Target Interstate Systems Inc., headquartered at the Hunts Point Terminal Market in the Bronx, NY, specializes in expedited coast-to-coast transportation solutions for perishables and time sensitive truckload and less-than-truckload temperature-controlled and dry shipments.
That’s why so many produce companies trust the company as its single-source logistics provider. The company’s customers include supermarkets, wholesalers and foodservice suppliers between Maryland up to Vermont.
“For years, our main lane has been California to the Northeast, which it still is, but with the decreased volumes during the pandemic we refocused on Florida, Texas and Washington,” said Evan Kazan, vice president of the company. “We have significantly grown our carrier base in those areas, which will better position us for the future.”
When the pandemic began, Target Interstate Systems moved its operations to being almost 100 percent remote.
“All of our systems are cloud based, and VoIP phones allow us to continue operations anywhere at any time,” Kazan said. “The decreased restaurant trade has been hurting volumes, but as more restaurants reopen, we expect business to continue to increase. During the pandemic, many foodservice companies have pivoted to direct-to-consumer and home delivery business models to supplement the decrease in the restaurant trade.”
The COVID-19 situation has also given the company an opportunity to reevaluate some of its systems and processes to find inefficiencies and improve its operations.
“We know and understand the produce industry intimately,” Kazan said. “Our owner started in the Hunts Point Market working for a wholesaler, and many of our employees either worked for a produce company, or have family in the business. We understand the needs and pain points of our produce customers better than any other logistics company around.”
Outside of coronavirus, one challenge facing the company is the same that’s impacting the whole industry.
“A big challenge to the logistics industry as a whole is technology aimed to circumvent intermediaries,” Kazan said. “To combat it, we have been adding new technologies to help ourselves level the playing field. We are able to do more volume with the same amount of staff and decrease operation costs to keep customers’ costs down.”
Photo: Evan Kazan and Paul Kazan.
