Dear Next Mile Meals community,
Today it was announced that San Francisco—our home as well as the home of Next Mile Meals—has issued a Shelter-In-Place order as a proactive and preventative measure against the spread of COVID-19.
So, what does this mean for Next Mile Meals (and your orders)?
All our customer-facing staff are now working remotely as they complete day-to-day tasks, such as answering customer calls and emails. This is to encourage social distancing as well as provide the opportunity to care for themselves and their families during this time.
We will still be available via email, though phone access will be less immediate. If you have any questions or concerns about an order, please email us at hi@nextmilemeals.com for the fastest way to reach us.
“But I’ve already placed an order online”
We will attempt to fulfill as many orders as we can before this directive shuts down our California operations. As we got word that our local officials might be taking steps that could impact our ability to fulfill orders, we transitioned much of our existing inventory to a less-likely-to-be impacted area. There is no guarantee that this new facility will continue to be able to fulfill orders, but we hope it will help bridge the gap should our local office become unable to operate.
What this means for you:
- Current orders will still be fulfilled in the order they were received, though shipping estimates might increase by a business day or two.
- Shipping out of two locations is challenging, and could mean that your order may be split into two or more packages; if an order arrives but is missing meals, give it an extra day or so and another package will likely show up.
- Due to this split, tracking numbers may be delayed in updating, but if it looks like an order will arrive drastically late (or not at all) we will be sure to reach out.
“Can I still place a new order?”
Yes! While it will continue to be a challenge to operate as close to “business as usual” as possible, we recognize that our meals are a source of emergency meal preparedness during this difficult time.
Our online store is still open for business, and we’re working closely with our suppliers to ensure their safety while we also attempt to fulfill your orders and respond to your needs as quickly as possible.
You will still be able to place new orders on our site until our current inventory is exhausted OR we receive word that our fulfillment processes have been halted. This could mean cancelling orders after they were placed, and for that we apologize in advance. Know that we are doing everything we can to communicate everything we know as soon as we know it, and to keep you updated about the status of your order.
Travel Recommendations
While many of the orders we’ve seen recently have been due to shelter-in-place suggestions and social distancing directives, we know many of you are purchasing meals to hike or backpack. We encourage those of you still considering treks to review the available information and recommendations from some of the trail associations in the US, including the Continental Divide Trail Coalition.
As the COVID-19 situation changes, our plans will too. We’ll continue to navigate this uncertainty together, and we’ll do our best to continue to communicate and plan for the ever-changing landscape we find ourselves in.
We hope you and your loved ones stay healthy; we’re grateful for your support, and we appreciate the important role our meals play in your lives. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us any time.
Best,
Jessie & Christopher