Jel Sert Case Study

STABILIZE SEASONAL SURGES

Jel Sert’s freezer bar business is highly seasonal, with 80 percent of its annual volume shipped in a five-month period. Orders arrive in huge waves, particularly with its bigger customers, some of the largest retailers in the world. These customers have stringent on time delivery requirements. It became critical to Jel Sert’s success that they secure reliable transportation providers.

At the time, Jel Sert had a very diversified group of core transportation providers. Jel Sert’s director of distribution, Mike Martinez, said, “We did around 10,000 truckloads a year and gave a little bit of everything to everybody, which made it difficult to retain loyalty when the market tightened.” It also led to accountability challenges and inconsistent freight rates and service levels.

Jel Sert sought to obtain more consistent pricing and more reliable transportation for its supply chain. They also wanted to improve customer service, increase shipping options, and provide more dependable on time delivery performance.

CORE PROVIDER DELIVERS CONSISTENT SERVICE AND PRICING

In 2005, Jel Sert acquired a new customer that significantly increased their shipment volumes. The company’s operations group worked with C.H. Robinson to proactively execute a Core Provider Program.

C.H. Robinson became a dedicated core provider for arranging the transport of Jel Sert’s freezer bars and was able to handle the shipment volumes. This increased dependable service and established consistent pricing for every lane in the supply chain.

Martinez said, “Meeting our customers’ requirements for on time delivery is crucial. In this age of limited storage, just in time inventories, and lower working capital, we depend on providers that are going to deliver, and C.H. Robinson is at the top of our list.”

Jel Sert takes great pride in delivering the highest level of service to its customers, with a proactive approach to solving problems and minimizing customer service issues.

C.H. Robinson takes this same approach to customer service with Jel Sert. A dedicated account management team helps Jel Sert solve daily transportation challenges. And with a strong background in food and beverage shipping, C.H. Robinson understands how to follow proper food safety protocols for handling product from pickup to delivery. Martinez said, “Day to day, they are very responsive to our needs. C.H. Robinson is there. And that is very, very reassuring to our supply chain team.”

C.H. Robinson continually evaluates Jel Sert’s shipments to determine the most cost-effective and timely means of transportation. During Jel Sert’s peak season, truckload shipments may be converted to intermodal; during slower months, LTL may be consolidated into full truckloads.
C.H. Robinson also uses dedicated resources at a crossdock consolidation facility to handle Jel Sert’s shipments to drive efficiencies in their supply chain. The result? Jel Sert achieves additional cost savings while maintaining the highest level of service and on time deliveries to their valued customers.

“We had done intermodal on a limited basis,” Martinez said, “but C.H. Robinson brought it to a whole new level. They showed us how we could save on it, and came through with the on time deliveries we needed at a much reduced price. It’s their holistic view of our supply chain that helps us make decisions like that.”

From government regulations to fluctuations in fuel charges and market pressures, the world of transportation is continually evolving. Jel Sert and C.H. Robinson collaborate and share information on every aspect of the industry, which helps Jel Sert make the most informed decisions on its supply chain for their customers.

CUSTOMERS TREATED TO EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE

C.H. Robinson continues to develop new innovations designed to further increase supply chain efficiency. “We’ve enjoyed a 20% increase in our on time deliveries with one of our largest customers through our relationship with C.H. Robinson, while at the same time maintaining sustainable costs,” said Andy Rush, executive vice president of operations for Jel Sert.

C.H. Robinson is Jel Sert’s top dedicated core provider and handles approximately 25% of Jel Sert’s shipments across the U.S. Jel Sert gained more shipping options and dependable service while increasing customer service.