PORT ORANGE, Fla. — Grocery stores, including fresh food markets, continue to face setbacks as the omicron variant rapidly spreads across the country. 

Junior Perrine, owner of Perrine's Fresh Market in Port Orange, has dealt with daily adjustments over the course of the pandemic. 

“With the delta variant, we didn’t get hit hard at all with employees,” he said.

However, the omicron variant hasn't been as forgiving. Recently, he had six employees call out for testing positive.

“Now this one, it seems like it’s hit us harder because so many more people have it,” Perrine said.

Perrine's main focus is staffing, which means all who are available are chipping in to help. But he's most grateful to be able to keep his shelves stocked and full for his customers. 

“Actually we’ve been very lucky," he said. "If you look around, we’re missing some stuff but not much.”

Perrine has been in the grocery and produce business for more than 30 years, starting out by selling melons from out of a pickup truck.

“We started from grassroots,” he said.

He now has a locally owned business and said that has helped with keeping products stocked. Since the fresh food market is independent, he said they have several sources to buy from.

“And if they ask us for something we don’t have, we try our best to get it,” Perrine said.

Ultimately, it’s one less thing to stress about in a time where things continue to change often.