MILWAUKEE, WI :Amid the national shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Milwaukee Food & City Tours, a family-owned and operated tour company based in Milwaukee, WI, faced a 100-percent loss of revenue. In the week following the state of Wisconsin’s shutdown, Owner and Chief Experience Officer Theresa Nemetz knew her business required an immediate pivot in business operations to not only sustain payroll, but also continue support for the small local businesses her tours feature on a daily basis. Initially launched as Quarantine Care Kits and Shelter-in-Style Kits featuring hyper-local food and virtual tour experiences for Milwaukeeans, offerings have now scaled to include nationwide shipment of care and celebration packages including “Bakery Bus in a Box” featuring ethnic bakeries, “Quarantine Birthday in a Box” featuring everything needed for an at-home celebration, and a “Chocolate Self Care Kit” perfect for Mother’s Day.
“Although we can’t get out to lead tours that allow participants to enjoy all our city and the world has to offer, we want to bring a taste of what people experience on our tours to the doorsteps of recipients nationwide,” said Nemetz. “Our Quarantine Care Kits offer everything needed for a celebration while families remain safer at home.”
Within three weeks of the launch of care package distribution, Milwaukee Food and City Tours has infused $60,000 back to small businesses as a direct result of orders placed online.
Nemetz continued, “At the root of our company, we have the desire to support as many small businesses as possible. We quickly worked with 15 – 20 food entrepreneurs to source components to include in care packages that we deliver safely to the doorsteps of recipients. Despite the temporary collapse of the travel industry, it has been an incredible experience to know that we are able to not only financially support these businesses, but also our employees and their families.”
Quarantine Care Kits are proving to be the perfect way to show a neighbor, first responder, new-to-homeschooling parent, or loved one that someone is thinking of them during this challenging time. In addition to items contained in the box, recipients have access to virtual tour experiences via a private Facebook group with narrated videos and historical commentary.