Food Chain Digest Edition 2 2024

Food Shippers and Retail

Truckload Carrier Service

We transport a wide variety of dry van freight in intercity runs and consolidation movements between distribution centers (DC-DC), as well as managed network freight movements in regional markets.

Dedicated Services

make sure you have the equipment you need, when and where you need it.

Direct Store Delivery

merchandise to individual retail stores and other destinations.

Expedited Service

Yes! We can schedule customized on-time service to meet your most pressing delivery demands, to destinations throughout the United States and Canada.

Our goals in the Food and Retail markets are to provide services in all areas that meet the demands of our Customers.

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Published three times a year for: Food Shippers of America

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847-302-1496

executivedirector@foodshippers.org www.foodshippers.org

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MindShare Strategies, Inc. P.O. Box 843 Springfield, TN 37172 USA

Group Editorial Director and Publisher: Brian Everett, ABC

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Production Editor: Courtney Bloom

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Editorial Content This Edition: Faith Boone Karen Kroll

Courtney Bloom Conrad Winter

Brian Everett

Advertising Sales:

Cassidy Mullins

952-442-8850 ext. 215 cassidy@mindshare.bz

Alec Stifter

952-442-8850 x218 alec@mindshare.bz

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Danone

Co-Chairs of the 2024 Food Shippers Conference:

Lori Lammers, Director of Logistics, Dawn Foods

Darica Schneider, Sr. Director Transportation, Univar Solutions

Darlene Wolf, SVP, Strategic Partners, Arrive Logistics

Adapt to Deliver: Driving Resilience through Talent and Technology

Shippers and their supply chain partners found significant relevance in this theme of the 68th Annual Food Shippers Conference, which took place March 3-5 at the beautiful Hilton Bonnet Creek Resort in Orlando.

For months, the three Conference Co-chairs were the architects of the content and conference experience as they planned to subject matter and confirmed industry thought leaders as speakers. Let’s take a closer look at what made this conference theme so relevant to shippers and their supply chain partners:

Adapt to Deliver. Supply chain professionals understand the need for their operations, processes and

Supply chain executives from Nestlé North America, Sprüngli North America, Sysco Corp., and Molson Coors Beverage discuss challenges and opportunities.

procedures to be flexible and nimble to adapt to changes in buyer behavior, market conditions and challenges. Only then can you deliver the results you need for your customers and key stakeholders.

Driving Resilience. Supply chain disruptions due to market shifts, changing customer demands, inflationary pressures, a shortage of qualified talent, geopolitical issues and cyber threats show little sign of abatement. Food companies can address these challenges head-on by reconsidering outdated, short-term strategies and doing the hard work of building structural resilience of their supply chains.

Talent and Technology. “Manage your talent pipeline like a supply chain,” is the advice from many who are successfully managing their workforce in a post-pandemic, Boomer-retiring era. While the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) reported 64% of supply chain professionals saying they were experiencing a talent shortage in their organization in 2020 – and the situation has only worsened since COVID. To combat the talent challenges, food companies are placing more focus on retention of existing employees and incorporating more automation and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. Get it on your calendars now: The 69th Food Shippers Annual Conference will take place March 2-4, 2025, at the J.W. Marriott Desert Spring Hotel in Palm Desert, CA.

HIGH QUALITY, COMPLIANT SUPPLY CHAIN SOLUTIONS

Food and beverage distribution requires breakneck speed without compromising quality.

At Kenco, we consistently elevate industry standards by exceeding global benchmarks for food safety while achieving the highest BRC scores and AIB sanitation ratings. Our integrated logistics solutions allow food and beverage companies to keep grocery store shelves stocked and ensure the exceptional quality of your product is maintained through the supply chain to your consumers’ plate.

We want to be your trusted partner in food storage & distribution. Visit us online!

Brian Everett, Publisher Senior Partner, MindShare Strategies

952-442-8850 x201 brian@mindshare.bz

What You Need to Know Access Unique Intelligence and Perspectives from FSA

The mission of industry associations oftentimes is focused on providing relevant content, market intelligence, and best practices – and Food Shippers of America (FSA) excels in this role.

If you attended the recent Food Shippers Annual Conference, you experienced this first-hand. This year’s event was heavily focused on a major challenge for food shippers: recruiting, retaining, and engaging high-quality talent. Dr. Stephanie Thomas, Associate Professor, Department of Supply Chain Management with University of Arkansas moderated a panel of young interns with Sam’s Club, General Mills, Ferrara Candy Co., and Nestlé on their perspectives of the internship experience. Jennifer Hedrick, President and CEO with the Women In Trucking Association discussed how a gender diversity strategy can help fill the talent shortage with more diversified skill sets. And Joshua Evans discussed how bringing deeper purpose to the workplace can be a partial solution to the talent shortage (see The Future of Talent in the Supply Chain on page 28).

FSA’s official magazine, Food Chain Digest, is consistently conducting original research on such topics as shipment security, supply chain visibility, how to select logistics providers, and fleet management. We recently launched a whitepaper, Food Shippers Guide to Digital Transformation (see article on page 8), that gathers perspectives, experiences and best practices from more than 100 food shippers and their logistics providers in rapidly changing business practices in these areas. To view FSA’s extensive library of whitepapers, visit

FoodShippers.org and click “FSA Whitepapers” under the navigation bar.

In addition, all FSA members are encouraged to follow FSA’s social media channels, download past editions of Food Chain Digest, or visit the Food Shippers blog. Here are just some of the primary categories of relevant content that can be found in any of these channels:

• How food shippers are integrating environmental, social, and governance strategies and policies to enhance their supply chains and operations. Past companies highlighted include Archer Daniels, Cargill, Danone, General Mills, Hershey, Kelloggs, Kraft Heinz, Target, U.S. Foods, Walmart and Wrigley, to name a few.

Best practices in food safety from such shippers as Chipotle, Hormel, Kroger and Nestlé.

• Unexpected catastrophes that potentially disrupt North American food chains, such as the recent Baltimore Bridge collapse, significant hurricanes and other storms.

• Resources and best practices on how food manufacturers, retailers and distributors are leveraging emerging technologies to create supply chain visibility, productivity and efficiency.

• Reports on market conditions by FTR Intelligence and other economic authorities, as well as monthly truck tonnage articles that frequently provide a brief analysis of the previous month’s tonnage activity from Bob Costello, Chief Economist with the American Trucking Associations (ATA).

• Changing legislative and regulatory requirements on key issues rulings such as the FMC detention and demurrage charges billed to shippers and new food traceability rules under the Food & Drug Administration.

• Emerging trends and issues critical to food chains everywhere, including early-morning delivery strategies, driving resilience through technology, electric trucks, global disruptions (i.e., the war in Ukraine and its impact on sourcing of ingredients and Houthi rebel attacks in the Red Sea that recently has impacted international food chains).

These days there’s a lot for supply chain executives to stay on top of. Take advantage of these amazing resources by following FSA’s social media channels, visiting FoodShippers.org, and reading the Food For Thought e-newsletter and Food Chain Digest magazine. Access to the market intelligence found in these many channels can prove to be invaluable!

The Great Digital Transformation

Monitoring your supply chain from farm to fork is critical to the success of any food shipper and their providers. But why is end-to-end, real-time visibility the holy grail for the modern food shipper of today?

Monitoring in-transit temperature and location of food and beverage shipments can reduce excursions, ensure product quality, and improve on-time and in-full deliveries. To delve deeper into the benefits and approaches in supply chain digital transformation, Food Chain Digest partnered with Tive, an end-toend shipment visibility technology provider, to produce the new Food Shipper’s Guide to Supply Chain Digital Transformation.

This guide is based on original research from responses, experiences, and best practices by more than 100 food shippers and their third-party logistics providers. All participants were qualified as

having responsibilities in corporate management, logistics, supply chain management, Operations and Food Safety/Quality Assurance. Approximately 45% of all participants represent a company within food production, distribution, and retail, and another 26% are with a food manufacturer, grower, or producer. In addition, 55% of the participants represent a 3PL or truck broker serving the food and beverage industry.

Pain Points That Give Food Shippers Indigestion

“Supply chains are riddled with risks in today’s complex global marketplace, ranging from

temperature excursions and food safety issues to increasing regulatory pressures and food waste,” says Krenar Komoni, CEO and Founder of Tive. “Shippers are looking for real-time visibility in their supply chains and insights into their cold chain shipments to overcome these issues, create more efficiencies, and minimize waste.”

Four of the biggest supply chain operations challenges facing food companies today are freight market fluctuations/rising costs, global supply chain disruptions, supply chain collaboration and effectiveness, and cargo theft and fraud, according to responses by food shippers participating in the survey.

Many food companies are realizing that supply chain digital transformation is proven to mitigate supply chain risk and optimize efficiencies, but it’s a heavy lift to do correctly. It requires strong alignment between business and supply chain strategy and the ability to develop a relevant roadmap with the right supply chain goals aligned to business strategy. It also can require a tremendous effort by internal human resources (and among supply chain partners), as well as significant investments and shifts in technology.

Where Should You Invest?

While the benefits of investing in digital transformation are clear, to what degree are food shippers and their logistics partners investing in this area? Approximately 71% of respondents acknowledge that digital transformation of their supply chain and business operations is a priority in the next 12 to 18 months.

There are several areas in technology in which food shippers and 3PLs are investing (or planning to invest) in the next 12-18 months. These areas are:

Supply Chain/Shipment Visibility. Approximately 75% of respondents indicate this is an area of business in which they currently are investing in new technology to drive transformation. Interestingly, according to Tive’s State of Visibility 2024 report, approximately 78% of respondents indicate they are either currently investing or planned to invest in the next 12 months in IoT-based shipment tracking (53% currently using, 25% planning to invest).

Transportation and Warehouse Management.

Market conditions and the need for speed and efficiencies are forcing food companies to rethink their existing tech stack and use of transportation management solutions. In fact, nearly 71% of aggregate responses

indicate this is an area of business in which they are currently investing in new technology to drive transformation. Another 42% indicate that inventory and warehouse management are digital transformation areas in which they are investing.

Overall Data Management. To be efficient in supply chain management, there are many data points needing visibility – ranging from time in transit, carrier volume constraints and performance, accessorial charges and peak season surcharges to shipping volume by origin and destination, delivery exceptions, estimated delivery dates, and guaranteed service refunds. In fact, given the impact that overall data management can have in bringing efficiencies to supply chain management, 54% of respondents indicate this is an area in which they are currently investing. Another 42.5% indicate that they are

Investment Areas in Digital Transformation

focusing their digital transformation resources and budgets on decision intelligence via analytics and reporting.

Additional significant investment areas in digital transformation include: Inventory & Warehouse Management (42%), Supplier Relationships & Collaboration (41%), Traceability/Food Safety (36.5%), Route & Mode Optimization (31.5%), Sustainability/ Reducing Emissions & Waste (27.5%), Cold Chain Management (22.5%), and Import/Export Operations (22.5).

Winning in the Digital Age

There are major benefits to real-time shipment visibility, including enhanced customer experience (CX), risk and theft reduction, enhancing visibility across all modes, and operational efficiencies. Despite these apparent

benefits, achieving effective real-time visibility poses some challenges.

Food shippers cite technology integration, data accuracy, and high implementation costs as primary hurdles. However, the advantages to food shippers and their providers highlight the importance of overcoming these obstacles.

According to respondents in this survey, the primary benefits to real-time shipment visibility are: End-customer satisfaction, minimizing fees due to shipment delays, risk and theft reduction and security enhancement. Other benefits include enhanced endto-end visibility across all modes and overall supply chain visibility, traceability and food safety support, shipping routes and mode optimization, and managing inbound shipments.

“We’re now investing in technology with a particular focus on the cold chain,” says Layne Fletcher, Vice President of Logistics & Supply Chain with Golden West Food Group, a major food manufacturer and distributor. “Digital transformation initiatives can have a positive impact on risk management, efficiencies, and customer service – all areas we are highly focused on.”

Looking for current benchmark metrics and more information on how to ensure your supply chain digital transformation is successful? Order your FREE copy of the Food Shippers Guide to Supply Chain Digital Transformation, visit FoodShippers.org, select ‘Resources’ in the drop-down menu, and click ‘FSA Whitepapers.’

Key Benefits to Real-Time Shipment Visibility

The Digital Shakeup

With digital opportunities sweeping the supply chain landscape, preparedness and line-of-sight will be paramount to the success of food companies. Rapidly evolving technologies such as generative AI, data analytics, automation, block chain are shaking up the “smart” supply chain.

A quick look at the 2024 “Top Food Chain Technology” list by Food Chain Digest gives you a rare review of some of these sophisticated technology platforms (see pages 13-25). In reflecting on this list, here are some of the big trends, benefits and actions food shippers can find in the current digital shake-up:

Trend 1: Generate AI in Operations. GenAI is a subset of Artificial Intelligence (AI) that has the potential to revolutionize food chain management, procurement, transportation and logistics. Software engines powered by GenAI can process much larger data sets than previous forms of machine learning and can analyze an almost infinitely complex set of variables. GenAI can also learn —and teach itself — about the nuances of any given food company’s supply chain ecosystem, allowing it to refine and sharpen its analysis over time.

The list of opportunities for GenAI is extensive. It can help to ensure procurement and regulatory compliance, streamline manufacturing production workflows, and enable logistics communication by using virtual

assistants to handle routine inquiries and provide quick responses.

While use of AI is an enterprisewide consideration, food companies should avoid dissipating effort across several single point disconnected AI implementations. Core supply chain and business processes should be strategically rethought and redesigned to effectively leverage GenAI.

Food shippers would be wise to build a clear business case for each application planned in this area, and should illustrate how AI improves productivity of supply chain employees, inventory, assets, and the estimated financial impact to operations. Food shippers also should re-evaluate current supply chain analytics processes and platforms to assess an AI upgrade to improve these.

Trend 2: Data’s Critical Role. Data is one of the core challenges facing food chain management. Each day, millions of data records are generated across supply chains from multiple systems – and the proliferation of digital technologies, IoT devices, and advanced tracking have compounded the problem. The wealth of data has created greater data silos within the organization which has resulted in disconnected data sets, along with duplication and misinterpretation of data.

Consequently, availability and quality of data as well as cadence and consistency now are critical considerations for supply chain

managers. They must efficiently manage complexities within their data landscape to be able to make informed and intelligent supply chain decisions.

Many food shippers are adopting a use case-driven approach to proactively address data quality issues. As a result, they can prioritize data quality improvements where they matter most, thereby gradually refining and improving their data sets.

Trend 3: Transparency Beyond Tier 1 and 2. Lack of visibility across the layered tiers of supply chains has major implications for food companies, particularly in meeting regulatory requirements and mitigating risks. Breaking the barrier of visibility beyond Tier 1 enables food companies to view across their extended supply chain into partners, increase more meaningful insights into root causes of problems, anticipate new risks, and enhance the ability to meet ESG goals through improved traceability and transparency.

Successful food shippers are moving toward a more collective and data-driven approach by using technology solutions and partnerships. By doing so, they can extend visibility of product flows to develop more comprehensive views of their supply chain ecosystem. They’re also creating cross-functional teams to provider a more clear picture of key use cases, the scop of visibility, and surfacing downstream food chain problems.

The “Top Food Chain Technology” program is an industry resource to identify standouts in the food transportation, logistics, distribution and supply chain industry. Managed by Food Chain Digest, this is the third year this program highlights technology platforms, applications, and innovators that help food shippers to be more aware of all the options available to them.

After all qualified nominations are accepted, Food Chain Digest then sends out a ballot for professionals in the food supply chain industry to vote – which helps to validate the most relevant technologies in the industry. In March of this year, hundreds of votes were received. For complete details on Food Chain Digest’s Top Food Chain Technology program, visit foodshippers.org and click “Top Lists” under the “News & Trends” tab.

AutoScheduler.AI

Creates dynamic warehouse plans directly injected into the WMS to optimize activities based on constraints, ensuring sites run optimally at peak performance. Intuitive AI and Machine Learning platform, implemented at P&G, Unilever, General Mills, and others, streamlines operations. autoscheduler.ai

Recent success story: A food manufacturer faced the challenge of meeting increased consumer product demand and expanding its distribution network. To optimize operations, the company deployed control layer technology, focusing on load-out scheduling within distribution facilities. By providing continuously updated data throughout the day, the company improved its ability to anticipate product shortages, enabling proactive customer engagement.

Blue Yonder

World leader in digital supply chain transformations and omni-channel commerce fulfillment. End-to-end, cognitive business platform enables companies to best fulfill customer demand from planning through delivery. blueyonder.com

Recent success story: Arcadia Cold chose to partner with Blue Yonder to establish a world-class operating platform with Blue Yonder’s full suite of logistics capabilities. Blue Yonder has helped the company scale its business and expanded Arcadia Cold’s capabilities by allowing it the ability to: optimize task management with advanced algorithm and AI drive exceptional employee engagement, performance, and retention and leverage a vast API library to continue to gain competitive edges and drive new and unique business processes.

Breakthrough

Leading provider of sustainable fuel and freight solutions for shippers that reduce cost, create efficient networks, and decarbonize transportation. Leverages a dataset of more than $28 billion in annual freight spend to uncover freight optimizations and remove distortion from traditional transportation practices. breakthroughfuel.com

Recent success story: Breakthrough’s Network Intelligence solution has been instrumental in helping Shearer’s strengthen their transportation network strategy. With the adoption of Network Intelligence, Shearer’s can successfully negotiate with carriers to enhance service and pricing, while also identifying alternative carriers that best fit their capacity needs. This resulted in stronger

relationships that could withstand market disruptions. Shearer’s experienced a 10% increase in carrier compliance, reduced spot bidding, and maintained contract rates established during the RFP process.

DAT Freight & Analytics

Transportation analytics platform that delivers freight market intelligence that empowers shippers to confidently plan, evaluate, and optimize their transportation logistics strategy. Powered by $150+ in annual transaction data, the platform uses advanced machine learning to equip shippers with a 360° view of past, present, and future transportation rate and network insights. dat.com

Recent success story: A dairy shipper leveraged DAT’s suite of rate analytics solutions to gain a new depth of clarity into their network. This strategic approach resulted in substantial cost savings while maintaining service levels. Since partnering with DAT in 2021, this customer has not only used DAT iQ tactical and executive analysis solutions to drive cost efficiencies but has also made remarkable strides in data literacy and organizational logistics agility.

Drivewyze, Inc.

Operates the largest connected truck platform in North America,

delivering innovative in-cab safety solutions for commercial vehicle fleets and drivers, like Drivewyze PreClear, the largest weigh station bypass service, and Drivewyze Safety+. drivewyze.com

Recent success story: An astounding 90% of Foodliner’s fleet relies on Drivewyze for optimized operations, resulting in substantial cost savings. Between October and December 2023, Drivewyze successfully aided Foodliner in saving an impressive number of resources including 5,954 gallons of fuel, 66.7 tons of carbon dioxide, and a significant $129,193 in operational costs. Additionally, the implementation of Drivewyze has resulted in reduced driver turnover.

Dynamic Logistix

Third-party provider of shipping and freight solutions that combines a world-class technology platform with stellar customer service. Providing superior visibility, transparent processes and comprehensive real-time reporting, its clients save time and money through its transportation management software. dynamiclogistix.com

Recent success story: Recently launched a leading food brand that has experienced rapid growth over the past five years. Upon the implementation of XTMS, not only did we eliminate hundreds of

hours previously spent creating, tendering, and tracking their loads, but our data-driven carrier procurement project identified and negotiated key accessorials that resulted in a seven-figure savings in year one.

Emerge

Freight Procurement Platform offering a comprehensive solution that empowers both shippers and carriers with unparalleled advantages in procuring spot and contract freight. Provides direct capacity through its freight marketplace and smart benchmarking capabilities and a Premier Carrier program. emergemarket.com

Recent success story: In an effort to centralize their procurement processes, one of the largest CPG companies in the world has been leveraging Emerge’s RFP platform to source rates more efficiently as well as tap into assets in a more transparent way. The result has been lower costs with improved levels of service surrounding some of their more pivotal lanes.

Everstream Analytics

Combines billions of supply chain interactions with AI, advanced analytics, and graph technology, informing top supply chains worldwide about what’s important, where it’s important, and the potential impacts across

their entire global supply chain. everstream.ai

Recent success story: Unilever uses Everstream to gain insights into its carbon footprint. Everstream Connect helps Unilever understand the total amount of carbon it creates while shipping goods, and provides data on specific products, months, weeks, and even shipping lanes with the highest carbon concentration. These insights help Unilever identify areas where it can reduce its carbon footprint and make tangible business savings.

Flowspace

Drives efficient, effective fulfillment for brands in the food and beverage space thanks to its partnerships with Fresh Del Monte, Pod Foods, and retailers. Software platform specializes in capabilities food brands require, such as lot

Tracking, first-expiring, first-out (FEFO) logic, shelf-life expiry date (SLED), and more. www.flow.space

Recent success story: Proper Wild has seen remarkable growth and efficiency improvements through its partnership with Flowspace. Thanks to strategic channel expansions, Proper Wild’s shipping volume shot up 303% year over year. Working with Flowspace to strategically optimize its fulfillment network, the brand’s cost per order decreased by 28% YoY. Moreover, 70% of their orders were delivered in two days or less.

GUYDLOGISTICS Corp.

Transportation Service provider and technology company. Offers supply chain solutions to customers nationally in such vertical markets as Food and Beverage, Commercial and Residential HVAC, Aircraft and

Aerospace, Wholesale Grocery, Automotive, Pharmaceutical, and various US government agencies. guydlogistics.com

Recent success story: Customer was able to reduce product loss by 92 percent in 2023. GDL tracker was able to notify customer of any temperature discrepancies during transit and prevent product contamination and spoilage. Customer was able to contact the carrier and make adjustments which prevented its refrigerated produce from spoiling and getting rejected by consignee.

iGPS Logistics

Leader in innovative supply chain solutions that leverage sustainable, intelligent shipping platforms while achieving unmatched value for customers. Provides the most advanced, cost-efficient plastic

pallet-based solutions available. igps.com

Recent success story: Since joining as a customer using the iGPS “smart pallet,” a client has enjoyed positive business results. During a typical month, the company has up to 20 wood pallets rejected by retailers, however, due to the iGPS pallet’s durability and absence of nails, in an average month there are as few as zero returns. There is also less food waste, since iGPS pallets are less likely to damage fruit. And thanks to the innovative iSUM3 software system, facility managers can count hundreds of pallets in seconds while having access to real-time pallet location data.

Loadsmart

Leverages technology and logistics data to build efficiency around how freight is priced, booked and

shipped. Pairing comprehensive logistics technology with deepseated freight industry expertise, fuels business growth, simplifies operations and increases efficiency for carriers and shippers alike. loadsmart.com

Recent success story: Designed and deployed an integrated, SaaS-based shipment platform and dock scheduling solution to address a customer’s pain points. Loadsmart solution benefits include automation, reduced transportation spend, increased appointment visibility (view shipments, PU & DEL, proactively manager carrier scheduled DEL appointments), and improved reporting (centralized and monitor transportation spend vs. market, carrier performance).

Made4net

Global provider of best-in-class, cloud-based supply chain execution and warehouse management solutions (WMS). The company’s SCExpert™ platform offers a robust WMS solution that enables real-time inventory visibility, labor management, and equipment productivity with performance analytics. made4net.com

Recent success story: Since adopting Made4net’s WarehouseExpert Warehouse Management System (WMS) in 2011, a prominent grocery retailer in the United States has grown tenfold. The two companies have evolved together, and the retailer now utilizes Made4net software to manage seven distribution centers supporting over 400 stores across the nation. The grocer also

Lansdale has helped us to grow our local business, with excellent shipping and delivery procedures.

The staff is knowledgable and accessible by email and by phone.

Our inventory of merchandise is maintained at the highest standards.

-- Importer and Distributor of Tomato Products

Located within the northeast MegalopolIs that runs from Washington to Boston

- Rail Served Daily by CSX and PNR

- Diverse Material Handling Equipment

- AIB Certification

- ISO 9001:2018 and ISO 200005

- An Asset Based Corporation

- Five Locations between Allentown & Philadelphia

- WMS and RF Technology

- Licensed to Store and Transport Alcoholic Beverages

Meet Bryan, Brittney, and Tanner.

The relationship between Vital Farms, Cold Zone, and Ruan streamlines the supply chain for pasture-raised eggs. Ruan’s expertise in logistics pairs with Vital Farms’ commitment to ethical and high-quality egg production and is reinforced by Cold Zone’s specialized cold chain solutions. This alliance ensures supply chain efficiency while maintaining the integrity and freshness of Vital Farms’ products during storage and transit. These three entities form a synergistic collaboration that champions a shared vision of promoting sustainable agriculture and delivering exceptional products to consumers nationwide. Bringing ethically produced food to the table. Together.

recently adopted two new Made4net solutions - the BuyerExpert product described above and Cross Docking.

Mastery Logistics Systems

Brings to market MasterMind™, a cloud-based SaaS technology solution for large complex organizations, built to fuel automation, visibility, and productivity within their supply chains. Built for size, stability, speed, efficiency, and automation within and across functional areas. mastery.net

Recent success story: Clients have reported a substantial increase in customer tracking, automated freight tendering, and greater carrier usage. Since embracing MasterMind, these metrics have reached new heights, attesting to the platform’s effectiveness in enhancing and optimizing the overall customer and carrier experience.

Mirakl Inc.

Suite of SaaS solutions to accelerate B2B eCommerce growth. Flagship product is a marketplace and dropship platform. Software platform automates supplier onboarding, product data ingestion, quality control, order orchestration, financial reconciliation, and more. www.mirakl.com

Recent success story: A food shipper was experiencing $25 million of inventory waste per year on perishables and specialty products. With Mirakl, they have moved all the suppliers to the marketplace model where the supplier will hold the stock and ship these products directly to foodservice customers to reduce all this lost revenue while still offering the products to their customers in their catalog.

Netlogistik

Accelerates time to value by providing strategic advisory and seamless deployments of Blue Yonder logistics and distribution solutions, along with other supply chain technologies. With 300+ certified solutions and expert mastery in logistics and commerce, has successfully executed numerous projects globally. netlogistik.com

Recent success story: Worked with a company and designed an integrated framework in which the WMS will interoperate with an OMS, Customer Portal, and billing application. Together this framework and the services it included addressed the company’s challenges and needs.

nuVizz

Trailblazers in supply chain optimization and digitization. Infinitely flexible, the nuVizz TMS (Transportation Management System) platform drives visibility, control, cost savings, and a better customer experience across the fulfillment lifecycle. nuvizz.com

Recent success story: Facing challenges, two organizations sought nuVizz’s digital expertise. After integrating nuVizz’s last mile orchestration solutions, they achieved a 99.95% delivery ETA accuracy, reduced billing processes by five days, and improved customer satisfaction. The automated platform provided franchise owners with a two-hour delivery window notification each week, enhancing operational management.

Project44

The only high-velocity supply chain platform. Enables shippers, LSPs and carriers across the globe to reduce costs, optimize operations, deliver an exceptional customer experience, and drive greater resiliency and sustainability. project44.com

• Our locations: Chambersburg, PA Greensburg, PA Pittsburgh, PA Davenport, IA

• Dry, Refrigerated, and Frozen Temperature Zones

• Asset based with refer and Dry vans

• Rail/Truck Cross Dock Services

• Rework and Packaging Services

• Import/Export containers from Eastern Ports

• Licensed for Alcohol Storage

• USDA Room

• Customs Bonded

Phone: 412-441-9512

Fax: 412-441-9517

Email: sales@catchuplogistics.com www.catchuplogistics.com

Recent success story: A client can now update their clients in realtime, trimming response times from potentially 24-48 hours down to mere moments, provide more precise and reliable information to its customers, and can directly communicate tracking data to its end customers, thereby enhancing transparency and efficiency.

Prosponsive Logistics

Pioneers cutting-edge solutions in supply chain optimization, employing real-time tracking, dynamic routing, and IoT technology to elevate efficiency. Agile approach ensures timely deliveries, reduces costs, and minimizes waste. prosponsive.com

Recent success story: Significantly reduced transportation costs for a client while maintaining timely deliveries resulting in a streamlined

supply chain, enhancing the client’s overall operational efficiency. The implementation of IoT devices for temperature monitoring further ensured the integrity of perishable goods during transit, mitigating the risk of spoilage.

ProvisionAI

Ensures global manufacturers’ supply plans are both high-service and can be cost-effectively executed. LevelLoad is a transportation scheduling solution featuring optimized, capacityconstrained replenishment. AutoO2 is an optimizing load builder that converts deployment requirements into efficient, damage-free shipments. provisionai.com

Recent success story: For one food shipper, ProvisionAi creates a transportation replenishment schedule considering capacity

constraints that allow early tendering and smooths out the movements across the network. The solution performs daily optimization and generates a globally optimized replenishment transportation schedule, recommending early trucking capacity reservations across the entire network.

RLS Logistics

Specializes in temperaturecontrolled warehousing, direct to consumer ecommerce fulfillment, and transportation distribution, servicing North America. Helps customers navigate the complex supply chain by offering standalone services, or a fully integrated holistic solution. rlslogistics.com

Recent success story: As cold chain experts, RLS has revamped a large manufacturing’s supply

chain by fully staffing and managing their owned warehouse. With RLS’ technology, we were able to assess and implement a cross docking program at one of our other buildings, which diverted inventory from the main warehouse.

Shipwell

Solution combines everything shippers need, from transportation management and visibility to procurement, in a comprehensive, easy-to-use platform, so shippers can effectively operate, manage, and optimize their entire shipping process seamlessly. shipwell.com

Recent success story: Leading meal-kit provider approached Shipwell looking for a partner who could handle their explosive growth while keeping cost under control. They struggled to juggle data across businesses, relied heavily on costly spot market freight, and managed rapid warehouse expansion.

The Shipwell Solution: Centralized Dashboard, Streamlined Communication, Data-Driven Decisions, and Sustainability Boost.

The Raymond Corporation

Built a reputation based on topnotch quality, rugged reliability, and exceptional customer service. Designs and builds the best lift trucks in the business, systems and solutions that bring day-today warehouse and distribution operations to a new level of performance. raymondcorp.com

The future of sustainable shipping is looking bright for the food industry.

Partner with SmartWay®

Freight transport is becoming more efficient, as well as both environmentally and socially responsible. Its future is bright. Why? Because SmartWay, a program marking 20 years of progress, continues to share with its Partners — over 4,000 companies and organizations — information about market-based incentives and technology solutions to help cut fuel costs and reduce emissions. Being a SmartWay Partner is free. If your company ships food and almost anything else, SmartWay has the roadmap to help you achieve greater freight sustainability.

Learn all the benefits of being a SmartWay Partner at epa.gov/smartway

SmartWay. Driving sustainable freight.

Recent success story: As facility owners and other supply chain decision-makers have had to deal with increasing the number of operators in the warehouses and the need to reinforce and monitor best practices, the iWAREHOUSE® Integrated Tether System is the technology-based solution that can help food shippers with these everincreasing demands.

TransLoop

Modern freight brokerage revolutionizing logistics for shippers and carriers. Brings cutting-edge technology together with elite customer service levels to deliver unprecedented transparency, industry-leading reliability, constant innovation and real-time collaboration with every shipment. transloop.io

Recent success story: Assisted a shipper partner in the food industry to optimize their network by acting as the managed transportation arm of their company. Coordinating 100% of all shipment schedules, carrier selection, invoicing and more, demonstrated its value to the customer while utilizing all aforementioned processes.

TranzAct Technologies

Solutions provide shippers of all modes with freight audit and payment, reporting and TMS applications, rate negotiation and savings, contract development, consulting, and analysis. tranzact.com

Recent success story: With TMS we have increased visibility to our shipments to better monitor and serve our customers, which is key to our ongoing success. By

creating these efficiencies and visibility to our spend, were able to work with TranzAct’s help to negotiate significant freight savings.

Uber Freight

Leading enterprise technology company powering intelligent logistics for shippers of all shapes and sizes. With a suite of end-toend logistics applications, managed services and an expansive carrier network, Uber Freight advances supply chains and moves the world’s goods. uberfreight.com

Recent success story: Helped a leading food product manufacturer save $30M in freight costs using Uber Freight Control Tower and network services. They increased on-time service to 90% on lowvolume lane shipments and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 12,000 metric tons (7%).

THEPERFECTSHIPMENT

GENERATIVE AI In Action

Food Chain Applications

From purchasing, transportation and warehousing functions to food chain risk assessment, there are many ways generative artificial intelligence (AI) solutions could help address supply chain complexity and resiliency challenges today and tomorrow.

“There’s a lot of fear about AI and unnecessarily causing a lot of alarm in the supply chain community,” says Ken Golberg, Distinguished Professor of Engineering & Chief Scientist, UC Berkeley & Ambi Robotics, and speaker at the recent Food Shippers Annual Conference in Orlando.

Go down the AI rabbit hole online and you’ll come across arguments about how generative AI image generators or content producers are unethical because they mimic the style and capabilities of real artists. However, in the supply chain world the ethical implications are much less sticky. Suppose an AI

solution can learn from thousands of historical decisions made by realworld supply chain practitioners. Then, automating fundamental supply chain and logistics functions in an industry facing a years-long talent shortage becomes possible, according to Goldberg.

AI won’t change food chain management overnight, but we should see steady technological progress in the next few years, he adds.

What Is Driving the Evolution of AI?

The world of transportation, logistics and supply chain is a well-established industry and this marketplace has gone through all the paradigm shifts that technology has driven, according to Christoph

Burkhardt, Founder of Burkhardt Group and AI evangelist who recently spoke at the Transportation Intermediaries Association Capital Ideas Conference in Phoenix, AZ. Editors at Food Chain Digest caught up with him there.

“The question is not whether or not to go through the door of AI, but rather how and when,” he says.

“One of the major drivers of applied AI cases you see right now is what humans want in the interactions with other humans. If you figure out AI is a solution to a problem it can solve, and that problem is relevant to you, you will use AI to solve that problem.”

GENERATIVE AI REFERS TO DEEP-LEARNING MODELS THAT CAN GENERATE HIGH-QUALITY TEXT, IMAGES AND OTHER CONTENT BASED ON THE DATA THEY WERE TRAINED ON.

Ken Golberg

Christoph Burkhardt

“Every time a new technology comes around, we adapt,” continues Burkhardt. “But the whole game is evolution – which means it’s the fittest idea that will evolve at that moment in time. And somehow in this game, we make progress.” Will smart machines take over much of our work or learn to behave like humans? Are we replacing ourselves by automating everything we can automate? “We are the only species that constantly surprises itself with new technologies, new tools, new insights and most of all

surprises itself with the application of all that knowledge we gather,” explains Burkhardt.

“Today, we are looking at a world in which AI-powered robots look and behave more and more like humans,” he continues. “Whether we like this or not it’s happening. Like any other technology-driven development it is not a question of how we can stop the robots, the real question is how we will respond to them being part of our lives.”

Real-Life AI Applications in the Food Chain

There are a number of areas in logistics and supply chain where AI is having a critical impact on operations and strategy – and these areas are growing by leaps and bounds:

1. Improved Forecasting and Planning. Until the COVID pandemic, forecasts were largely created based on historical data. Basically, we hoped people would keep doing what they always did. But these models no longer work. Generative AI lets food companies analyze their comprehensive historical data and stack it against other factors (such as inventory and supplier data, production patterns, transportation and distribution networks, reshoring and market trends) to create more accurate and resilient forecasts.

2. Advanced Warehouse Automation. Generative AI enables robots to handle more complex tasks than simple picking, offering support across sorting, returns management, and more. Modern AI software analyzes warehouse layouts and processes to reduce travel distances for robots and employees, optimize workforce planning, and orchestrate optimized interactions between workers and robots to improve warehouse and dock efficiencies.

3. Improved Risk Management. Risk assessments is now going beyond basic seasonal or templated event models by allowing food chain practitioners to model specific events (such as weather events, wildfires, recessions, and pandemics) to see what risks they present to the organization’s supply chain. AI can help food companies respond to crises, but it also can help to strengthen supply chains before they are strained. AI can recommend changes to a company’s supply chain policies based on a multitude of factors, such as seasonality and macroeconomic trends. For instance, AI can identify the best supply chain configuration, the optimal number of suppliers (and their locations), and the most favorable terms of the supply chain contracts.

THE QUESTION IS NOT WHETHER OR NOT TO GO THROUGH THE DOOR OF AI, BUT RATHER HOW AND WHEN.

Recruiting and Retaining Talent: “Find Your Why”

Compensation and benefits no longer are enough for individual employees to stay engaged. Today’s successful workplace requires something deeper: purpose.

Joshua Evans

Purpose is important because it helps employees feel a sense of meaning, fulfillment, and motivation in their jobs, says Joshua Evans, Managing Director with Far Flung Creative, a Houston-based business incubation consultant: “Purpose comes when a company can help its employees ‘find your why’ and tie that to the company’s mission.” Evans was one of the toprated speakers at the recent Food Shippers Annual Conference in Orlando.

“When employees have a clear sense of purpose in their lives and careers, they are likely to be more engaged, productive, and committed to their work and organization,” he says. In fact, according to Gallup, 71% of employees are disengaged at work. Only 29% of employees are engaged and another 24% are actively disengaged.

“This is important because companies it’s shown that the companies with high engagement had 22% higher profitability, 10% higher customer rating, 28% less theft, and 48% fewer safety incidents,” says Evans. All of these areas are particularly important to companies in the food and beverage industry.

Everyone starts their role with a deeper sense of purpose and fulfillment, but it can become overshadowed by the day-to-day minutia, such as unread emails, virtual meetings, the KPIs, and the office politics, continues Evans: “We lose sight of why we cared so much about our jobs in the first place.”

“We Are Facing a Crisis of Purpose”

It’s not surprising that most food companies among FSA membership rank talent recruitment and retention as one of their top three biggest challenges today.

“But bribing employees with more money, perks and benefits doesn’t work anymore,” says Evans. “They’re looking for something deeper. “Recent studies have shown that the ways to most effectively attract and retain quality talent is to bring them a deeper sense of purpose in the work that they do.” With an engaged workforce focused on a higher level of purpose, significant improvements can be made in retention and recruitment, innovation, productivity, profitability, organizational culture, and client satisfaction.

Evans notes that individual benefits of purpose include increased authenticity, collaboration, happiness, mental health, conflict reduction, and overall individual fulfillment.

Tips to Deepen Your Culture of Purpose

To create a culture of purpose for your supply chain team and your partners, you need to start by building a strong foundation. Here are key steps to cultivate your workplace’s culture of purpose:

DEFINE YOUR CORE VALUES

LEAD BY EXAMPLE

HIRE FOR CULTURE FIT

FOSTER OPEN COMMUNICATION

INVEST IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Your company’s values will enable your “purpose culture” to grow. Take the time to clearly define and communicate your core values to your team. These values will guide your decision-making and shape the behavior and attitudes of your employees.

As a leader, you set the tone for your division or organization. Your actions and behaviors will be reflected in your company culture. Be intentional about modeling the values and behaviors you want to see in your team. This will create a culture of accountability and trust.

When bringing new members into your team, prioritize cultural fit alongside skills and experience. Look for candidates who align with your company values and have a positive attitude. These individuals will help reinforce your desired culture and contribute to its growth.

A strong foundation requires open lines of communication. Encourage feedback, ideas, and collaboration among your team members. Create a safe and inclusive environment where everyone feels heard and valued. This will foster a sense of belonging and promote teamwork.

To cultivate a strong foundation, you need to invest in the growth and development of your employees. Provide training opportunities, mentorship programs, and clear paths for career advancement. This will empower your team members to reach their full potential and contribute to the success of your organization.

By building a strong foundation of purpose for your workplace culture, you are setting the stage for a thriving company culture.

ADVICE FROM BASEBALL GREAT CAL RIPKEN:

GET IN THE GAME

Cal Ripken

Cal Ripken shared his story during the opening keynote speaker March 4 at the Food Shippers Annual Conference in Orlando, FL. His incredible story was not only inspiring but offered practical advice on perseverance.

For those who are not big into baseball, what’s Ripken’s incredible story anyway? Nicknamed “the Iron Man,” Ripken is an American former baseball shortstop and third baseman who played his entire 21-season career in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles from 1981–2001. One of his position’s most productive offensive players, Ripken compiled 3,184

hits, 431 home runs, and 1,695 runs batted in during his career, and he won two Gold Glove Awards for his defense. He was a 19-time All-Star and was twice named American League (AL) Most Valuable Player (MVP). Ripken holds the record for consecutive games played (2,632), having surpassed Lou Gehrig’s streak of 2,130 that had stood for 56 years and that many deemed unbreakable. In 2007, he was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility with 98.53% of votes, the sixthhighest election percentage ever.

He retired from the game in October 2001 after 21 seasons with the Baltimore Orioles. His name appears in the record books repeatedly, most notably as one of only ten players in history to achieve

Persevere

Per-se-vere (noun)

1. to continue a course of action in spite of difficulty, opposition, or discouragement. 2. remain steadfast.

400 home runs and 3,000 hits. On July 29, 2007 he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, collecting the second highest vote total ever by the BBWAA.

Value of Perseverance

Ripken outlined the seven traits involving perseverance required to help break his records.

First, use the right approach. “All this means is you have to have the right attitude about your job – no matter what job you’re in,” he says. A strong will to succeed, passion for what you do, and a love to compete are also critical, he adds.

Second, you need to have a strong will to succeed. Ripken shared a story about how his mom helped him at an early age to channel energy and to have a strong will to succeed.

“At a very early age, I started to show bad behavior on the athletic field,” he remembers. “If things didn’t go my way I threw down my helmet, threw my bat, and threw a tantrum. All those things just made my mom cringe – but the cool part was how she reacted (or better yet how she didn’t react). She simply asked me the question: ‘What are you feeling when you get so upset?’ And I responded: ‘This power starts to come over me,’ and my mom immediately suggested that the power is good but advised me to tap into that power source and do something good for myself rather than something negative. She suggested combatting my feelings of frustration by doing pushups until I couldn’t do any more so I’d become stronger. She suggested that I go for a long run with that power source to get in better shape or take 100 swings in the cage.”

“The bottom line is that how you react to that overwhelming feeling or power – and channel this to be productive – can be a game changer,” advises Ripken. “And for me, it was.”

The third trait involving perseverance is passion. “Love what you do,” he advises, “because it’ll carry you through the tough times.”

Fourth, love to compete, he says. “We live in a competitive world, but the less obvious forms of competition are yourself and your teammates.

Next, consistency is the secret ingredient to achieving perseverance, just like Ripken did over 21 seasons, holding the MLB’s longest streak of 2,632 consecutive games. But the key to maintaining consistency lies in taking responsibility for your offseason work, according to Ripken. Think of the off-season as the critical period where champions are forged, he advises. During this time, he laid a solid foundation for his performance.

“To me, it’s about your discipline in-between your ears,” he says. “You’re the one who must put the work in and get ready for spring training. No one is standing over you in the off-season. It all falls on you. I prided myself on being consistent each year. The key to consistency is taking responsibility for that offseason work because that builds you up for the regular season.”

Taking responsibility for your offseason work means committing yourself to continuous growth and development, he advises. It means investing time and effort into enhancing your knowledge and skills, even when there’s no immediate competition on the horizon. Have the discipline and the drive to push yourself beyond your comfort zone and reach new heights.

Conviction. Ripken recalls there were two forms of stubborn growing up in his family’s household: “good stubborn” and “bad stubborn.” When you stand up for something you believe in, it was considered in our house to be good stubborn – and that was encouraged, he recalls. If you were just being uncooperative that was considered to be bad stubborn –and that was discouraged.

The sixth trait involving perseverance is strength, which includes physical as well as mental preparedness.

Life management. Ask yourself this important question: “What controls can you put on things that seem to be out of your control?”

Lessons Learned Along the Way

He has authored nearly 30 books, including a New York Times Bestselling autobiography “The Only Way I Know.” In addition, he has written books on baseball instruction, coaching and various children’s selections.

Ripken is a co-owner and contributor to The Experts Network (TXN), an interactive digital sports network consisting of sports analysis along with Phil Simms, Cris Collinsworth, Howie Long, Nick Faldo and Boomer Esiason.

Ripken resides in Annapolis, MD with his wife Laura and has two children.

Baseball and Business: Not Too Dissimilar

In business as in baseball, pursuing greatness is a journey that requires unwavering dedication and a commitment to excellence. Ripken’s success, forged through his illustrious baseball career, revolves around timeless principles: unwavering consistency, an unyielding focus on the present, a relentless dedication to every detail, and the cultivation of exceptional habits.

Adopt and embrace these invaluable lessons into your leadership playbook to hit home runs in the business world, crushing every obstacle in your path to set new records of achievement.

Ultimately, managing a supply chain or operations in logistics and transportation can be challenging —filled with uncertainties and complexities. But armed with the right support and the most effective tools, you can transcend challenges and exceed expectations.

Step up to the plate with confidence, advises Ripken, and the rewards of your efforts could be nothing short of extraordinary.

He closed with a Theodore Roosevelt quote that inspires him. “Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.”

LOGISTICS SOLUTIONS

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FSA Names 2024 Scholarship Winners

One of the tenets of Food Shippers of America (FSA) is to give back to the community. With this in mind, for many years FSA has been giving away scholarships to worthy applicants through the John J. Murphy Scholarship program. Eligible applicants are children or dependents (including spouses) of a supply chain or logistics employee who is a member of FSA. This year, the association awarded scholarships to six applicants.

“The scholarship program is funded solely by the FSA membership dues and income from our advertising share and our printed magazine and newsletter,” says Steve Stein, Senior Manager Transportation with Danone, who has been volunteering to help manage the program.

According to Stein, starting back in 2011 FSA has given away 70 different scholarships and $275,500 in scholarship money.

“In the past 10 years I’ve been volunteering to help manage the scholarship program, I’ve been extremely impressed with a lot of these applications that come in,” continues Stein. “Some of these young people are doing amazing things and I don’t know how they have the time to do it.”

Here are the winners of the 2024 John J. Murphy Scholarship as awarded by FSA:

1st Place: Scott Dunlap

(Parent: Todd Schultz, Bush Brothers & Co.)

Scott is a senior in high school with aspirations to major in Business and Supply Chain at Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. He has tremendous academic achievements, including an AP Capstone Diploma and a 4.63 GPA – placing him among the top 10% of his class. Engaged in dual enrollment at East Tennessee State University, he has earned the AP Scholar with Distinction award and has completed 13 AP classes and four dual enrollment classes.

“My sister and stepdad have been huge role models and have helped shape my educational goals and career path in business,” he explains. “They have taught me that in today’s interconnected world, where efficiency and seamless operations are vital, the role of logistics and supply chain management has become essential. With its central role in choreographing the flow of goods, information, and services, supply

chain management presents an exciting and rewarding path. I’m eager to enroll in classes that will provide me with a strong foundation and teach me strategies to guide a company to success by helping develop new concepts, strategies, models, methodologies, and technologies for analyzing and enhancing the practice of supply chain and logistics engineering and management.”

2nd Place: Nicholas Ferrel

(Parent: Hector Ferrel, McLane Foodservice/Vantix Logistics)

Nicholas is a senior in high school and planning to major in Business and Supply Chain. He is among the top 5% of his graduating class, and member of the National Honor Society and recipient of the National Hispanic Honor Award.

As I embark on my college journey, I am driven by a passion for business and a deep interest in the intricate world of supply chain management,” he says. “Pursuing a degree in business is a foundational step toward gaining a comprehensive understanding of the intricate dynamics that drive successful business.”

Scott Dunlap is the 1st Place Recipient of the 2024 John J. Murphy Scholarship. He was acknowledged at the recent Food Shippers Annual Conference in Orlando by Steve Stein, Senior Manager Transportation with Danone, who volunteers in overseeing the scholarship program.

3rd Place: Stephen Venable

(Parent: Brett Venable, Burris Logistics)

Stephen is majoring in Computer Science at Cedarville University in Cedarville, OH, where he is enrolled in the Honors program and has consistently achieved status on the Dean’s Honor List throughout his college career. Three years ago, he obtained an internship at Burris Logistics in the company’s IT department. Stephen says he plans to eventually pursue a Master’s degree in Computer Science or Cybersecurity.

4th Place: Celest Urdal

(Parent: Tom Urdal, Bush Brothers & Co.)

Celeste will be majoring in Pre-Law after she graduates from Bearden High School this spring. She is a Knox County Board of Education Student Representative, member

of the National Honor’s Society and AP Capstone Diploma Candidate. Celest has been a private English tutor for a Korean third grader, and an active volunteer with Second Harvest Food Bank and Tiny Trees, an organization that collects donated mini-Christmas trees and gives them to children at the East Tennessee Children’s Hospital.

5th Place: Aubrey Pixler

(Parent: Holly Pixler, Ardent Mills)

Aubrey is majoring in Aerospace Engineering at University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, IN. There she is part of the Notre Dame Rocketry Team, which is designing and building a complex vehicle alongside a mission-oriented payload and then competes in the NASA Student Launch. She’s a member of the Society of Women Engineers and has volunteered with Top Soccer, which provides a

safe and encouraging environment for children with developmental disabilities to play soccer alongside volunteers.

6th Place: Alexia Lindsley

(Parent: Melissa Mock, American Foods Group)

Alexia is planning to major in PreMedical at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD. She currently is finishing her senior year of high school. Alexia also has more than 100 volunteer hours involving such memorable experiences as food drives, a pen pal project with elementary school students through National Honors Society, and cooking breakfast for veteran staff members at her school on Veteran’s Day.

Visit FoodShippers.org for more information and to request an application for 2025 scholarships.

24_002867_Food_Chain_Digest_Edition_2 Mod: April 12, 2024 4:51 PM Print: 04/22/24 4:00:31 PM page 1 v7