IFDA 2025 Foodservice Distribution Delivery Trends
This month, the International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA) hosted the annual IFDA Solutions Conference in Columbus, Ohio.
In a workshop hosted by Descartes, “Future-Proofing Foodservice Distribution”, we explored how businesses are using routing and mobile technology to reduce costs and improve customer experience.
We also walked away with insights from regional and national distributors.
We learned that leading operators are looking for ways to enhance deliveries using existing data. The mindset is shifting from “What last-mile tools should we be using?” to “Are we solving the right problems?”
Here’s how these themes played out among the distributors and wholesalers we spoke to.
Connecting the Dots in Last-Mile Delivery
Deliveries are a continuous source of data which should feed back into route planning and customer communication.
A last-minute order affects what gets loaded. A late delivery throws off estimated arrival times (ETAs) and overflows into tomorrow’s routes. A bad geocode increases time on site. Overages, shortages and damages (OS&Ds) slow down invoicing and trigger costly re-deliveries.
Yet traditionally, routing, loading, delivery and invoicing have been optimized separately. Each stage generates valuable data which remains in a silo.
By connecting these data points, distributors can uncover hidden costs, unlock incremental savings, and deliver a better customer experience.
Automated Learning and Improvement
Distributors are increasingly turning to automation to offset the global labor shortage. But automation can do much more than reducing manual work.
Systems can collect and interpret information in the background to learn, adapt and improve future plans.
Foodservice distributors are using delivery execution insights to enhance route planning logic. Software can pull from real performance data such as precise drop-off locations (the actual dock, not the street address) and service times to more accurately build future routes.
Reducing Service Time for Incremental Savings
Everyone is optimizing routes to reduce drive time, but we don’t always consider time on site. That could be time looking for a dock, unloading cases and pallets, or dealing with paper-based proof of delivery (POD).
Sometimes, the answer isn’t hi-tech. It could be as simple as ergonomic lifts and sleds that reduce the strain on drivers.
The next level is to introduce software solutions such as automated communications and digital proof of delivery. Customers can ensure that staff are available to accept deliveries, and drivers can quickly snap POD photos and handle OS&D management.
The final step is to feed route execution data back into planning. Solutions like accurate geocoding help drivers to get the truck exactly where it needs to be.
Every minute saved increases your delivery capacity without adding routes or drivers.
Visibility Goes Beyond a Line on a Map
Tracking trucks on a map is helpful, but we need to think about how real-time visibility can solve real problems.
- Customers, dispatchers and sales reps need to know what’s on the truck, and if the delivery will be on time and in full (OTIF).
- Customers want to know when the delivery will arrive, and if the ETA changes.
- Sales reps need quick answers to “Where’s my order? (WISMO) calls.
- Drivers need access instructions, opening hours and dock-level geocodes.
- Managers need to know where trucks have been, and how this compares to the plan.
Digitization and Cybersecurity Go Hand in Hand
As more delivery processes go digital, the potential for cyberattacks increases. Bad actors are targeting logistics operations because they know that businesses aren’t prepared.
IT and operational teams need to work together to ask some uncomfortable questions:
- Who’s responsible for securing your last-mile software and devices?
- What happens if your route planning or dispatch system is out of action?
- Are all employees including sales reps and drivers trained to identify phishing attempts?
Delivery is the Frontline of Your Brand
Delivery is the main face-to-face interaction that customers have with your business. When something goes wrong, it disproportionately affects their perception of your brand.
Traditionally, distributors have thought of delivery as the end of the sale. Now, the last mile is being reframed as a driver of revenue and retention.
- Same-day delivery options and value-added services can increase market share
- Proactive communication increases customer retention.
- Robust proof of delivery reduces credits and re-deliveries.
- Delivery execution data feeds into accurate ETAs.
Next Steps for Foodservice Distributors
By shifting to a more holistic view of delivery, distributors can build cost-effective routes without sacrificing customer experience.
Change doesn’t happen overnight, but businesses can start with the steps below:
- Optimize the full delivery loop rather than looking at technology in siloes.
- Make service times a key performance metric.
- Use automation to make data-driven decisions without increasing labor.
- Tackle cybersecurity from the outset.
- Treat delivery as a revenue driver instead of a cost center.
If you’d like to make delivery data work harder for your business, you can get in touch with Descartes today.
Otherwise, we’ll look forward to seeing you again at IFDA 2026 in San Antonio!
Cyndi Brandt
Cyndi Brandt, VP of Fleet Solutions at Descartes, drives go-to-market strategy for routing, mobile, and telematics solutions. With 23 years in transportation technology, she specializes in last-mile operations, dispatch, tracking, telematics, and data analytics, offering deep expertise in both last-mile and over-the-road logistics.
Transform your logistics—let’s get started today.
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