Food distribution

Background & Objectives Global food chains have become longer and more complex owing to the decoupling of geographical locations where food is produced and consumed. Increases in global food prices, lower levels of production in grain-producing nations and rising costs of oil, fertilizers and transportation have raised concerns about food security in many countries, including Qatar. The population of Qatar has dramatically increased from 660,238 in 2003 to 2,077,357 in 2014. As a food-import-dependent nation, Qatar heavily relies on food coming from other countries. However, reports on food security and observations of the project team suggest that food supply chains have not been re-designed to accommodate this rapid increase in population and to account for the increased complexity due to globalised distribution. Distribution of food is challenging because it has to ensure that the product maintains its quality and safety while it is transported downstream on the chain and until it reaches the consumer. Inappropriate conditions and poor handling result in food being wasted. An awardee of the National Priorities Research Program 2014, this research project aims to provide strategic input for management of food supply chains considering characteristics of distribution and consumption of food in Qatar. Methods This research will incorporate food quality and food safety considerations into distribution optimisation models because transportation of food between various supply chain members affects food quality and food safety as well as food waste originating from deteriorating quality and emerging safety risks. It will focus on operational problems occurring during transportation and storage of food and provide an estimate of the waste occurring in distribution. Moreover, it will build a simulation model to establish the link between distribution frequencies and the food quality and food safety, exploring key interrelationships among quality and safety in food supply chains. Results In the distribution of food, management challenges faced by organisations delivering food to Qatar are related to limited shelf lives of food products, temperature and humidity requirements, possible interaction effects between products, and delivery time windows of products. Food wasted at the end of the food supply chain incurs the highest costs and uses the highest level of energy because the food has already been grown, processed, transported, stored, and sold before ending up in the trash. This research project will investigate consumers' contribution to the generation of food waste in an attempt to reduce the waste originating from variations in demand. Conclusions Waste in the food supply chain results in inefficient use of natural resources such as water, energy and land through supply chain operations such as production, processing, distribution, consumption and disposal. The problem of food waste is emotive because it raises ethical issues about the accessibility of food while millions of people around the world live in hunger. The waste, cost and environmental impact due to production, distribution and consumption of food occur globally. The significance of this project lies in its focus on food waste as complementary to the ongoing efforts in Qatar for achieving food security and environmental sustainability.

A longitudinal survey of health and nutrition in China was undertaken in eight provinces (Liaoning, Jiangsu, Shandong, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Guangxi, Guizhou). Data were collected in 1989, 1991, 1993 and 1997. The 1991 and 1993 data were used to investigate factors affecting intrahousehold food distribution. The discrepancy score and the ratio of food share to energy share were used to describe food distribution within households. Findings indicated that, in most cases, males had a higher proportion of nutrient intake than females, particularly in the young adult group where men presented with a higher discrepancy score than women for energy and all nutrients observed. The food and nutrient distribution tends to be more favourable to the middle-aged group, although the youngest group, while accepting relatively smaller amounts of cereals, ate much bigger amounts of meat, dairy products and fruits. Household members with higher incomes are more favoured in terms of food consumption and nutrient intake. Household leaders accepted a higher share of energy and nutrients in comparison with other members of the household across all age and sex groups. Administrators and people working in service or trade industries in rural areas are favoured in terms of food distribution relative to farmers and manual workers. Well-educated people accepted a better food allocation than others and those in employment received more nutrients than the unemployed. The 'contribution rule' (individuals who make a greater contribution to the family receive a larger share of the family's food) is discussed and deemed to be applicable in explaining the discrepancy in food distribution and nutrient intake among household members.

The chapter discusses politics of food distribution (Acts 6: 1-6) and the role of the church in Africa. The work contends that the church in Africa has not done enough in ameliorating or solving the food crisis resulting from inadequate food production and distribution systems. The purpose of the work is to explicate the politics of food distribution as represented in Acts 6:1-6 and make recommendations to the church in Africa. The methods of investigation are exegesis of the Acts of the Apostles 6: 1-6 and review of existing works. Major findings from the study suggest that politics of food distribution was caused by many factors namely: population growth, racism, ethnocentrism, and discrimination. The chapter recommends that the church should mobilize her human and material resources to enhance food production and distribution for her members and nonmembers. Policies and mechanisms to improve food distribution were suggested.

One of the important roles of nutrition services is to improve the nutritional status of patients in hospitals so that it is hoped that this can speed up the healing process and shorten the length of stay. The aim of this research is to determine the food management system in order to fulfill patient nutrition at Malahayati Islamic Hospital. This research uses descriptive qualitative research. Data collection techniques by means of observation, interviews using recording and use of documents. Next, the data collected is analyzed. The informants for this research were 4 informants including the head of the Nutrition Installation, staff/nutrition experts and food processing officers and waiters. The sampling technique was carried out using Purposive Sampling. The research results show that the food procurement system starting from ordering and purchasing, receiving, storing and distributing food ingredients is in accordance with PGRS. And food processing starts from menu variations using a 7-day menu cycle, but food presentation and distribution needs to be monitored and evaluated in the use of PPE for waiters. Food procurement system, food processing, food distribution in accordance with PMK No. 78 concerning PGRS and food delivery system management.

Modern food systems operate on a global scale, and many countries depend on imported food to feed their populations. The proportion of people eating according to their traditional dietary patterns...

Food (MIC: 4.1 SIC: 2051 NAIC:311812)George Weston and its subsidiaries are engaged in the food processing and distribution industry. Co. has three operating segments: Weston Foods, Food Distribution and Fisheries. The Weston Foods segment is primarily engaged in the baking and dairy industries within North America. The Food Distribution segment, which is operated by Loblaw Companies Limited and its subsidiaries, concentrates on food retailing and is increasing its offering of non‐food products and services. The Fisheries segment is primarily engaged in the hatching, growing and processing of fresh farmed salmon in North America and Chile.

Food security is a fundamental human right; however, millions globally endure food insecurity due to climate change, geopolitical conflicts, and economic limitations. In Kenya, smallholder farmers in Marachi, Butula Sub-County, experience food shortages despite practicing subsistence farming, primarily attributable to inadequate food distribution systems and socioeconomic constraints. This study sought to determine the mediating effect of socioeconomic status in the relationship between household food distribution practices and food insecurity among smallholder farmers in Marachi from Butula Sub- County, Busia County. This study employed mixed methods design. The study focused on 18,280 smallholder farm households across six divisions and incorporated important informants, including community leaders and agricultural officers, to offer varied insights. A sample of 408 respondents was obtained by proportionate stratified random sampling for farmers, and purposive and convenience sampling for important stakeholders. Questionnaires, focus group discussions, and interviews were used to collect data. Quantitative data from 394 respondents were analyzed with Statistical Package for Social Sciences, utilizing descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and regression analysis, while Hayes’ Process Model 4 evaluated the mediating effect of socioeconomic position on food insecurity. Study results showed a strong positive connection between food distribution practices and socioeconomic level (r = 0.967, p = 0.000), as well as between food distribution and food insecurity (r = 0.979, p = 0.000). Moreover, mediation analysis indicates that socioeconomic status significantly influenced the relationship between household food distribution practices and food insecurity; nevertheless, its effect was lower than the direct effect of food distribution practice on food security. Consequently, this study concluded that the socioeconomic status mediated the relationship between food distribution practices and food insecurity. To improve food security, authorities must prioritize economic empowerment, market accessibility, and equitable food distribution measures for smallholder farmers.

This chapter examines the factors in food distribution that result in unsatisfactory levels of consumption for large parts of the world’s population.KeywordsLatin American CountryBasic FoodFood DistributionWholesale MarketMarketing ChannelThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

Profit maximization in the agricultural sector should go in the direction that will enable agricultural products to be marketed through a realistic distribution channel. This applies in particular to the distribution channel of the food supply. In addition, the food distribution system should focus on the dominant observation of the production of food produced inland. Food distribution should take into account market competition, distribution and logistics costs, the existence of unequal quantities of food shipments, etc. That is why it is of great importance to adopt realistic models that will appreciate modern innovative ways of logistics that will help real food distribution. In addition, up-to-date information and communication technologies should be respected to support such distribution approaches. This paper draws attention to the importance of implementing a possible new food distribution model based on an innovative approach.

Uneven food distribution across various regions in Indonesia often results in supply-demand imbalances, leading to price surges, stock shortages, and overall market instability. This challenge is compounded by the limitations of conventional distribution systems, which are ill-equipped to respond to rapidly changing market dynamics. In response, this study introduces a novel, AI-driven approach by implementing Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) to optimize food distribution policies using real-world data. Specifically, we perform a comparative evaluation of four emerging DRL models—Double Deep Q-Network (Double DQN), Dueling DQN, Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO), and Advantage Actor-Critic (A2C)—to determine their effectiveness in learning adaptive distribution strategies from national food logistics data provided by Indonesia’s Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS). Each model was trained within a custom simulation environment based on the Markov Decision Process (MDP) framework and evaluated using five core performance metrics: cumulative reward, average reward, success rate, sample efficiency, and best reward. The results reveal that A2C consistently outperformed the other models, delivering the highest average reward and most stable training performance, while PPO demonstrated strong efficiency and success rate. These findings underscore the potential of policy-gradient methods—particularly A2C—as robust and intelligent solutions for dynamic food logistics management. This research offers one of the first comparative benchmarks of DRL methods in the food distribution domain and highlights their applicability for future integration into national AI-powered logistics systems.

According to the ecological model of female social relationships (EMFSR), within-group competition and between-group competition in female-bonded species are shaped by food distribution. Strong between-group contests are expected over large, monopolizable resources and high population density, but not when low-quality food is distributed across large, undefended home ranges. Within-group contests are expected to be more frequent with increasing heterogeneity among feeding sites and with group size. We tested these predictions in female Asian elephants, which show traits associated with infrequent contests—graminivory, high fission–fusion and overlapping home ranges. We examined how food distribution and competitor density affected agonistic interactions within and between female elephant clans (social groupings) in the Kabini grassland, southern India. We found stronger between-clan contest in the grassland than that known from neighbouring forests, and more frequent agonism between females between clans than within clans. Such strong between-clan contest was attributable to the grassland being a food-rich habitat patch, thus supporting the EMFSR. Within-clan agonism was also frequent, but did not increase with food heterogeneity, contradicting the EMFSR. Contrary to recent claims, increasing within-clan agonism with group size suggested ecological constraints on large groups despite high fission–fusion. High population density may explain such frequent contests despite graminivory and fission–fusion.

The provision of food is a critical starting point from which to understand the articulations between production and consumption locales. In research carried in Northeastern Brazil, we have found that increasingly local spaces of production and distribution of food are under tight control by external (retailer) regulations. From the choosing of plots, to land uses, to labour contracting, to cultural, environmental and packing practices, there is much evidence that food quality is an issue under view. On the other, there are widely known concerns about food safety and food security, which, in the Brazilian case, is shown through Hunger Zero – a governmental project to alleviate poverty. In this chapter, I will argue for the relevance of exploring the dynamics of food by looking at local markets, agricultural and supermarkets units, government and labour strategies, as developed in the Northeastern region. Based on case studies and related literature, the argument is that the distribution of food around the world is very much a combination of transnational corporations actions and local development strategies; and without exploring the possible contradiction here, it would not be possible to understand how packing houses, state distribution units as well as agricultural and retailer distribution units would come into the local development agenda, contributing to the making of quality food to the world's consumers. Several case studies developed by our team of researchers will illuminate the analyses.

Compared to the other fields of business, research on image congruence in the food business sector, particularly organic food, is relatively scarce. Previous studies could only identify the congruence of certain psychological elements of perceived image. Other functional elements, on the other hand, are mostly overlooked. Considering these issues, this study aimed to examine customer perceptions of themselves as organic food consumers, of organic food products, and of organic food makers and distributors. Using data gathered from nine informants, this study found that organic food consumers held certain images concerning organic food products, their makers and distributors, and themselves. Some images of organic food consumers and organic food products shared the same nature. In addition, some images of organic food consumers, makers and distributors had the same essence. Implications of these findings, together with the limitations of this study and directions for future research, were discussed.

Among individuals and communities with low-income, the experience of food insecurity is associated with greater delays in recommended mammography screening and late-stage breast cancer at diagnosis. Community-based interventions that address barriers to promoting breast cancer screening among diverse communities of women with food insecurity in real-world safety-net settings have been limited. In partnership with Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services (SFBFS), the largest non-profit provider of social services in Sacramento County, this study aimed to (1) identify factors influencing implementation of a breast cancer screening intervention in a food distribution setting and (2) identify mechanisms through which factors impact implementation outcomes. As part of a larger participatory-based mixed methods project with SFBFS, we conducted semi-structured interviews (n=10 staff; n=10 clients) and collected observations from direct food distribution events during the pre-implementation phase. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) guided the rapid iterative content analysis to identify barriers and facilitators of implementation. Then as part of the Implementation Research Logic Model (IRLM), we developed a matrix using CFIR, Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC), and the Behavior Change Wheel (BCW) to identify mechanisms linked to these factors and to assess implementation outcomes of acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility. Overall, there was consensus that promoting breast cancer screening in the food distribution setting was beneficial and welcomed by all stakeholders. Key determinants related to the general theme of sustainability were identified including financing, the availability of resources, and the process of engaging with clients while they are at the food distribution event. Characteristics of individuals, specifically the clients’ capability and motivation to receive a breast cancer screening intervention in this context, must also be considered. An active and sustained partnership with food bank leaders is crucial to facilitate these outcomes. Intervention format should include tailored messaging that is culturally appropriate and empowers individuals to obtain recommended screening. Content of the intervention should provide interactive assistance that facilitates local support for screening eligibility and services. This IRLM can be adapted for future breast cancer screening interventions in novel community-based food distribution settings. Citation Format: Charlotte L. Kerber, Julie H. Dang, Daniel J. Pasillas-Pablo, Jocelyn T. Canty, Laura Fejerman. Factors influencing implementation of a breast cancer screening intervention for women with food insecurity in a community setting: An application of the Implementation Research Logic Model [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2025; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2025 Apr 25-30; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2025;85(8_Suppl_1):Abstract nr 4898.

The present study aimed to determine the risk levels affecting food safety and security in foods distributed to earthquake victims by organizations. This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted in food distribution organizations in Kahramanmaraş and Hatay between 20–24 February 2023 (N = 40). The data were collected face-to-face by using the Descriptive Data Form and Food Safety and Security Observation Form (FSSOF) developed by the researchers. According to FSSOF, organizations had a 41.6% risk concerning food safety and security. According to the multiple linear regression analysis, organizations that did not control the foods were found to be associated with an increased total score of FSSOF (β: -0.527, p = 0.010). No relationships could be found between the type of organization, the population served, having a food technologist and/or dietitian, the distance between the organization and waste, and the total scores of FSSOF (p > 0.05). The organizations that did not control the food were found to be associated with Organization-specific conditions (β: -0.623, p = 0.002), Food distribution conditions (β: -0.531, p = 0.015), Personnel hygiene (β: -0.608, p = 0.005), Food security (β: -0.480, p = 0.036) and Environmental conditions (β: -0.537, p = 0.018) were found to be associated with an increased level of risks. Also, not having an engineer and/or dietitian was associated with an increased risk of Food storage practices (β: -0.469, p = 0.005), and increased the number of staff was associated with an increased risk of Organization-specific conditions (β: 0.348, p = 0.007). The level of risk of the organizations concerning food safety and security was found to be relatively high. Control of the food provided was the most important determinant of food safety and security.