11 Feb 2025
Food insecurity is one of our nation’s most pressing issues, impacting over 47 million people each year. Since 1979, Feeding America has worked tirelessly to provide relief for countless individuals and families while collaborating with lawmakers on big-picture solutions to permanently end hunger.
Today, the organization is part of a massive nationwide network of food banks, food pantries, community-based organizations and meal programs working to rescue, store and distribute food to those in need. In the last two years, that network rescued 4 billion pounds of fresh food and groceries and distributed 5.3 billion meals.
Transportation excellence is essential to executing the Feeding America mission. Since 2021, the Arrive team has been proud to be part of the carrier network that helps make that possible. In this case study, we’ll discuss the network complexities Feeding America navigates and how Arrive helps the organization deliver.
Robert Levy is the Senior Director of Transportation at Feeding America. After over a decade working for major brands like Treehouse Foods, ConAgra Brands and Butterball, he was drawn to Feeding America’s mission and the chance to help strengthen the organization’s impact through transportation excellence. Robert explained that Feeding America’s scale, unpredictable volume and the often perishable nature of its freight presented a unique set of challenges.
“In my previous roles, we had a forecast that we could plan around, but forecasting hunger and food banks’ needs isn’t always possible,” he said. “It’s more like putting together a puzzle where the pieces are always changing. Roughly 70% of our total volume and 50% of our produce volume moves via the spot market. We also have limited warehouse space, so on-time pickup and delivery are essential to providing food to the neighbors that we serve. That’s why having strong relationships with responsible, reliable and flexible partners is critical.”
Robert also noted that finding those partners can be challenging amid today’s crowded brokerage landscape. “There are a lot of good brokerages out there, but I’m looking for more than a transactional relationship,” he said. “I hear pitches all the time, but I’m only looking for providers that emphasize building a strategic partnership by understanding our broader organizational needs and the expectations of our donors and partner food banks.”
In 2021, Arrive Senior Vice President of Strategic Partners Darlene Wolf pitched Robert on the prospect of forming precisely that kind of partnership. The pair already knew and respected one another, having crossed paths several times throughout their careers. With over 30 years of supply chain experience working for Dairy Farmers of America, Kellogg’s and Nestle, Darlene understood what Robert was trying to accomplish with Feeding America.
One of Robert’s first objectives with Feeding America was streamlining the existing carrier network. “We were working with about 60 carriers when I joined in 2018, but the network was somewhat fragmented, so I began focusing on building strategic partnerships,” he said. “Arrive came in around that time with a similar mindset, which allowed them to hit the ground running. Having that partnership already in place when the pandemic caused our order volume to skyrocket—from 400–500 orders per month to 2,000 by July—made it so much easier to seamlessly handle the additional loads.”
Arrive Business Development Manager Louis Magnotti said efficient onboarding processes and strong execution allowed the Arrive team to make an impact quickly. “Our experience integrating with Feeding America’s existing TMS provider expedited the onboarding process and enabled strong dry van service from the start,” he explained. “From there, our volume doubled after just two months and grew even more once we showcased our temp controlled capabilities.”
Robert explained that Arrive’s temp controlled carrier network delivered the flexible, reliable capacity necessary to effectively service Feeding America’s ever-changing demand.
Louis credits that success to Robert’s service philosophy and Arrive’s carrier-matching strategy. “Robert prioritizes service and considers total cost, which can sometimes lead to slightly higher rates, but the cost of a spoiled temp controlled load is much more significant,” he said. “His service-first approach allows us to select carriers based on their service score, which helps ensure strong performance despite the variability of Feeding America’s temp controlled freight.”
In addition to a reliable carrier network, Louis highlighted how Arrive’s account team structure enhances operational efficiency for Feeding America.
“Our Business Development Representative, Alex LaFratta, serves as the primary contact for day-to-day operations, ensuring smooth communication and swift issue resolution,’ he said. “Darlene and I then provide additional strategic oversight, working closely with the Feeding America team to align our solutions with the organization’s long-term goals and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.”
Today, Arrive carriers move a vast range of freight from major retailers, everything from fresh produce, meat and seafood to dry goods for pantries and more. Our commitment to delivering strong service and execution in day-to-day operations while continuously improving overall efficiency has forged a partnership with Feeding America that gets stronger with every shipment.
“As a shipper, my perspective was always that we should only outsource to providers that elevate us,” said Darlene. “Arrive does exactly that by understanding customers’ goals and leveraging our people and technology to find solutions that help achieve them. Robert and his team also meet us halfway—they are outstanding communicators, tech-savvy, open to new ideas and share our values of customer obsession and the relentless pursuit of perfection.”
Robert notes that while Feeding America’s fight to end hunger is far from over, the partnership with Arrive will continue to support the organization’s progress.
