Farmingdale's Sweet City 'Dramatically' Impacted By Coronavirus | Farmingdale, NY Patch

Farmingdale, New York — The coronavirus pandemic is nothing more than a pain for Sweet City Snacks & Candy Co., a retailer and wholesaler that prefers sweet and savory flavors in Farmingdale.

The business is also carried out by Hardscrabble Wholesale, a supplier of snacks such as chocolate, Combos, soda, water, and its Brooklyn Delights brand of chocolate cakes and biscuits. The 848 Main St. warehouse can provide walk-in services for customers who need to bring a box of snacks, or provide truck loading and unloading stations for the nearest school or convenience store. However, since the pandemic began, sales have fallen by about 48%, the company's president Frank Raimondi told Patch.

When asked how the epidemic has affected the family business, Lai Mondi, 42 years old, "has been hit."

The business has been in operation for more than 25 years and has been in Farmingdale for 6 years.

During COVID-19, Raimondi lost a complete warehouse worth US$200,000 due to the product's sales deadline. Raimondi said that this forced Sweet City to cancel any plans to upgrade from the current 3,000 square foot excavator to a 30,000 square foot warehouse.

When the pandemic began, Laimondi took a wait-and-see attitude. With fewer people entering the store and fewer snacks ordered in school cafeterias, sales are affected.

Raimondi said: "You will never take anything for granted." "You lost everything in a few months. We did it. Every product we sell has a date, so it only takes a certain amount of time. It works inside. Candies, cakes and Twinkies. It’s just a matter of time. You have it, and the clock is ticking every day. The pressure is incredible. [Before the pandemic, you couldn’t even walk into this warehouse.”

Once the goods in the warehouse are almost used up, Raimondi doesn't want to throw them in the trash can; he wants his stock to have a good career. These foods were donated to soup kitchens, churches and hospitals.

The 19-year-old Shanderick Dorsey was dying and was in a coma for two months, but his mother's faith helped him through the difficult time and gave him a new life.

Raimondi said: "In such a terrifying and terrifying period, the hospital staff performed well."

The President said that due to this virus, Sweet City is in danger of being closed. May and June are the toughest months because the store staff has been reduced from 8 to 4 during the entire COVID-19 process.

Raimondi said: "We don't know what to do."

He had to adapt. A walking window is installed in the store, so customers can visit the store without entering the store. Sell ​​more products online. The store turned to its Brooklyn Joy Candy to bear the sales burden. Raimondi said that HEPA filters are distributed throughout the building and are disinfected every day.

Before the pandemic, Sweet City had a steady flow of customers, with 18 trailers picking up food every week. But Raimondi said that in general, he has never raised prices. The purpose of the store is to help Farmingdale by storing water, paper towels, toilet paper and Lysol.

Raimondi said: "We are now more of a community-based business than ever before." "We have always been there, but now we are really emphasizing it."

Regarding his approach to 2021 and the coronavirus pandemic still in play, Raimondi said he is trying to stay positive.

He said: "I have been in this business for more than 20 years." "I have never seen such a situation. Every month other people close their doors. Another of my customers is gone. Even my competitors and Competitors. I don’t want to see them go bankrupt, because that’s not our purpose. That’s right here. We are not trying to take advantage of our personnel, nor are we trying to increase competitiveness. We want to do business in the right way."

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