The recent baby formula recall has shaken the food and drink industry and serves as a stark reminder of the stakes facing food and drink companies.
The past few years have shown us repeatedly that crises can strike at any time. Disruption doesn’t ask permission.
From supply chain shocks and allergen incidents to data breaches, staffing shortages and media storms, crises are no longer rare events, they are an operational reality.
Let’s be blunt. In food and drink, crisis preparedness is still too often treated as a “nice to have”, something to be addressed after the next audit, the next expansion phase, the next busy period.
Crises are not rare, extreme events. They are a feature of operating in a complex, highly regulated, reputationally fragile sector
Amanda Baiden, director at Nexus Communications
That mindset is no longer defensible.
Crises are not rare, extreme events. They are a feature of operating in a complex, highly regulated, reputationally fragile sector. If your business is not prepared to handle one, it isn’t unlucky, it’s exposed.
When something goes wrong, emotions run high, scrutiny is intense and timelines are unforgiving. Millions can be wiped off brand and shareholder value, impacting the company and potentially the category. Preparedness is what allows you to respond at the speed the situation demands rather than scrambling while the narrative forms without you.
The food and drink sector does not get the benefit of the doubt. When something goes wrong, the consequences can be critical. Preparedness is not about protecting reputation first, it’s about protecting people, environments and information. Reputation follows.
If there’s one thing the food and drink sector has learned in recent years, it’s this: crisis is rarely defined by what happened, but by how you communicate during and after the impact.
A contamination scare, allergen incident, supply failure, staff incident or online backlash can happen to almost any business. What separates those that recover from those that don’t is not luck, it’s communications.
At its core, crisis preparedness is simple. If you cannot access or execute your plan at 2am, it’s not a plan.
So, what is crisis communications plan:
- Clarity of roles: Who leads. Who speaks externally. Who manages operations while others handle the issue
- Clear scenarios: What are the most likely risks for your business - product safety, supply chain, people, technology, environment
- Practical plans: Usable response frameworks including a clear escalation path, Q&A, holding statements, media training
- Training and rehearsal: Because the first time you use a plan should not be during a live incident
- Review and refresh: Businesses change. So do risks.
A crisis does not end when the immediate threat is over. The way you manage fallout often determines whether your business emerges stronger, or weaker.
What next after the initial ‘threat’:
- Be transparent and accountable: Communicate with honesty and accuracy. Avoid spin
- Engage directly with affected parties and authorities: Customers, suppliers, staff, regulators, legal teams
- Communicate consistently: Internal and external messages must align. Confusion undermines trust quickly
- Listen and respond: Monitor social media and consumer channels in real time, responding with transparency and accountability within agreed frameworks
- Demonstrate concrete action: Show what changes are being made to prevent recurrence
- Follow up: Don’t assume the problem is over once headlines fade. Regular updates show ongoing responsibility and commitment.
Internal communications matter as much as external. It is very likely your staff will find out before the public. If they hear rumours first, you will lose control of the narrative internally and externally.
To reiterate, many businesses assume that once the immediate danger has passed, the crisis is over. It isn’t. The aftermath is where reputations are either repaired or permanently damaged.
To rebuild trust, you need to communicate what you learned and what you changed. Be transparent about the investigation outcomes, show tangible improvements and keep communicating.
Crises will continue to test food and drink businesses in new and unexpected ways. Those that prepare won’t just weather the storm better, they’ll emerge with stronger teams, stronger systems and stronger credibility. Crisis preparedness is not a “nice to have” it’s non-negotiable.
Amanda Baiden is a Director at Nexus Communications, a leading specialist food and drink communications agency. Nexus is hosting a 40-minute crisis preparedness session on 3 February from 10.30 GMT.