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by Kathryn Pritzl
Kathryn Pritzl

4 min read

Supporting Food Shippers With Industry Leading Technology And Insights

December 18, 2020

Kathryn Pritzl
by Kathryn Pritzl

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Breakthrough was recently named to Food Logistics’ 2020 Top Software and Technology Providers. We are committed to treating every client as if they are our only client and are proud to deliver distinguished service to some of the most essential brands in the world. The year 2020 has illustrated that more than ever before, and we could not provide deep and lasting value without the resilience, innovation, and trust of our industry-leading clients.

Accuracy and Transparency to Support the Food Supply Chain

Breakthrough clients encompass the entire shipper community, from food packaging to retail, to manufacturers and beyond. Fuel Recovery addresses inefficiencies associated with the fuel that moves goods to market—regardless of what those goods are. When fuel makes up anywhere from 20-30% of an organization’s transportation costs, a little data can save millions in inaccurate accounting.

For more information about how Fuel Recovery eliminates fuel surcharges and saves shippers millions in excess fuel spend, read more here.

For every gallon consumed throughout a food shipper’s network—whether via over-the-road shipping, intermodal transport, refrigerated freight, or bulk—Fuel Recovery ensures that you never over, or underpay your carriers by a cent. Whether a shipper’s transportation network spans 100 million gallons or 5 million gallons, the savings add up and create a better baseline from which they can make decisions and drive continuous improvement.

The type of food shippers that Breakthrough works with have a dedication to operational excellence and are willing to be forward thinkers in the industry. Together, we are removing distortion in common transportation practices, making transparency a cornerstone of the industry, and establishing fairness across stakeholders.

“In a volatile year for fuel and freight, capturing how market swings influence your decision making and strategy remains the biggest competitive advantage available to this industry,” said Jenny Vander Zanden, Chief Operating Officer at Breakthrough. “Breakthrough is proud to support our clients with unbiased data, actionable insights, and trusted partnerships while they continue to play a vital role in keeping our country fed and healthy.”

Food and Beverage Shippers Rose to the Challenge in 2020

In 2020, it is no secret that the food and beverage industry has not only been immensely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, but they have risen to meet the challenge. This industry has collectively invested hundreds of millions of dollars to meet the needs of families, frontline workers, and people in need. They have gone above and beyond to alter supply chain operations, packaging, and divert efforts to create cleaning supplies to keep the world healthy and safe. Breakthrough is proud to serve clients who think beyond themselves and contribute to the collective good.

Amid the altruistic efforts put forth throughout the year, these food and beverage shippers have continued to maintain their daily operations at similar, and often far greater levels than could have ever been predicted. Among the Breakthrough client cohort, which encompasses over 7 billion transportation miles traveled across 16 million shipments annually, our food and beverage shippers alone experienced a 30 percent freight volume increase at the beginning of April.

Get the full analysis of how the coronavirus pandemic is influencing freight flows across the industry, here.

As consumers rushed to the store shelves to equip themselves for stay-at-home orders, this industry segment rose to the challenge to meet those needs. For every additional can of soup or bottle of water purchased, a shipper had to adapt their supply chain to accommodate it.

Happening at this same time, OPEC members initiated a price war, followed by a crude oil production frenzy. This oversupplied market, combined with decreased demand as the world sheltered in place, sent gasoline and diesel prices plummeting.

Read why fuel prices dropped in Q2 of 2020.

For shippers that use traditional fuel surcharge practices, millions of dollars were left on the table. Only the Breakthrough client cohort was positioned to align fuel costs with the market, which has collectively totaled over $330 million in fuel cost avoidance.

Breakthrough Provides Dynamic Solutions to Meet a Volatile Market

In recent years, and more so in 2020 than ever before, the biggest supply chain challenge that will continue to impact the shipping community is the dynamic nature of the market. With every new development, swinging economic indicator, or market event, the food and beverage community’s cost inputs are affected.

Having confidence in data and an ability to capture those swings remains the biggest competitive advantage available to this industry, and Breakthrough is proud to provide that service to better manage our clients’ costs and strategies.

To view Breakthrough’s Food Logistics’ 2020 Top Software and Technology award press release, click here.

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