How Zoom Can Help Grocers During COVID-19
People are craving human interaction, and as stay-at-home orders and social distancing make physical gatherings difficult, virtual ones have become the next best thing. In December 2019, video conferencing platform Zoom had approximately 10 million daily meeting participants. In March 2020, this number shot up to 200 million.
Now grocers are getting creative, using virtual platforms to connect with consumers and make a little money. For instance, Seattle-based PCC Community Markets has canceled all in-person classes through June 30 and is instead hosting online cooking demonstrations through the Zoom platform for $25 each.
The one-hour classes give shoppers the opportunity to enter inside instructors' home kitchens and learn tips and tricks for certain dishes or types of food. Recipes are shared in advance so students can gather the ingredients, prepare questions and follow along.
Some examples of classes include:
- Flavors of Iran
- One-Hour Bagels
- Detroit-Style Pizza
- Thai Favorites at Home
- Kids Make Tacos
- Flavors of Pakistan
A recorded version of the class allows attendees to reference the lesson anytime.
PCC Community Markets is the largest community-owned food market in the United States, with 14 locations in Washington state.
