During a normal spring, we would be spending our work hours catering graduation parties, nonprofit annual meetings and business meetings; hosting our clients for tastings for fall weddings and selling summer picnic menus.
Catering is all about providing and serving guests food during events. The food, beverage and service we provide helps people mingle and talk and, well, be together.
This spring is a bit different, since people can’t go to their offices much less host events or parties. However, our role as caterers is still to help bring people together, albeit in a more virtual and physically distant kind of way. Our job is to bring sustenance, care and comfort to people during a challenging time. And as a business — and as individuals — we embrace that role.
To do this, right now we are focusing on a three services: home delivery; workplace meals; and donated meals for frontline workers. Follow links to learn more about each service.
Safety and Health First
Please know that we are placing our top priority on the health and safety of our team members and our community. We are following all recommendations from VOSHA and the Vermont Department of Health. This includes (but is not limited to):
* Washing hands thoroughly and frequently
* Sanitizing and deep cleaning
* Wearing gloves when handling food, when handling plates serving spoons and when delivering
* Not touching faces
* Avoiding all unnecessary social contact
* Wearing cloth masks
In addition, here is a helpful post from Serious Eats that answers a lot of questions about coronavirus and food safety. We are staying updated on the science and all recommendations from the Health Department and CDC.
Meetings and Site Visits
We are currently not hosting members of the public at our facility. In addition, we are not doing site visits, face-to-face meetings or tastings. We are, however, utilizing online tools for video and voice consultations and meetings.
Our Current Catering Offerings
We have replaced our normal catering menus with the services and programs that I described above. We are also always game to be creative, so if you have an idea or a challenge for us, don’t hesitate to contact us.
Future Event Postponement or Cancellation
We understand that you may decide to postpone or cancel your event. Our agreement states that retainers are not refundable, however, we completely understand the challenges associated with this situation. Here is how we are handling event changes due to coronavirus concerns.
If you want to postpone or cancel, your entire retainer can be applied to a future event.
Normally, a nonrefundable 50% retainer payment is due 90 days prior to your event. We are temporarily changing this agreement for events through August 30. Instead, 25% is due 60 days prior to your event and 25% is due 30 days prior to your event. If the event must be cancelled or postponed because gatherings are not allowed, the entire retainer can be applied to a future event. However, if the event can be held, but you choose not to, the retainer is not refundable. Our goal is to have a retainer policy that protects Sugarsnap and our clients and provides some flexibility and more time to assess the situation.
For all events that are scheduled for September 1 or later, if you want to postpone your event to a non-peak day, you can transfer all of the retainer to the event. If you want to reschedule to a peak day, the retainer may not be transferable. Peak days are all Saturdays from the middle of May until the end of October (except for July).
We will be updating our response to this situation as things unfold. Please don’t hesitate to contact us to discuss your event, plans and concerns.
Abbey and the entire Sugarsnap Team
