Wayne Chaplin On How Southern Glazer’s Is Combating Coronavirus

The nation’s leading wholesalers are dealing with a rapidly shifting landscape as coronavirus continues to spread. Southern Glazer’s, the largest wine and spirits distributor in the U.S. with revenues of $19 billion last year, has activated its “Crisis Management Center” and established an executive-level task force to deal with the outbreak.

Company CEO Wayne Chaplin tells SND that those units will “coordinate coronavirus-related business continuity plans, monitor the situation as it unfolds, and safeguard the health and well-being of our employees and customers.”

Among the steps Southern Glazer’s has already taken are suspending air travel for employees, moving all meetings to video or phone conferencing, screening all visitors, increasing the frequency of cleaning and sanitizing its facilities, reinforcing communications infrastructure to enable a robust and sustained remote working system, and enhancing hygiene protocols for all employees who directly interact with customers and suppliers, including drivers, sales people, and merchandisers.

“The situation evolves daily,” Chaplin said. “As such we will remain in direct communication with our employees, customers, and suppliers. Above all else, the health of everyone involved is our number-one priority.”—Daniel Marsteller

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