The COVID-19 pandemic has hit many businesses hard, but with food supply companies falling under Ontario's definition of an essential businesses, one has been quick to spot an opportunity bringing allergen-safe meals to the city.

Real Food for Real Kids (RFRK) is a catering company that has been providing healthy meals to children in the Toronto and Hamilton area out of a safe-production kitchen that's peanut, shellfish and treenut-free.

"Big chain grocery stores aren't nimble enough to implement proper safety protocols and online delivery has backlogs. Fresh City Farms and similar services are having to turn away new customers," said RFRK's head of Technology Systems and Integration Greg Davis.

"People are scared and the only reason they need to break self-isolation is to get food to have at home, so it's critical to Toronto's fight against COVID-19 happening right now and the period we're entering into."

Given the current situation, RFRK has begun home delivery services for allergen-safe meals using its existing logistics infrastructure that once supported deliveries of hot foods in bulk to ones that are vacuum sealed and frozen in smaller portions.

"Businesses like RFRK that have safe food production and/or delivery capabilities, that had to temporarily lay off most staff but are trying to not completely shut down, are out there," said Davis.

"We have a rare allergen-safe facility and a fleet of vans sitting idle."

RFRK is not unlike many other companies that have had to layoff employees in the wake of the pandemic. 

But the company is hoping to bring back its staff to help produce and deliver the meals, and it's even working on a donation-matching program.