How a national frozen bakery producer centralized its distribution network and cuts costs with Uber Freight

Company snapshot

Customer profile

• Industry: CPG 

• Size: 1,000+ employees

• Location: Illinois 

Overview

A long-standing, national frozen bakery produces and supplies wholesale frozen baked goods and desserts to bakeries, food service businesses, restaurants, and grocery stores across the U.S.

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Distribution during peak season in any industry is complex, but for a national frozen bakery producer, the margin for error narrows significantly when the holiday season hits. For a company whose busiest moments hinge on reliable delivery, losing control of its outbound network wasn’t just an operational headache—it was a real business risk. 

For years, the company built its model around a decentralized network of cold storage providers. Rather than managing outbound delivery directly, the company relied on these partners to consolidate and deliver goods to customers nationwide—a model that worked until it didn’t. With limited visibility and inconsistent service levels, the company identified that something needed to change.   

Ultimately, the producer decided it needed to rework its strategy and partner with a single cold storage provider to better service its customer network. But redesigning its entire order-to-delivery workflow while maintaining service levels and capacity during one of the company’s busiest times—holiday pie season—wasn’t going to be an easy task. The company needed a partner who could manage the transition end-to-end, stand up refrigerated capacity from a new origin, and have everything ready before peak holiday season hit.  

Uber Freight already managed the company’s inbound transportation, acting as a trusted partner, with deep knowledge of how the business operated. When the company decided to centralize its outbound network and put out an RFP, Uber Freight pursued the opportunity to expand the partnership, winning the bid. 

Because the transition would be complex, the company needed the right carrier base to avoid service failures and customer disruption. The Uber Freight team immediately ran a comprehensive RFP to build a refrigerated carrier network around the new single facility, leveraging the existing partnership and familiarity with the producer’s network. Once capacity was secured, Uber Freight worked to maintain a flexible and reliable carrier base as volumes fluctuated and lanes went live.

For smaller-volume lanes in the Northeast and Pacific Northwest, Uber Freight implemented a single-source refrigerated LTL model using the Transportation Management System (TMS). By consolidating six carrier contracts into a single source, Uber Freight simplified procurement and reduced network complexity to ensure on-time delivery.  

Beyond procurement, Uber Freight facilitated a collaborative swimlane process-mapping exercise with the company and its cold-storage provider. Doing so allowed the three parties to design every step of the order-to-delivery workflow—from lead time planning and scheduling to carrier tendering—together. To further streamline execution, Uber Freight also took over internal scheduling, using route optimization to build multi-stop reefer truckload moves that maximized cost efficiency per pound—a crucial metric for the company.

As the company’s redesigned outbound network went live, Uber Freight had a team member on-site to help the company navigate any challenges, ensuring seamless day-to-day operations and execution. As a result, the network stabilized in mid-2025, giving the company exactly what it needed heading into holiday pie season: a network it could count on. 

By partnering with Uber Freight, the producer gained a national, multi-stop refrigerated network from a single origin that could easily support demand, especially during the holidays. It also gained greater control over and visibility into its network, helping create more efficient operations. 

The Uber Freight team also continues to find ways to reduce transportation costs. Most recently, the team conducted a peer benchmarking exercise, comparing rates against Uber Freight’s broader customer network. The analysis identified an opportunity to reduce detention and layover charges with minimal impact on carrier relationships. With these adjustments, the company is projecting $310,000 in annual accessorial savings and a 7.8% reduction in freight costs.

What began as a request to manage inbound freight has evolved into a full-service partnership spanning network design, carrier procurement, and outbound execution. Through ongoing collaboration and continuous improvement initiatives, Uber Freight continues to ensure the company can meet demand and deliver goods on time, every time. 

Uber Freight's network includes 125,000+ truckload carriers and strong intermodal relationships. Trusted by 1 in 3 Fortune 500 companies, Uber Freight improves cost position, service reliability, and network performance. Our managed transportation model has helped customers drive more than $1B in savings and deliver an average 3x ROI year over year. 

Find out how Uber Freight’s managed transportation services can drive predictable outcomes in an unpredictable market. Connect with an expert today.