Strategic facility placement cuts delivery times and optimizes freight costs for mixed truckload orders to food banks and hunger relief organizations across the West
Phoenix, Arizona – January 30, 2026 – Value-Added Food Sales (VAFS) announces the opening of its Phoenix mixing center, cutting delivery times for Western food banks and hunger relief organizations while reducing freight costs through strategic site selection.
The mixing center extends the VAFS distribution network to 7 strategically located facilities. The Phoenix mixing center is located in a brand-new 300,000-square-foot facility, enabling 1-2-day freight fulfillment for nearly all hunger relief organizations west of the Great Plains—down from up to 7 days for many West Coast organizations—while reducing freight costs through strategic location analysis.
The Phoenix center allows food banks to order mixed truckloads combining multiple products to meet full truckload (FTL) requirements. This inventory flexibility enables food banks, disaster relief agencies, churches, and ministries across the Western United States to respond quickly to community needs and reduce hunger in their regions.
“Food banking right now is a balancing act—demand is peaking just as space and budgets are hitting their limits, said Leticia Rodriguez, Sourcing Manager at Feeding San Diego.” That’s why mixing centers are such a lifesaver. Instead of being forced to take a full truck of one item, we can mix and match essentials or even trial a new product to see if it meets our community’s needs without the risk of a full-truck commitment. Having a mixing center closer to the West Coast is a win-win: it cuts down on lead times and significantly reduces the carbon emissions tied to long-haul trucking. It’s a smarter, more sustainable way to get food to those who need it most.”
VAFS selected Phoenix after analyzing multiple Western markets to optimize total delivered cost, including the end-to-end freight costs — from all product manufacturers through the distribution facility to customers across the region.
This data-driven approach to site selection ensures Western hunger relief organizations benefit from reduced transportation costs while maintaining access to VAFS’s nonprofit-specialized product assortment. Phoenix offers three-day-or-less transit time to all high-population areas west of the Great Plains, with easy access to interstates carrying the region’s highest truck volume.
The facility, operated in partnership with Freeport Logistics—a family-owned network of facilities since 1971—launches with 71 products, including VAFS’s 40 most popular items, as well as regional favorites popular with VAFS’s existing clients, such as refried beans and other culturally appropriate foods. The warehouse provides ample space to expand the mixing center’s inventory selection based on Western market demand and customer feedback.
“For years, our customers in the Western US have been ordering from us despite the logistical challenges of distance,” said Nick Blawat. “We analyzed freight lanes from our manufacturing partners through potential facility locations to customers across the West, and Phoenix emerged as the optimal choice to reduce costs while dramatically improving delivery speed. This mixing center gives food banks and hunger relief organizations the same mixed truckload flexibility and nonprofit-focused product selection they’ve relied on from VAFS, but now with delivery times and freight costs that make their operations more effective. When organizations can order what they need with minimized supply chain costs, they can focus more resources on feeding families and reducing hunger. This expansion is about reducing costs and enhancing service so our partners can do what they do best.”
Approximately 15% of Value-Added Food Sales’ core customer base is located in the western region, with many more customers in the region ordering seasonally or occasionally. By adding this strategically placed mixing center, VAFS will serve these customers better for their everyday purchasing needs while opening access to new hunger relief organizations across the West.
The Phoenix facility’s strategic location also creates opportunities for partnerships with Western food manufacturers, potentially expanding locally-produced product offerings that support the regional food sovereignty movement.
About the Facility
The Phoenix mixing center is housed in a newly constructed, 300,000-square-foot warehouse operated by Freeport Logistics, located directly off Interstate 10 with easy access for carriers and customers. The facility is AIB certified to ensure high levels of food safety and food defense, and is staffed by professionals with years of experience operating food-grade facilities. Advanced warehouse management systems and technology improve response time, accuracy, and traceability while minimizing product damage.
Arizona’s business-friendly environment—including property tax exemptions for inventory and competitive insurance rates—contributes to the facility’s operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness for VAFS customers.
During the initial launch period, the Phoenix mixing center will exclusively serve hunger relief organizations west of the Mississippi River. The facility will expand to serve customers nationwide as operations mature, consistent with VAFS’s other mixing centers. Food banks and hunger relief organizations interested in learning more can visit valueaddedfoodsales.com to connect with our team.
About Value-Added Food Sales
Value-Added Food Sales has served nonprofit hunger relief organizations exclusively for 30 years, offering a strategic network of domestic mixing centers and direct purchasing access from a network of hundreds of manufacturers and importers nationwide. The company provides mixed truckload ordering, full truckload delivery, and products specifically sourced for food banks, disaster relief agencies, churches, and ministries. Headquartered in Wayland, Michigan, VAFS partners solely with non-profit hunger relief organizations nationwide to ensure communities have access to nutritious, culturally appropriate food. For more information, visit valueaddedfoodsales.com.