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Ohio-based farmer and chef discusses reinventing business after the pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic has changed the way many people in the food system are doing business.

Ohio-based chef, farmer, and founder of Spice Companies Ben Bebenroth says the pandemic forced him to reinvent every aspect of his operation.

“We pivoted our farm-to-table fine-dining restaurant and we’re coming back as a digital online ordering platform of delivery foods for home meal kits,” he says.

Bebenroth says he made the difficult decision to close his restaurant, Spice Kitchen, in March. His catering business remained open until August before they cancelled remaining orders for 2020.

Bebenroth says he will continue to highlight local food when he opens a chain of pizza shops.

“We’re opening a chain of pizza shops so that we can sell local foods via a platform of crust in the idea of you have to sell what sells,” he says. “A three-hour, long form dining experience is a dying experience and we’ve been watching that for years but COVID really rushed that.”

Bebenroth made these comments during the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association Annual Conference.

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