believe that we have brought something new to the south, with unique chef creations and a team that is as professional and courteous as it comes.

“Before COVID-19, we employed approximately 200 people a month—waiters, cooks, cleaning and maintenance staff, event managers etc. And then, on 10th March of last year, everything came to a halt. Between then and 29th April of this year we did not host a single event. It was also a difficult time for the farm, partly owing to the uncertainty surrounding the future and partly because of the policy of importing vegetables from Turkey instead of supporting Israeli agriculture.

“After the end of the Counting of the Omer, we managed to hold a few events. But then Operation Guardian of the Walls started, and our farm made headlines after a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip hit the living quarters of my Thai workers, killing two of them and wounding eight, one of whom is still in hospital. We are in the Eshkol Regional Council, which suffered almost a thousand rocket strikes. I want to praise the Embassy of Thailand—their team came to support the workers and ourselves and went above and beyond the call of duty. On the downside, we had to cancel events once more. In the last two weeks, our diary has filled up again, but people are still worried, and that is one of the reasons that the events are smaller. My heart goes out to the young couples who want to start a family and have to keep starting over from scratch every time.”

Afikim Park in the Negev, Ofakim (near Gilat Junction). Tel: 08-9576095

Identifying New Business Environments

“Any business, no matter how small or large, is always seeking certainty, to enable it to plan and primarily to act more effectively and accurately. But the recent situation has dictated a completely new reality, one which makes it difficult to think two steps ahead. Business in the Gaza border regions have been living with this reality for more than a decade, where chaos is the only consistency. So any business operating in such a complex and uncertain environment must recognize the situation and act accordingly. In any case, there is no use crying over spilled milk, look ahead and attempt to identify new opportunities that the present circumstances might have created.

Furthermore, think of ways to leverage your existing resources and advantages to build new products and services, offering a rapid response to market demands. I recommend seeking partnerships with suppliers, customers and even with competitors, because they can add significant added value. Also, try to find new business environments in place of the ones that have been impacted. Here too, when you enter a new and unfamiliar business environment, it is worth receiving assistance from experts who are familiar with it.”

Adapting the Credit Structure to Your Needs

“The spread of the coronavirus impacted many sectors in the economy and led to extensive upheaval in their business activity. The most significantly impacted were those sectors that are reliant on large gatherings for their business, such as the hospitality sectors, which were forced to cope with numerous restrictions and even lengthy freezes on all activity. These were followed by the days of tensions with the Gaza Strip, which came before businesses had managed to recover from the pandemic.

“All of these teach us the importance of being prepared for any scenario and of careful and responsible business management in times of uncertainty. 

Business owners are learning to reinvent themselves today and to adjust to the new circumstances in different aspects of their business management. This is especially true for everything surrounding income forecasts and cash flow management. That is why we must adapt our credit structure ahead of time to the needs of our business, ensure a healthy cash flow and set aside money for unexpected situations.”

As the economy gradually begins to emerge from the outbreak of COVID-19, Ma’ariv and Bank Hapoalim are running a special feature, sharing and following stories of businesses in different regions and sectors and offering insight and support with coping in times of crisis and uncertainty. Every week, we will share practical tools, as well as offering insight and guidance into opportunities for financial and business development and growth in this challenging environment. The information contained herein is accurate as of the day of publication and should not be understood as an alternative to professional consulting services that take into account the specific circumstances of the individual and are tailored to meet their needs. The aforementioned should not be understood as an offer for credit, loan provision and/or deferred repayments, subject to the terms and conditions and approval of the bank. Inability to keep up with payments may incur charges on interest in arrears or repossession proceedings.