Foodstuffs CEO Reveals Butchers Smuggled in Car Boots to Bypass Pandemic Lockdown Blockades

Foodstuffs CEO Chris Quin reveals the "Armageddon" of COVID-19 panic buying and how staff bypassed regional blockades to keep supermarkets open.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 7, 2026, 4:57 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Stuff

Extreme Measures to Maintain Essential Food Supplies

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, supermarket employees resorted to hiding in the boots of cars to bypass regional blockades and reach their workplaces. Chris Quin, the CEO of Foodstuffs—which manages the New World, Pak’nSave, and Four Square brands—revealed these clandestine maneuvers during a recent appearance on the Dom Harvey Podcast. According to Quin, butchers who lived across regional lockdown borders were smuggled through checkpoints to ensure that stores remained operational. He framed these actions as a necessary response to the pressure of keeping communities supplied with fresh food during a period of intense national anxiety.

Friction at Regional Border Checkpoints

The logistics of food distribution faced significant hurdles as regional boundaries became hard borders enforced by authorities. Quin recounted instances where large delivery vehicles, clearly marked with supermarket branding, were initially denied passage despite carrying essential supplies. According to Quin, the sight of a "big yellow truck with Pak’n’Save on it" should have been a clear indicator of essential service, yet drivers frequently encountered resistance. These logistical bottlenecks forced leadership to find unconventional ways to ensure that stores could open "full, fresh and friendly" to maintain a sense of normalcy for the public.

Criticism of Retail Lockdown Strategies

Reflecting on the government's regulatory approach, Quin expressed disagreement with the policy that allowed only supermarkets to remain open while independent butchers and green grocers were forced to close. He argued that these specialized retailers could have traded safely under the same protocols as larger stores. According to Quin, the exclusion of smaller food providers created "angst and pressure" that was ultimately unnecessary. He suggested that the concentration of all food shopping into a few large outlets increased the burden on supermarket infrastructure and staff during a critical time.