Food Logistics: A Focus on Safety
Scott Hothem • August 4, 2014
According to Statista 86% of Americans are seriously to moderately concerned about health or safety related food recalls. And rightfully so, considering that many foodborne illnesses are potentially lethal, including salmonella, E. coli, listeria, and even Hepatitis A. As a core concern of American families, there is nothing more important to preserving your brand image than maintaining a safe and clean food supply chain. Do you remember the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA)? In 2008, they were forced out of business shortly after it was discovered that they were the cause of a major salmonella outbreak. More than 700 people became seriously ill. 9 people died. The PCA underwent Chapter 7 bankruptcy and is still fighting civil lawsuits in court to this day. The damage didn’t stop there either, but extended to retailers who used the peanuts in their products. PCA had distributed contaminated peanuts as raw goods for companies such as Kellogg and Walmart, costing the two retailers over $70 million in recall related expenses. This may be an extreme example, but it is an eye-opening anecdote illustrating the potential impact that poor oversight of your food supply chain can have.
As you can see, it is not enough to control what happens inside your facility. Your suppliers and vendors are also responsible for the safety of your products. In recent news, a Chinese meat processor came under fire for selling expired and contaminated meat to popular fast food chains, including McDonald’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Taco Bell. Already, Yum! Brands, owners of KFC and Taco Bell, have announced huge losses of sales and a 5% slump in their stock. As you can see, it is not enough to oversee your own operations. It is crucial to have oversight of your supplier’s operations in order to ensure that what comes in the door is safe.
In order to protect your company from a potential disaster, it is imperative to establish procedures approved by the major food regulatory agencies. The two regulatory agencies responsible for monitoring the Nation’s food safety are the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS). FSIS is responsible for the safety of meat, poultry and eggs. Every other food product falls under the jurisdiction of the FDA. The latest effort from the FDA impacting food safety controls is the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).
Signed into law in 2011, the FSMA influences your fulfillment operations are now being influenced from every angle. The new authority at the FDA’s disposal can mean a variety of things for your supply chain operations.
- Preventative Measures: The FDA is now more focused on pre-empting recalls than responding to them. This will be done by holding any facilities that produce, distribute or handle food accountable for leveraging FDA-approved safety measures to combat contamination. This can mean an upgrade to facilities, hiring better skilled staff or implementing new practices.
- Response Authority: The FDA now has the authority to issue mandatory recalls on all food products. In an effort to prevent these dangerous health issues to the public, recalls can be put into effect when standards and regulations are not met and a potential contamination could occur. This new ability for the FDA places a higher than ever obligation on your company to safely produce and transport your product.
- Science Based Standards: These standards for food production will be the new minimum for acceptability. Along with these modern standards, inspection frequency will increase based on risk. This could be another reason for the aforementioned changes to infrastructure. All of these changes will put an even greater importance on not only streamlining, but enhancing your logistical processes to maintain the same level of distribution service.
The safety and security of the food supply chain is monitored closer than ever before, and rightfully so. With over 300,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths each year, food safety processes need to be enhanced. However, as a food product producer, the resources and expertise necessary to navigate this changing landscape aren’t always available. At Barrett Distribution Centers, the facilities, staff and experience can all be leveraged to maintain the safety of your food product and fulfillment service competency to which your customers have become accustomed.
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Switching third-party logistics (3PL) providers isn't a decision most businesses take lightly. It requires time, planning, and trust. But staying with the wrong partner can cost even more—through missed shipments, unhappy customers, and lost opportunities for growth. So how do you know when it's time to make a change? One of the biggest signs is when your 3PL starts holding your business back instead of helping it move forward. Maybe customer service has become difficult to reach, order accuracy has declined, or you're constantly following up on issues that should have been resolved proactively. Your fulfillment partner should give you confidence, not create more work for your team. Growth is another common reason brands switch providers. A 3PL that worked well when you were shipping a few hundred orders each week may not have the systems, technology, or expertise to support new retail partnerships, higher order volumes, or omnichannel fulfillment. As your business evolves, your logistics partner should evolve with it. It's also worth evaluating how your 3PL approaches the relationship. Do they take the time to understand your goals and recommend improvements, or are they simply processing orders? The best providers act as an extension of your business, offering strategic guidance, transparent communication, and solutions designed to support long-term success. At Barrett Distribution Centers, we believe a successful partnership starts long before the first shipment leaves the warehouse. That's why we invest time upfront to understand each customer's business, design a customized fulfillment strategy, and build solutions that can scale as your company grows. Rather than focusing on short-term transactions, our goal is to become a long-term logistics partner that supports your business through every stage of growth. If your current 3PL is creating more challenges than solutions, it may be time to ask whether they're still the right fit. The best fulfillment partner isn't just the one that ships your orders—it's the one that helps your business grow with confidence.
When companies begin searching for a third-party logistics (3PL) provider, one of the first questions they ask is, "How much does it cost?" It's a fair question. Every business wants to understand pricing before making a significant investment in its supply chain. But if a 3PL is willing to send over a quote after only a brief conversation—or without asking any questions at all—it may be worth taking a closer look. The reality is that no two brands operate the same way. Even companies selling similar products can have completely different fulfillment needs. One brand may ship a handful of SKUs directly to consumers, while another manages thousands of products across ecommerce, retail, and wholesale channels. Those differences affect everything from warehouse space and labor to transportation, technology, inventory management. That's why the best 3PL partnerships don't begin with pricing—they begin with discovery. A strong logistics partner wants to understand your business before recommending a solution. They'll ask about your products, order volumes, growth plans, customer expectations, and sales channels. They'll want to know whether you're shipping directly to consumers, supplying major retailers, or managing both. More importantly, they'll take the time to understand where your business is today—and where you want it to be tomorrow. At Barrett Distribution Centers, that's exactly how every partnership begins. Rather than relying on standardized pricing sheets, our team takes a consultative approach. We work closely with prospective customers to understand their operational requirements, fulfillment profiles, technology needs, and long-term goals before developing a customized solution. It's a process that allows our engineering, operations, and customer solutions teams to design a fulfillment strategy that's built specifically for each brand—not a one-size-fits-all model. That extra time upfront often makes all the difference. Over the past eight decades, Barrett has helped brands navigate rapid growth, expand into new retail channels, and scale from startup operations into nationally recognized businesses. Those long-term relationships are built on understanding each customer's unique challenges before recommending the right solution. It's one of the reasons many of our customers stay with Barrett as they grow, rather than outgrowing their logistics provider. Barrett's focus on customized omnichannel fulfillment, retail compliance, technology, and continuous improvement enables us to support brands through every stage of growth. Choosing a fulfillment provider is about more than comparing prices. It's about finding a partner that's invested in your success and willing to learn your business before offering a solution. While discovery may take a little more time upfront, it often leads to a stronger partnership, a more efficient operation, and a fulfillment strategy designed to grow alongside your brand. Because in logistics, the best solutions aren't the fastest to quote—they're the ones built specifically for you.
Choosing a third-party logistics (3PL) provider is one of the most important decisions a growing brand can make. The right partner doesn't just ship orders—they become an extension of your business, helping you scale operations, navigate retail requirements, and create a better customer experience. Welcome to Inside Barrett with Faith Artieda , a series that takes you behind the scenes at Barrett Distribution Centers. In each episode, Faith sits down with the people who power Barrett's success, exploring their roles, sharing their expertise, and answering the questions clients ask most about fulfillment, logistics, and supply chain management. For our first feature, Faith spoke with Scott Hothem , Senior Vice President of Customer Solutions , who has spent more than 14 years helping brands find logistics solutions that support long-term growth. From omnichannel fulfillment to choosing the right fulfillment partner, Scott shares what every business should know before selecting a 3PL. A 3PL Should Be More Than a Warehouse When companies begin searching for a fulfillment provider, many focus on the basics: warehouse locations, pricing, or square footage. While those factors matter, Scott believes they don't tell the whole story. "Every 3PL has warehouses, forklifts, and scanners," he explains. "The real question is whether they understand your business." A great logistics partner takes the time to understand your products, order profiles, customers, growth plans, and operational challenges before proposing a solution. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all pricing sheet, they build a fulfillment strategy tailored to your business. At Barrett, that consultative approach has helped brands of all sizes successfully navigate periods of rapid growth and operational change. Why Omnichannel Experience Matters Today's brands rarely sell through just one channel. A customer may place an order through your Shopify store, while another purchases the same product on Amazon. At the same time, your largest retailer may submit a purchase order for thousands of units destined for stores across the country. Managing those channels requires more than warehouse space—it requires operational expertise. Scott explains that omnichannel fulfillment means seamlessly managing direct-to-consumer orders alongside wholesale and retail distribution while maintaining inventory accuracy, retailer compliance, and exceptional customer service. For brands expanding into retailers like Walmart, Target, Costco, or Nordstrom, choosing a 3PL with proven retail experience can help avoid costly compliance issues, chargebacks, and fulfillment delays. Ask the Right Questions Before Choosing a 3PL Instead of asking only about rates, Scott recommends asking prospective logistics providers questions like: Have you worked with companies similar to ours? How have you helped customers overcome growth challenges? Can your operations scale with our business? What retail partners do you currently support? What technology and reporting capabilities do you offer? How do you approach onboarding new customers? These conversations reveal far more about a provider's capabilities than pricing alone. The best 3PL relationships are built on transparency, collaboration, and shared goals—not simply transactional services. Price Is Important—But Value Matters More Every business wants competitive pricing, but the lowest quote isn't always the best investment. According to Scott, fulfillment pricing should reflect the complexity of a customer's operation—not a generic menu of services. Factors like SKU count, order volume, value-added services, inventory requirements, seasonality, and retail compliance all influence the most effective fulfillment solution. It's one reason Barrett develops customized proposals instead of standardized rate sheets. Scott notes that Barrett frequently reconnects with companies that initially selected a lower-cost provider only to discover that their fulfillment partner couldn't support their evolving business needs. Look for a Partner That Can Grow With You Growth is exciting—but it also introduces new operational challenges. A startup shipping a few hundred ecommerce orders today may find itself fulfilling thousands of daily orders or shipping to major retailers within a few years. Scott has seen that transformation firsthand. Over the years, Barrett has partnered with emerging brands from their earliest stages, helping many grow into nationally recognized companies generating hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue. That kind of long-term partnership is possible because Barrett focuses on building solutions that scale—not solutions that only solve today's challenges. Technology Should Enhance the Customer Experience Artificial intelligence has become one of the biggest conversations in logistics. While Barrett continues investing in automation, systems integrations, data analytics, and emerging technologies, Scott believes technology should enhance—not replace—the customer relationship. For Barrett, meaningful conversations still matter. When prospective customers reach out, they're connected with experienced professionals who understand fulfillment strategy, supply chain challenges, and operational execution—not an automated chatbot. Technology should make service better. It shouldn't replace the people behind it. Barrett's Biggest Competitive Advantage: Its People Throughout the conversation, one theme surfaced again and again: people. After more than 80 years in business, Barrett has built its reputation on experienced employees, long-term customer relationships, and a culture centered on continuous improvement. From warehouse associates to executive leadership, every team member plays a role in delivering exceptional customer experiences. That people-first mindset has helped Barrett build lasting partnerships with brands across apparel, health and beauty, consumer products, food and beverage, and other industries while continuing to invest in technology, facilities, and operational excellence. Final Thoughts Choosing a 3PL isn't simply about finding a warehouse—it's about finding a partner that understands your business, supports your growth, and shares your commitment to customer success. As Scott Hothem shared in this first edition of Inside Barrett , companies should look beyond pricing and ask deeper questions about experience, scalability, technology, and culture. Because when your logistics partner succeeds, your business has the opportunity to do the same. Stay tuned for future editions of Inside Barrett with Faith Artieda , where we'll continue introducing the experts behind Barrett Distribution Centers and answering the logistics questions that matter most to growing brands.
