Role of Family and Survival Strategies of Micro-Family Food Business during COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the challenges faced, and strategies adopted by micro-family food businesses (MFFB) in Malaysia and examine the family's role in managing such businesses during the COVID-19 crisis. A qualitative research approach was employed, using semi-structured interviews with MFFB owners. The interviews ceased after six participants, ensuring data saturation and the interpreted data's trustworthiness is explained. The findings revealed that MFFB faced multiple challenges, including a drop in sales, business closure, financial instability, and pressure on fixed costs. Besides, this research captured several unique survival strategies adopted by the MFFB owners, such as generosity towards customers, changes in operation, online advertisements, customer satisfaction surveys, maintaining food quality and prices, initiating takeaway orders, and collaboration with food aggregators. The results indicate that task management, responsibility, and reliance are essential to family-owned businesses as significant business strategies. It implies that family relationships play a significant role in the business's direction and business survival; future directions might compare the results to a larger business capacity. This study sheds light on the role of families in managing MFFB during the COVID-19 pandemic and provides practical implications for policymakers, business owners, and practitioners to support MFFB in overcoming challenges during unexpected adversity. By better understanding the challenges faced and strategies adopted by MFFB, it is anticipated to gain greater insight into how the Malaysian food business can become more resilient in the future.