Conclusions and Issues

Key Project Learnings

The study, utilizing the gathered qualitative data, was designed to be investigative and explorative. As a result, much of the learning is based on the voice of industry representatives and their perceptions framed in anecdotal and informal information. Strong themes arose and learnings, both intentional and unanticipated, were substantial. The participants themselves added to the richness of learning due to their widely differing prior experience and perspectives. We learned:

• There is a lack of awareness of a need for essential skills in a literacy void environment.
• There is an increased necessity for safe food handling.
• The industry employee base is transitory.
• The market is competitive and not necessarily lucrative.
• The industry is receptive to changes in certification requirements.

The Realities and Challenges of the Food Services Business

The foodservice industry exists in uncertain times – economic slowdowns, high attrition rates, keen competition and an increasing demand for exotic and ethnic based food services. New food safety issues occur with regularity. In Alberta, despite a vigorous economy, the province's foodservice industry has been in a slump that predates the setbacks of SARS, Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) and a fall-off in tourism spending. Industry research indicates that the reality for food operations is that the profit margins are not there and survival rates in this sector give new startups a 60% chance of existing beyond their second year and just 22% beyond eight years. Continued existence becomes an urgent matter to many owners in the food services business and an obstacle to food safety training.

Demographic changes induced by the aging of the baby boomers, the largest sector in industrial nations, will have far-reaching implications. It is estimated that retiring baby boomers will be traveling more and eating at restaurants more frequently. In fact, consumption of food prepared away from the home has become a trend as more women enter the workforce, need and wish for the convenience of prepared meals, higher incomes, the more single-parent households and a more health conscious public. This places more demands on food services and high expectations of service and safe food. The changing demand for ethnic restaurants will mean that ethnic food services will be opened by immigrants who have different cultural backgrounds and who, too, must meet Canadian food safety regulations and expectations.

Owners and managers are aware that food handling techniques and procedures are critical to safe food production and to the industry as a whole but numerous barriers stand in the way of taking training. High turnover, staff recruitment and attrition intersecting with a transient workforce are pervasive problems which will continue to impact the delivery of services in the future. This supports the projections of the five-year industry-driven strategy conducted by ATEC in 2003. For small independent or family operated establishments in rural areas, the challenge related to logistics of travel to a training centre and having enough staff to cover are overwhelming hurdles to pursuing food safety training. The erratic, busy schedules and busy seasons are also a barrier to training and safe food handling. Little training is conducted during busy periods and consequently food service is at high risk of having a food borne illness occur.