Public School Food Supply Chain during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of the City of Vitória (Brazil)

<i>Background:</i> Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Brazilian public schools closed in 2020. This lockdown stopped the provision of school meals to public school students, most of whom belonged to low-income families facing food insecurity. To guarantee the students’ food security during th...

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Main Authors: Taniellen Miranda Coelho, Julianna Zambon Moscon, Irineu de Brito Junior, Angélica Alebrant Mendes, Hugo Tsugunobu Yoshida Yoshizaki
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-03-01
Series:Logistics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6290/6/1/20
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author Taniellen Miranda Coelho
Julianna Zambon Moscon
Irineu de Brito Junior
Angélica Alebrant Mendes
Hugo Tsugunobu Yoshida Yoshizaki
author_facet Taniellen Miranda Coelho
Julianna Zambon Moscon
Irineu de Brito Junior
Angélica Alebrant Mendes
Hugo Tsugunobu Yoshida Yoshizaki
author_sort Taniellen Miranda Coelho
collection DOAJ
description <i>Background:</i> Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Brazilian public schools closed in 2020. This lockdown stopped the provision of school meals to public school students, most of whom belonged to low-income families facing food insecurity. To guarantee the students’ food security during this period, food items previously provided through school meals were converted into food kits and delivered to the students’ families. <i>Methods</i>: This case study analyzes the logistical impacts of this change in the school food supply chain concerning the legislation, procurement, assembly, and distribution of food kits in the city of Vitória, Brazil. We interviewed suppliers and workers of the Municipal Secretariat of Education and distributed a survey to professionals and beneficiaries. <i>Results</i>: One of the findings was that federal procurement regulations for the acquisition of food for public schools led to difficult choices for school officials during this period. These regulations determined that at least 30% of the budget must be used in local purchases from smallholder family farmers. However, almost all products generated by family farming in the region of Vitória are perishable and require distribution and consumption on the same day, which represents a challenge for the logistic process of assembling and distributing food kits. The solution was the selection of eggs as the primary protein item in the kits. <i>Conclusions:</i> The lessons learned through this study suggest potential actions that would make this supply chain more resilient in future emergencies.
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spelling doaj-art-bab59a9a25b84c2b81033d27f254bb4f2025-08-20T03:39:04ZengMDPI AGLogistics2305-62902022-03-01612010.3390/logistics6010020Public School Food Supply Chain during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of the City of Vitória (Brazil)Taniellen Miranda Coelho0Julianna Zambon Moscon1Irineu de Brito Junior2Angélica Alebrant Mendes3Hugo Tsugunobu Yoshida Yoshizaki4Graduate Program in Logistics Systems Engineering, São Paulo University, São Paulo 05508-010, BrazilGraduate Program in Logistics Systems Engineering, São Paulo University, São Paulo 05508-010, BrazilGraduate Program in Logistics Systems Engineering, São Paulo University, São Paulo 05508-010, BrazilCenter of Engineering, Modeling, and Applied Social Science, Federal University of ABC, São Bernardo do Campo 09606-045, BrazilGraduate Program in Logistics Systems Engineering, São Paulo University, São Paulo 05508-010, Brazil<i>Background:</i> Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Brazilian public schools closed in 2020. This lockdown stopped the provision of school meals to public school students, most of whom belonged to low-income families facing food insecurity. To guarantee the students’ food security during this period, food items previously provided through school meals were converted into food kits and delivered to the students’ families. <i>Methods</i>: This case study analyzes the logistical impacts of this change in the school food supply chain concerning the legislation, procurement, assembly, and distribution of food kits in the city of Vitória, Brazil. We interviewed suppliers and workers of the Municipal Secretariat of Education and distributed a survey to professionals and beneficiaries. <i>Results</i>: One of the findings was that federal procurement regulations for the acquisition of food for public schools led to difficult choices for school officials during this period. These regulations determined that at least 30% of the budget must be used in local purchases from smallholder family farmers. However, almost all products generated by family farming in the region of Vitória are perishable and require distribution and consumption on the same day, which represents a challenge for the logistic process of assembling and distributing food kits. The solution was the selection of eggs as the primary protein item in the kits. <i>Conclusions:</i> The lessons learned through this study suggest potential actions that would make this supply chain more resilient in future emergencies.https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6290/6/1/20school feedingfood securityCOVID-19 pandemicdistributionsupply chain managementlegislation
spellingShingle Taniellen Miranda Coelho
Julianna Zambon Moscon
Irineu de Brito Junior
Angélica Alebrant Mendes
Hugo Tsugunobu Yoshida Yoshizaki
Public School Food Supply Chain during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of the City of Vitória (Brazil)
Logistics
school feeding
food security
COVID-19 pandemic
distribution
supply chain management
legislation
title Public School Food Supply Chain during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of the City of Vitória (Brazil)
title_full Public School Food Supply Chain during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of the City of Vitória (Brazil)
title_fullStr Public School Food Supply Chain during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of the City of Vitória (Brazil)
title_full_unstemmed Public School Food Supply Chain during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of the City of Vitória (Brazil)
title_short Public School Food Supply Chain during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of the City of Vitória (Brazil)
title_sort public school food supply chain during the covid 19 pandemic a case study of the city of vitoria brazil
topic school feeding
food security
COVID-19 pandemic
distribution
supply chain management
legislation
url https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6290/6/1/20
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