Dot Foods, Inc., the largest food industry consolidator in North America, is celebrating a significant milestone: 25 years of success and growth in the retail channel. This achievement is a testament to the company’s exceptional ability to adapt and thrive in the dynamic retail industry.
Dots’ journey into the retail market began in 1999, driven by a strategic decision to provide the company’s supply chain solutions to a broader group of customers. By leveraging its deep expertise in food service distribution, the company quickly established itself as a trusted partner to retailers and wholesalers across the United States and Canada. This expansion has allowed Dot to significantly broaden its retail offering to include tens of thousands of products from hundreds of suppliers.
Throughout these 25 years, Dot has consistently demonstrated operational excellence, maintaining high standards in on-time delivery and reliable service. Dot has a 99.1% on time/in full rate., and if they miss that window, the company pays any resulting fines. This commitment to reliable service has been pivotal in meeting and exceeding the expectations of Dot’s business partners.
“Our journey into the retail market has been pretty remarkable,” said Dot Foods President George Eversman in a recent press release. “We knew our business model worked in foodservice, and we saw a lot of potential for it to help drive efficiency in retail as well. A lot has changed in 25 years. Today we’re selling to nearly all major retailers. From expanding our product offerings to forging strong partnerships with customers and suppliers, our team’s unwavering commitment has been crucial to our achievements. We take a lot of pride in always working to be a trusted partner.”
Dot Foods also distinguishes itself within the industry with its privately-owned and -operated trucking affiliate, Dot Transportation, Inc. The company allows retailers to consolidate less-than-truckload (LTL) orders via its fleet of 2,000 trucks and multi-temp trailers, which enhances delivery efficiency and reliability for temperature-controlled products. Dot’s consolidation method means products from multiple manufacturers are shipped in one order. On average, our retail manufacturer partners save 24,000 miles for every million pounds serviced and cut supply chain costs by as much as 12%. That adds up to real dollar savings.
“Partnering with Dot for retail has been transformative for Trü Frü,” said Kelsey Painter, team lead for Walmart and Sam’s Club at Trü Frü. “Dot's support in streamlining inventory management and fulfillment for major customers has enabled us to focus on scaling the business. Managing OTIF across multiple categories was a significant challenge, but Dot's expertise has been instrumental in addressing this. As a result, our business has seen a notable reduction in OTIF fines. Dot's efficient inventory execution with key partners has driven growth throughout our operations.
As national demand for frozen warehouse space rises, Dot proactively expanded its facilities to address the growing need. "We operate 15 distribution centers across the United States and Canada, providing a total of 4.9 million square feet of dry, refrigerated, and frozen space," said Eversman. "We are committed to providing space solutions for our customers and suppliers."
Over the years, Dot has made significant investments in increasing its storage capabilities. The company recently opened its Manchester, Tennessee distribution center, which features substantial refrigerated and frozen goods capacity. This year, Dot began construction on an additional 66,800 square feet of dry, frozen, and refrigerated warehouse space at its Burley, Idaho distribution center and completed a 33,157 square foot expansion at its Ardmore, Oklahoma, distribution center and a 100,000 square foot addition to its University Park, Illinois, warehouse. In 2023, Dot also expanded its frozen warehouse space by 140,000 square feet at its corporate headquarters in Mt. Sterling, Illinois.
"We’ve learned a lot in our first 25 years in retail,” explained Tim Duggan, senior director of retail at Dot. “I’m even more excited about what the next 25 hold. There’s so much opportunity for us to help our retail customers and our suppliers solve problems. We’re adding more technology to this area of our business than ever before, and our retail team continues to grow. I can’t wait to see what the next 25 years will look like.”
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