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COVID-19 Pandemic Impact
12 Months Ended
Oct. 31, 2021
COVID-19 Pandemic Impact  
COVID-19 Pandemic Impact

19. COVID-19 Pandemic Impact

On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization (“WHO”) announced a global health emergency because of a new strain of coronavirus originating in Wuhan, China and the risks to the international community as the virus spreads globally beyond its point of origin. In March 2020, the WHO classified the COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic, based on the rapid increase in exposure globally.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created challenging and unprecedented conditions for our business, and we are committed to taking action in support of a Company-wide response to the crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the global economy, disrupted global supply chains and created significant volatility and disruption of financial markets. We believe we are well-positioned for the future as we continue to navigate the crisis and prepare for an eventual return to a more normal operating environment. We have successfully implemented contingency plans in the U.S. and in Mexico to monitor the evolving needs of our businesses in those countries, as well as those related to our Peru partner in consignment avocado sales.

The effects of the pandemic have been more pronounced in the portions of our business servicing foodservice customers and to a lesser extent certain segments of our retail business, including behind-the-glass deli and grab-and-go convenience items.

In early 2021, health agencies approved vaccines for combating the COVID-19 virus. However, actual vaccination results are ultimately dependent on, among other factors, vaccine availability and their acceptance by individuals which are difficult to predict. In the third quarter of fiscal 2021, the delta variant of the SARS-COV-2 virus became the dominant strain in the U.S. and elsewhere and led to various pandemic restrictions being reinstated. In November 2021, the omicron variant of the SARS-COV-2 virus has started to spread throughout the world, which has led to further pandemic restrictions. Accordingly, the pace of the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic is not presently known. We cannot reasonably estimate the duration or extent of the pandemic’s adverse impact on our business, operating results, and long-term liquidity position.