Art of Supply
Art of Supply, hosted by Kelly Barner, draws inspiration from news headlines and expert interviews to bring you insightful coverage of today’s complex supply chains.
info_outline
Inside the Rise of Cargo Theft W/ Keith Lewis
09/17/2026
Inside the Rise of Cargo Theft W/ Keith Lewis
“I want your phone numbers, I want your internet domain, I want everything, your PO box, everything. Now I've become you.” - Keith Lewis, Vice President of Operations at Verisk CargoNet A purchased MC (motor carrier) number, sometimes bought for as little as $5,000, can turn a stranger into a fully credentialed trucking company overnight. It can make them look trustworthy enough that you hand them a truckload full of valuable inventory. Keith Lewis, Vice President of Operations at Verisk CargoNet, spent 26 years in law enforcement before joining CargoNet's crime analyst unit, and in this episode he walks Kelly Barner through how cargo theft has evolved from truck-stop break-ins into an organized, border-spanning business chasing the highest-value freight in the network. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Keith and Kelly explore: - Why a single load bound for an AI data center can be worth $20 to $30 million — and how that's changed what thieves target - How purchased MC numbers and misdirected loads let criminals become “legitimate” carriers in a matter of days - Why a $400,000 lobster theft and a $400,000 copper theft have completely different endings - Why most stolen freight is never recovered, and the one document that determines whether it can be Links: Keith Lewis on LinkedIn: Kelly Barner on LinkedIn: Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter: Art of Supply on AOP: Subscribe to the Art of Procurement Newsletter:
/episode/index/show/f4e89409-441f-4d4b-bdf7-2dd4f1cb9a73/id/42897380
info_outline
Detroit can build it, but can Detroit source it?
09/10/2026
Detroit can build it, but can Detroit source it?
"We are on borrowed time." - Army Major General John Ferrari On July 20th, President Trump signed an executive order making it dramatically harder for defense contractors to buy critical materials from China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Seven days later, the U.S. Army handed Ford and GM prototype contracts to build a new heavy infantry squad vehicle on the theory that Detroit can build trucks faster and cheaper than the traditional defense industrial base. Nobody has explained how the new restrictions and speed expectations are supposed to work at the same time. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner covers: - What the U.S. Army asked Ford and GM for and what the new sourcing rules now forbid them from buying to build it - Why a bomber plant outside Ypsilanti is the most useful data point in this story, and why the lesson everyone takes from it is backwards - The second rulebook already two years into the same experiment that might give us an early look at what to expect here Links: Kelly Barner on LinkedIn: Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter: Art of Supply on AOP: Subscribe to the Art of Procurement Newsletter:
/episode/index/show/f4e89409-441f-4d4b-bdf7-2dd4f1cb9a73/id/42843615
info_outline
Foreign-Trade Zones in a 20 Percent Tariff Environment
09/03/2026
Foreign-Trade Zones in a 20 Percent Tariff Environment
"When the government starts collecting money as a tax, they don't normally give it back." — Curtis Spencer, CEO, IMS Worldwide For most of the last sixty years, the average U.S. tariff rate was two and a half percent. Duty was a rounding error, and import networks got designed accordingly. Curtis Spencer, CEO of IMS Worldwide, says the floor is now 20 percent, and plenty of importers are still treating that like weather that will pass. He has spent more than four decades in foreign-trade zones. When he started, the United States had twelve of them. Customs is about to issue number 302. In this episode of Art of Supply, Kelly Barner and Curtis Spencer discuss: - Why the business case for an FTZ went from 2- or 3-to-1 to 10-to-1 without the paperwork getting any harder - What "substantial transformation" means now that customs is chasing country of origin into second- and third-tier suppliers - The 1 percent of cases where a bonded warehouse beats a zone, and how to tell whether you are in it Links: Curtis Spencer on LinkedIn: Kelly Barner on LinkedIn: Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter: Art of Supply on AOP: Subscribe to the Art of Procurement Newsletter:
/episode/index/show/f4e89409-441f-4d4b-bdf7-2dd4f1cb9a73/id/42714140
info_outline
The $604 Million Freight Broker Liability Verdict
08/27/2026
The $604 Million Freight Broker Liability Verdict
“C.H. Robinson does not employ drivers.” - C.H. Robinson Chief Legal Officer Dorothy Capers This May, two courts drew a new line for freight brokerage liability. The U.S. Supreme Court stripped brokers of a federal defense they had leaned on for years. The Texas Supreme Court turned around and told Home Depot it wasn’t liable for a fatal crash involving a carrier hauling its freight. Two companies, both a step removed from the truck. Opposite outcomes. The difference came down to control. And then, in July, a separate jury found that C.H. Robinson might be responsible for the actions of a driver that did not work for them, but a carrier they hired. In this episode of Art of Supply, Kelly Barner covers: - Why a jury decided the driver was C.H. Robinson’s “borrowed employee,” and how that turned 23% of the blame into 68% of the bill - What protected Home Depot, and how fast that protection disappears - Why the industry’s response could pull carriers out of the market you buy from, concentrating volume and raising prices Links: Kelly Barner on LinkedIn: Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter: Art of Supply on AOP: Subscribe to the Art of Procurement Newsletter:
/episode/index/show/f4e89409-441f-4d4b-bdf7-2dd4f1cb9a73/id/42565900
info_outline
What "Dignity of Work" Means for Supply Chain Operations W/ Robert Martichenko
08/20/2026
What "Dignity of Work" Means for Supply Chain Operations W/ Robert Martichenko
"You know, Robert, I have no expectation to ever be happy at work. I just hope to be a little less miserable." That's the line from a restaurant server that Robert Martichenko, board chair of TrailPath Workplace Solutions and founder of the lean consultancy LeanCore, can't shake. Operational supply chain roles aren’t easy, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t possible for people to find dignity in their work. Hoping to be less miserable one day at a time does little for individual frontline workers, and it does even less for the company that employs them and the customers they serve. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Robert and Kelly Barner dig into what dignity means in the workplace, and why it is not the same thing as respect: - Why "respect for people" is the wrong frame, and what dignity actually requires - The four states TrailPath's research finds people in at work — and why nearly half of most workforces are declining or surviving, not growing or thriving - What the second law of thermodynamics has to do with your supply chain, and why chasing unit cost quietly cost procurement its relationships Links: Robert Martichenko on LinkedIn: Kelly Barner on LinkedIn: Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter: Art of Supply on AOP: Subscribe to the Art of Procurement Newsletter:
/episode/index/show/f4e89409-441f-4d4b-bdf7-2dd4f1cb9a73/id/42478655
info_outline
The $285,000 Electric Truck Nobody Can Find
08/13/2026
The $285,000 Electric Truck Nobody Can Find
In December of 2025, a $285,000 Windrose Technology electric semi-truck went missing. It still has not been found. Reportedly, two mechanics who kept it running, Travis Waite and Harold Keller, left Windrose Technology owed a combined $91,000 in back wages, and (according to the company) are holding the truck until they are paid. That's not the strangest thing about Windrose Technology. It's just the most dramatic. Windrose is a Chinese-founded, Belgium-headquartered electric truck startup. It was founded in 2022 by Wen Han, a 36-year-old Stanford MBA and all-around colorful character. By most independent accounts, the truck itself is good, but that does little to explain the public disputes with former employees. Is this a well-engineered truck buried under a chaotic company with an eccentric founder or a company whose chaos is a preview of what may happen when production has to scale? In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner covers: - Why a $285,000 electric truck is currently sitting somewhere nobody at Windrose can find, and why the two guys who allegedly know where it is aren't telling - How a truck built in China ended up with a VIN that says it was made in Georgia, and what that suggests about trucking safety compliance’s dependence on the honor system - Why Nikola's pardoned, convicted founder made a lowball offer for the company, and why that story gets a lot more complicated once you see the actual trucks Windrose has on the road in Texas and Chile Links: Troubling Times for Electric Trucking: Why is nobody talking about China’s new supply chain regulations?: Kelly Barner on LinkedIn: Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter: Art of Supply on AOP: Subscribe to the Art of Procurement Newsletter:
/episode/index/show/f4e89409-441f-4d4b-bdf7-2dd4f1cb9a73/id/42401685
info_outline
CMA CGM and FedEx Supply Chain: The Deal Behind the Deal
08/06/2026
CMA CGM and FedEx Supply Chain: The Deal Behind the Deal
"FedEx is not simply selling an asset, it is trading a warehousing unit for a deeper transportation relationship with one of the world's largest container lines, which is a smarter reallocation than a straight divestiture." — Bruno Digital FedEx just sold its Supply Chain unit to CMA CGM for $1.4 billion. It sold for the same price FedEx paid for the same business, under a different name, back in 2015. But FedEx didn’t just sell an operating unit. They also entered into a larger agreement for ocean and air cargo that highlights some interesting trends in global logistics. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner covers: - What the $1.4 Billion deal includes, and the multi-year ocean and air cargo agreements worth an estimated $3.5 Billion that are riding along with it - Why U.S. law would make it impossible for CMA CGM to ever buy FedEx outright - Whether CMA CGM's growing air cargo fleet is competition for FedEx, or something else entirely Links: Kelly Barner on LinkedIn: Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter: Art of Supply on AOP: Subscribe to the Art of Procurement Newsletter:
/episode/index/show/f4e89409-441f-4d4b-bdf7-2dd4f1cb9a73/id/42314745
info_outline
Checkbox Supply Chain Compliance Just Got a Lot More Expensive
07/30/2026
Checkbox Supply Chain Compliance Just Got a Lot More Expensive
"AI will never replace that human judgment. And the number one reason for that is responsibility." — Elisar Nurmagambet, Co-Founder and CEO, Tesari AI When Meta acquired the Chinese AI agent startup Manus for roughly $2 Billion, the due diligence looked clean. Four months later, China's government blocked the deal and ordered it unwound. Elisar Nurmagambet, Co-Founder and CEO of Tesari AI, and Brian Andersen, their Vice President of National Security Applications, join Kelly Barner to explain why the compliance model most companies still run on wasn't built for this moment, and why some of the sharpest early-warning signals in global trade never show up in a standard database at all. In this episode Elissar and Brian discuss: - Why "checkbox compliance" has become a board-level, CEO-level liability - What a government-licensed social media influencer in China revealed about the Meta-Manus deal, months before it collapsed - Why "substance over form" now determines whose jurisdiction your supply chain falls under, regardless of where an entity is legally registered - The investigative mindset that supply chain professionals have to develop to succeed in today’s challenging conditions Links: Elisar Nurmagambet on LinkedIn: Brian Andersen on LinkedIn: Tesari AI: National Security Starts in the Supply Chain (AOS, Ep 211): Kelly Barner on LinkedIn: Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter: Art of Supply on AOP: Subscribe to the Art of Procurement Newsletter:
/episode/index/show/f4e89409-441f-4d4b-bdf7-2dd4f1cb9a73/id/42243775
info_outline
All Forecasts Are Wrong W/ Michael Murray
07/23/2026
All Forecasts Are Wrong W/ Michael Murray
“Just-in-time inventory is great when it's working, but when it stops working, it's a huge disaster because you don't have material staged and you don't have strategic reserves.” — Michael Murray, Senior Director of Global Supply Chain, DSV Inventory Management Solutions For most of the 2000s, the mandate in manufacturing was lean: hold less, order just-in-time, and keep working capital off the balance sheet. Then came a string of shocks: COVID, the Suez Canal blockage, and a global chip shortage. All of a sudden, just-in-time started looking more like just-in-trouble. Companies swung hard toward just-in-case, stockpiling inventory as insurance against the next disruption. Michael Murray, Senior Director of Global Supply Chain at DSV Inventory Management Solutions, isn’t ready to declare just-in-time dead. In this episode of Art of Supply, Michael joins Kelly Barner to talk about the cost challenges that can result when inventory is managed reactively: - Why the pendulum keeps swinging between just-in-time and just-in-case - Why trade policy is becoming a bigger driver of inventory strategy than COVID ever was - How a consolidated VMI model changes the math for OEMs, and why suppliers may be harder to convince than CFOs Links: Michael Murray on LinkedIn: Kelly Barner on LinkedIn: Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter: Art of Supply on AOP: Subscribe to the Art of Procurement Newsletter:
/episode/index/show/f4e89409-441f-4d4b-bdf7-2dd4f1cb9a73/id/42153845
info_outline
182,000 Pounds of Nectarines Too Valuable to Sell
07/16/2026
182,000 Pounds of Nectarines Too Valuable to Sell
Earlier this month, thousands of people descended on a small orchard in California's Central Valley to receive free nectarines. The crowds became so large that the California Highway Patrol temporarily shut the event down because of traffic and safety concerns. At first glance, it looked like a feel-good story—a farmer sharing his harvest with the community. But that wasn't the whole story. Third-generation farmer Cesar Mora says he gave away more than 100,000 pounds of nectarines because he couldn't sell them. The fruit wasn't spoiled. There wasn't a bumper crop that overwhelmed demand. The giveaway stemmed from a legal dispute over who controls the right to market and sell a specific variety of nectarine. This story raises questions about intellectual property, exclusive supply agreements, and market access. It also demonstrates that sometimes the biggest supply chain constraint isn't producing something, it's having permission to sell it. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner covers: - How proprietary fruit varieties became valuable intellectual property. - Why one California farmer says he had no choice but to give away his crop. - The legal dispute over contracts, exclusivity, and commercialization rights. Links: Kelly Barner on LinkedIn: Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter: Art of Supply on AOP: Subscribe to the Art of Procurement Newsletter:
/episode/index/show/f4e89409-441f-4d4b-bdf7-2dd4f1cb9a73/id/42102280
info_outline
The Ships Are Lying About Where They Are
07/09/2026
The Ships Are Lying About Where They Are
Imagine seeing one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world almost empty, before realizing that it isn't empty at all. The ships are still there, but the data has disappeared. Analysts monitoring the Strait of Hormuz have watched vessels vanish only to reappear someplace else hours later. Others appear to be sailing across inland airports or drifting through the Iranian desert. The Automatic Identification System (AIS) has quietly become part of the information infrastructure that global trade depends on. So what happens when one of the world's most trusted sources of maritime information can no longer be accepted at face value? In this episode of Art of Supply, Kelly Barner breaks down why the tracking system the entire shipping industry runs on can no longer be trusted and who’s actually exposed: - Why self-reporting makes AIS, the backbone of global ship tracking, scalable and vulnerable to manipulation - The difference between the information provided by AIS and other systems like radar and GPS - Why insurers, commodity traders, and sanctions regulators are all pricing risk off data that may be fictional Links: Kelly Barner on LinkedIn: Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter: Art of Supply on AOP: Subscribe to the Art of Procurement Newsletter:
/episode/index/show/f4e89409-441f-4d4b-bdf7-2dd4f1cb9a73/id/42013015
info_outline
Stablecoins Have Their Moment in the Real Economy W/ Tanner Taddeo
07/02/2026
Stablecoins Have Their Moment in the Real Economy W/ Tanner Taddeo
Cross-border payments have long been a game of advantages. Large enterprises get fast settlement, cheap foreign exchange rates, and sophisticated treasury tools, while mid-market companies are left to piece together workarounds through regional banks and costly third-party providers. Stablecoin infrastructure is changing that equation, offering businesses of all sizes access to the same financial rails that were once reserved for the Fortune 500. The result is faster payments, lower costs, and smarter capital management across global supply chains. Tanner Taddeo is the co-founder and CEO of Stable Sea, a fintech platform helping mid-market businesses move money across borders using stablecoin-based infrastructure. His background spans humanitarian finance, investment banking across Europe and South Asia, the Gates Foundation, and fintech roles at Plaid and Block, all with a consistent focus on expanding financial access for underserved businesses and communities. In this episode of Art of Supply, Tanner and Kelly Barner discuss: - What stablecoins are and why they behave nothing like the volatile cryptocurrencies most people are familiar with - Why mid-market companies have been left behind by the traditional banking system when it comes to global payments and treasury management - The supplier relationship advantage of faster, cheaper cross-border settlement - The next frontier in stablecoin adoption, which will turn payment liabilities into yield-generating assets Links: Tanner Taddeo on LinkedIn: Kelly Barner on LinkedIn: Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter: Art of Supply on AOP: Subscribe to the Art of Procurement Newsletter:
/episode/index/show/f4e89409-441f-4d4b-bdf7-2dd4f1cb9a73/id/41920815
info_outline
3 Questions We Can’t Answer About Amazon LTL
06/25/2026
3 Questions We Can’t Answer About Amazon LTL
On Wednesday, June 10th, Amazon announced that they will now offer full LTL services to anyone. Before that, LTL was available “inbound only,” meaning from Amazon sellers to Amazon facilities to Amazon customers. In their press outreach, the company has touted their 80,000 trailers and 24,000 intermodal containers, as well as improved load visibility and fleet security measures. The response to this announcement was split. Traditional freight carriers like FedEx Freight, Old Dominion, and XPO lost market value, but some analysts have a different take. They are not so sure we should have the reaction we’ve been conditioned to have when Amazon moves into a new market. At least not yet. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner covers three big questions looming over this story: - Is Amazon LTL truly functioning as an asset-backed carrier, or are they more of a broker behind a front of assets? - What kinds of shippers will the Amazon LTL service appeal to? - Do Amazon’s integrated abilities position them to completely upend how freight works? We can’t promise you will get the answer to those questions in this episode, but listeners should walk away with a better understanding of why they matter. Links: Kelly Barner on LinkedIn: Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter: Art of Supply on AOP: Subscribe to the Art of Procurement Newsletter:
/episode/index/show/f4e89409-441f-4d4b-bdf7-2dd4f1cb9a73/id/41796690
info_outline
The Supply Planning Paradox: Why Bigger Budgets Don't Buy Better Outcomes
06/18/2026
The Supply Planning Paradox: Why Bigger Budgets Don't Buy Better Outcomes
“Demand planning is the thing which everybody seems to focus on, because it's kind of theoretical. You come up with a forecast and it doesn't really influence anything. It's when you look at the supply side, that's when it becomes real.” Most supply chains are supported by investments in demand planning tools, sales and operations planning systems, and MRPs… so why is the supply plan being ‘fixed’ by a person with a spreadsheet and a hunch? Mark Robinson is the CEO of Orchestr8, an enterprise supply chain planning platform. He has spent more than two decades helping global organizations including Shell, BT, 3M, and Boots improve their supply chain planning performance. He has always maintained a particular interest in the gap between supply planning theory and the realities of execution - one that AI may just be ready to help bridge. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner and Mark discuss why: -Bigger budgets don’t buy better outcomes -Supply planning can’t be waved away as a background task -A love of ‘firefighting’ may be half the problem with supply planning Links: Mark Robinson on LinkedIn: Kelly Barner on LinkedIn: Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter: Art of Supply on AOP: Subscribe to the Art of Procurement Newsletter:
/episode/index/show/f4e89409-441f-4d4b-bdf7-2dd4f1cb9a73/id/41679520
info_outline
Too big to merge? Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern Try Again
06/11/2026
Too big to merge? Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern Try Again
Can a mega merger of peers increase competition in their market? Case in point: the proposed rail merger between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern. Both are Class I railroads, among the largest by revenue in North America as defined by the Surface Transportation Board. According to a 2001 Surface Transportation Board rule, their merger must enhance competition - but that’s not usually how mergers are designed to work, especially among giants. And this is the first rail merger that has to meet that requirement. After some back-and-forth, the Surface Transportation Board “conditionally” accepted the merger application on May 28th, but they are still looking for more information. No review activities will be conducted until that information is provided. In other words: the Surface Transportation Board has accepted the Union Pacific - Norfolk Southern filing, but they have not accepted the information provided in that filing. We’ll have to wait to find out if the application is approved based on its merits. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner covers the proposed merger from multiple angles: - The expectations for increased rail competition and public benefit - How the railways propose to give their non-transcontinental competitors a fighting chance - Whether the Surface Transportation Board and a coalition of opponents think competition is likely Links: One Railroad to Rule Them All? Inside the Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern Merger: Kelly Barner on LinkedIn: Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter: Art of Supply on AOP: Subscribe to the Art of Procurement Newsletter:
/episode/index/show/f4e89409-441f-4d4b-bdf7-2dd4f1cb9a73/id/41602665
info_outline
FedEx Freight's Independence Day
06/04/2026
FedEx Freight's Independence Day
On Monday, June 1st, FedEx Freight CEO John Smith rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange to celebrate the fact that the company is now operating (and trading) independently. This story dates back to the summer of 2024, when the idea of separating out FedEx’s LTL operating unit was just a very believable rumor. Now they are the largest LTL provider in North America, and what one outlet described as a $9 Billion startup, with 40,000 employees. And yet, for all of the company-led fanfare, the media coverage was… uninspired? With one notable exception that is… In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner covers what we know about FedEx Freight's immediate plans for their corporate freedom: - What they plan to focus on as a company, both from a growth standpoint and operationally - Where the company stands on the question of emissions reduction, regulatory changes, and driverless fleets - How soon we might have some idea of how successful they will be Links: Will FedEx Freight hit the open road? (AOS, December 2024): Kelly Barner on LinkedIn: Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter: Art of Supply on AOP: Subscribe to the Art of Procurement Newsletter:
/episode/index/show/f4e89409-441f-4d4b-bdf7-2dd4f1cb9a73/id/41524045
info_outline
Red Lobster’s Comeback Gamble
05/28/2026
Red Lobster’s Comeback Gamble
Endless Shrimp is BACK at Red Lobster… a headline few people in the business world would have predicted. The promotion played an over-hyped role in the company’s 2024 bankruptcy filing, mostly because it was easier to explain than a bad real estate leaseback deal led by investors at the time – the actual cause of Red Lobster’s financial trouble. Their new CEO, Damola Adamolekun, is best known for leading the turnaround at P.F. Chang’s and was handpicked by Fortress Investment Group, the investors that bought Red Lobster out of bankruptcy. In November 2024, Adamolekun told Today he had ended the Endless Shrimp promotion “Because I know how to do math.” And yet… six weeks before the end of the company’s fiscal year… it looks like their best hope. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner looks back at Red Lobster: - How much progress the company has made since their bankruptcy - The cost pressures, both internal and external, they are struggling to overcome - And the impact a media-savvy CEO has been able to have on restaurant traffic Links: Ultimate Endless Real Estate Costs at Red Lobster Kelly Barner on LinkedIn: Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter: Art of Supply on AOP: Subscribe to the Art of Procurement Newsletter:
/episode/index/show/f4e89409-441f-4d4b-bdf7-2dd4f1cb9a73/id/41443080
info_outline
Why is nobody talking about China’s new supply chain regulations?
05/21/2026
Why is nobody talking about China’s new supply chain regulations?
China’s new supply chain regulations may be one of the biggest global trade and sourcing stories that almost nobody is talking about. Decree 834 and 835 quietly took effect - immediately - on April 7th and 13th. If China decides to enforce them, they could fundamentally change how multinational companies approach sourcing, reshoring, compliance, and supplier diversification. In this episode of Art of Supply, Kelly Barner breaks down China’s newly enacted Decrees 834 and 835 — regulations designed to protect Chinese industrial and supply chain security, while potentially penalizing companies that attempt to diversify away from China. Listen to discover: - What China’s Decrees 834 and 835 mean for Western (and China-owned) businesses - Why reshoring and China +1 strategies may now carry new risks - How companies could become trapped between conflicting U.S., EU, and Chinese regulations - Why ordinary supplier due diligence and compliance audits may now face additional scrutiny - The growing concern over “extraterritorial” enforcement and China’s expanding economic leverage - Potential penalties ranging from market restrictions to sanctions on individuals Links: Kelly Barner on LinkedIn: Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter: Art of Supply on AOP: Subscribe to the Art of Procurement Newsletter:
/episode/index/show/f4e89409-441f-4d4b-bdf7-2dd4f1cb9a73/id/41364535
info_outline
Consumption Challenges at Boston Beer Company
05/14/2026
Consumption Challenges at Boston Beer Company
During the pandemic, some buyers and suppliers made aggressive bets about the future. Demand was surging, capacity was constrained, and everyone worried more about shortages than oversupply. For a while, it looked like the logic was sound, but now one of those agreements has turned into a $175.5 Million jury verdict. Boston Beer Company (through its subsidiary American Craft Brewery) has been found liable in a dispute with their supplier Ardagh Metal Packaging over minimum can purchase requirements. The contracts that offer safety during times of scarcity can quickly become liabilities when markets normalize. Companies increasingly have to navigate both realities at the same time. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner covers: - The background of the Ardagh Metal Packaging and Boston Beer Company dispute - Why pandemic-era supply assumptions created long-tail contractual risk - The legal arguments around minimum purchase commitments and supplier quality claims - What this case teaches us about flexibility, forecasting, and commercial risk allocation Links:
/episode/index/show/f4e89409-441f-4d4b-bdf7-2dd4f1cb9a73/id/41281615
info_outline
Social Value as Strategy in Public Sector Procurement W/ Guy Battle
05/07/2026
Social Value as Strategy in Public Sector Procurement W/ Guy Battle
“We have seen a transformation between the public sector and the private sector in terms of their relationship. We've seen enormous change in this country.“ - Guy Battle, CEO of Social Value Portal The U.K. Social Value Act of 2012 requires all public sector buyers to ask suppliers how much their business will contribute to the community if they win the work up for bidding. It has not just become a differentiator among supplier proposals, it has shifted how the government is awarding its contracts. Contributions to social value are now being included in the award process alongside cost and quality. Guy Battle is the CEO of the Social Value Portal, and the author of a recent article published in the Journal of Public Procurement: “Social value as a lever for achieving value for money and community outcomes in procurement.” He describes social value as a business’s answer to the question: How do you contribute to our environment, support the local community, and bolster the local economy? In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Guy discusses social value with Kelly Barner in the context of: The longer term corporate social responsibility (CSR) and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) movement Current regulations, and how they started a shift that has moved beyond compliance What has been required to allow social value to build momentum and achieve scale How public sector policy can drive change across the private sector supply base Links: JoPP Article:
/episode/index/show/f4e89409-441f-4d4b-bdf7-2dd4f1cb9a73/id/41077760
info_outline
Pricing the Last Mile: Amazon, USPS, and the Fight for Profitability
04/30/2026
Pricing the Last Mile: Amazon, USPS, and the Fight for Profitability
Amazon packages represent 15% of the United States Postal Service’s package volume, but about 7.5% of their revenue. Amazon is USPS’s biggest customer, even though Amazon passed the USPS to become the largest domestic parcel carrier in 2025. The current Amazon - USPS agreement expires on September 30, 2026, just days before the USPS may run out of the cash required to operate. Amazon has signaled that they would like to replace the USPS with their own network, but doing so will be more expensive than the company may have bargained for. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner covers the public positioning and power dynamics playing out between Amazon and the U.S. Postal Service: The history and current status of the relationship between the two organizations How the U.S. Post Office is trying to bring market pricing into their negotiations with shippers - and how Amazon responded to that strategy Why the final outcome in this story is something all consumers may be affected by Links:
/episode/index/show/f4e89409-441f-4d4b-bdf7-2dd4f1cb9a73/id/41064050
info_outline
UPS Picks Profitability Over Volume, and The Teamsters Push Back
04/23/2026
UPS Picks Profitability Over Volume, and The Teamsters Push Back
“This was a company that was once all about volume, was all about customer service, was all about growth, was all about sales, was all about creating jobs.” - Sean O’Brien, General President, International Brotherhood of Teamsters In 2024, Amazon accounted for 11% of UPS's revenue but between 20% and 25% of U.S. network volume. When UPS announced that they were planning to reduce their Amazon package volume by over 50% in early 2025, the market responded negatively. Not only did their revenue decline, but they were also forced to reduce headcount by 48,000, shutter 93 facilities, and restructure their delivery network. UPS is working through the fallout resulting from that decision, which includes offering six-figure buyouts to unionized drivers. The Teamsters are pushing back hard, arguing that even voluntary driver buyouts violate contract terms and undermine union protections. This may look like a story about cost cutting, but it’s really about UPS’s efforts to shift from volume to profit margin in a competitive market. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner covers: Why UPS is cutting Amazon volume and what that means for them financially, operationally, and from a labor perspective The structure and controversy of the 2025 and 2026 driver buyout programs The Teamsters’ legal and contractual response to the company’s current plan The broader implications for supply chains and labor Links:
/episode/index/show/f4e89409-441f-4d4b-bdf7-2dd4f1cb9a73/id/40975590
info_outline
Everyone Has a Role in Growing the Value Chain W/ Andrew Quincey
04/16/2026
Everyone Has a Role in Growing the Value Chain W/ Andrew Quincey
“If you focus too much on efficiency, you might get something cheap – but it doesn’t deliver what you want. If you focus too much on effectiveness, you might spend more than you need. Those two sides need to be balanced.” - Andrew Quincey It is much more difficult to measure value than savings, so even the most skilled procurement professionals tend to focus on savings instead of value. If, however, it is possible to identify why something is being done and how it is being done, procurement will be positioned to drive better overall outcomes. Andrew Quincey is a procurement professional and academic with Leeds University Business School in the U.K. In this episode of Art of Supply, he comments on a recent article he wrote for the Journal of Public Procurement: “Achieving Value for Money Equilibrium.” He highlights how procurement can move beyond execution to play a more strategic role across the entire value chain, with a special focus on complex public-sector environments. In this episode, Andrew and Kelly Barner discuss: The concept of “value for money equilibrium” and how balancing effectiveness and efficiency can lead to better outcomes How and why complexity increases exponentially in procurement projects, and what to do about it Practical ways procurement can move upstream, influence strategy, and engage more effectively in the “why” behind purchasing decisions Links: (Emerald Publishing)
/episode/index/show/f4e89409-441f-4d4b-bdf7-2dd4f1cb9a73/id/40889870
info_outline
From Ports to Geopolitics: Protecting U.S. Cargo Worldwide with Chairman Laura DiBella
04/09/2026
From Ports to Geopolitics: Protecting U.S. Cargo Worldwide with Chairman Laura DiBella
“What happens clear across the world has a very, very big impact, potentially, to U.S. cargo. We’ve had to take a wider lens look at all of the risks.” - FMC Chairman Laura DiBella The Federal Maritime Commission is an independent, bipartisan agency of the U.S. federal government responsible for overseeing the international ocean transportation system as it relates to U.S. cargo. The FMC’s jurisdiction centers specifically on U.S. cargo wherever it moves globally, regardless of vessel ownership or location. FMC Chairman Laura DiBella has a diverse background that spans commercial real estate, economic development, and maritime operations. Before joining the FMC, she served as Florida’s Secretary of Commerce and held leadership roles supporting port operations and maritime stakeholders, including the Florida Harbor Pilots Association. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Chairman DiBella and Kelly Barner discuss three major ongoing cases that the FMC is actively involved in: An investigation into global chokepoints, including the Northern Sea Passage, English Channel, Malacca Strait, Singapore Strait, Strait of Gibraltar, Panama Canal, and Suez Canal How flags of convenience are impacting worker safety and perpetuating the “shadow fleet” An investigation into allegations that Spain has blocked U.S. ships from docking in their ports Links:
/episode/index/show/f4e89409-441f-4d4b-bdf7-2dd4f1cb9a73/id/40772795
info_outline
Building Ethical Leaders in Freight: Inside TIA’s Freight Leadership Lab
04/02/2026
Building Ethical Leaders in Freight: Inside TIA’s Freight Leadership Lab
“If you don’t figure out a way to treat your carriers ethically and help them make money, you’re not going to have them.” - Michael Riccio, former TIA Chairman and founder of More Than Miles Consulting In this episode, Kelly Barner is joined by two leaders from the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA): Michael Riccio, former TIA Chairman and founder of More Than Miles Consulting, and David Abell, CEO of AM Transport Services and a TIA Board Member. Together, they explore the newly launched Freight Leadership Lab, a program designed to elevate leadership, ethics, and professionalism across the freight brokerage industry. From personal career journeys to the realities of ethical decision-making under pressure, this conversation offers both practical insights and a compelling vision for the future of freight. Listen in to hear Mike, David, and Kelly discuss: How the TIA’s new Freight Leadership Lab is developing the next generation of freight brokerage leaders The importance of ethics in freight brokerage, including how leaders can navigate gray-area decisions under time pressure Practical insights into the role of culture, values, and “extreme ownership” in building stronger teams and better decision-making habits A broader perspective on the future of freight brokerage, including why investing in people and relationships is key to raising professional standards across the industry This conversation goes beyond freight—it’s about leadership under pressure, ethical decision-making, and building sustainable businesses. Whether you’re in logistics, procurement, or any fast-moving industry, the lessons here are broadly applicable. Links:
/episode/index/show/f4e89409-441f-4d4b-bdf7-2dd4f1cb9a73/id/40644850
info_outline
Foreign-trade Zones Explained & Applied
03/26/2026
Foreign-trade Zones Explained & Applied
“With tariffs in the news again and the trade policy environment shifting, folks are back to wanting to relearn about the [foreign-trade zone] program.” Foreign-trade zones (FTZs) allow companies to bring goods into secure U.S. locations without immediately entering U.S. commerce for customs purposes. They allow businesses to defer duties, taxes, and fees until goods officially enter the market, or avoid them altogether if those goods are ultimately exported. FTZs are often used by manufacturers to store inventory or assemble kits, but given the current level of trade uncertainty, they have also become a way to address the unpredictability of tariffs. Melissa Irmen is the Director of Advocacy and Strategic Relations for the National Association of Foreign-trade Zones (NAFTZ), and she joins this episode to share practical advice about what FTZs are, how they work, and why they are drawing renewed attention in today’s tariff-heavy trade environment. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Melissa and Kelly Barner discuss: Which companies tend to benefit most from FTZ participation, including manufacturers, distributors, retailers, electronics companies, pharmaceutical firms, and industrial businesses How FTZs offer flexibility during periods of trade disruption, helping importers pause, store, stage, or re-strategize inventory while tariffs and policy conditions shift How the FTZ program has evolved, including a streamlined application process, ongoing regulatory modernization efforts, and current advocacy priorities related to Congress, Customs and Border Protection, and USMCA This episode makes a compelling case for taking a first (or another) look at foreign-trade zones. Links:
/episode/index/show/f4e89409-441f-4d4b-bdf7-2dd4f1cb9a73/id/40618370
info_outline
Brewing Uncertainty: The Coffee Supply Chain Shock
03/19/2026
Brewing Uncertainty: The Coffee Supply Chain Shock
Coffee is one of those products people think of as routine, almost automatic. It is part of the morning, part of the commute, part of the office, part of the café economy. So when something changes in the coffee supply chain, people feel it. In late 2025, coffee prices started rising thanks to a combination of forces: weather shocks in major producing countries, tariff policy changes that altered landed cost, shrinking exchange inventories, currency volatility, and the lag effect that happens when sourcing decisions do not hit the consumer shelf for months. What makes coffee especially revealing is that this is not just a story about one bad harvest or policy move. It is a story about how a globally traded commodity reacts when short-term disruption and long-term structural risk overlap. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner covers: How weather in Brazil, Vietnam, and Indonesia tightened supply and pushed coffee futures higher Why tariffs mattered even in a market where climate and crop conditions were already under strain How those upstream shocks moved through inventories, contracts, roasters, and retail pricing, but with a delay What this example reveals about uncertainty, substitution, margin pressure, and strategic repositioning Links:
/episode/index/show/f4e89409-441f-4d4b-bdf7-2dd4f1cb9a73/id/40524960
info_outline
The Panama Canal Power Struggle
03/12/2026
The Panama Canal Power Struggle
The ports of Balboa and Cristóbal bookend the Panama canal. They don’t control the canal, and they have been privately operated by CK Hutchison’s Panama Ports Company for decades. Those old contracts are now in the middle of a legal fight, a sovereignty debate, and a live test of how far national power competitions can reach into commercial infrastructure. Panama’s Supreme Court recently ruled that the legal terms underlying CK Hutchison’s port concession were unconstitutional. The concessions have been canceled and Panama has selected two different operators to take over responsibility for the ports while new owners are determined. If that wasn’t complicated enough, Hong Kong-based CK Hutchinson intended to sell the ports to U.S.-headquartered BlackRock, a move that China was not too happy about. The ports are now in the middle of a high stakes proxy war, with China and CK Hutchison on one side, and BlackRock and the Trump Administration on the other. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner covers the short and long term implications of uncertain Panama Canal port ownership: Panama’s disputed Supreme Court ruling Why the original $23 billion BlackRock-MSC transaction now looks much more complicated than a straightforward ownership transfer. How BlackRock, Maersk, MSC, and other bidders are repositioning around the two terminals. What to watch for when a local concession dispute becomes a multi-jurisdiction legal and geopolitical risk event Links:
/episode/index/show/f4e89409-441f-4d4b-bdf7-2dd4f1cb9a73/id/40397055
info_outline
How iRobot’s Supply Chain Became Its Last Resort
03/05/2026
How iRobot’s Supply Chain Became Its Last Resort
At its peak, iRobot generated nearly $1.6 Billion in annual revenue, and by 2022 Amazon believed the company was worth $1.7 Billion. By just a few years later, the company that pioneered consumer robotics would file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company that ultimately took ownership of iRobot wasn’t Amazon or another Silicon Valley tech firm or even a U.S. competitor. It was the company’s own overseas contract manufacturer. How does a company go from being a pioneering leader in robotics to being owned by the very supplier that once built its products? The answer is a story about regulation, supply chains, debt, competition, and unintended consequences. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner covers: The rise of iRobot and the creation of the Roomba line of vacuums Amazon’s $1.7 Billion acquisition attempt — and why global regulators blocked it How financial pressure, debt, and supply chain decisions reshaped the company, right into the ground And how iRobot ultimately ended up owned by its largest manufacturing partner Links:
/episode/index/show/f4e89409-441f-4d4b-bdf7-2dd4f1cb9a73/id/40311470
info_outline
National Security Starts in the Supply Chain
02/26/2026
National Security Starts in the Supply Chain
“There are a lot of different ways to hold all of the conspirators who are involved in the effort to intentionally smuggle counterfeit goods into the U.S. and into U.S. systems accountable.” Most modern supply chains are complex, sprawling beasts. Their global scale is highly strategic, but it also creates opportunities for criminal organizations to threaten companies, the Federal government, warfighters, and first responders. The Government Supply Chain Investigations Unit (GSCIU) was created as the result of a 2022 Congressional request for Homeland Security Investigations to address concerns about the risk of counterfeit components finding their way into U.S. military supply chains. Since then, they have operated as a task force, analyzing interagency information to identify and combat threats to relevant supply chains. Brian Andersen is a supervisory special agent at Homeland Security Investigations Global Trade Division, part of the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, and the Government Supply Chain Investigations Unit, which he had the opportunity to help build from the ground up. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Brian and Kelly Barner discuss: The priorities of the Government Supply Chain Investigations Unit How they partner with other agencies and private businesses to root out risk within the supply chain and hold criminals accountable What procurement and supply chain professionals should be on the lookout for as warning signs that they have acquired or encountered counterfeit products Links:
/episode/index/show/f4e89409-441f-4d4b-bdf7-2dd4f1cb9a73/id/40229475