Labor shortages in the food and beverage supply chain aren’t new. Warehouses and distribution centers are struggling to fill shifts in environments like refrigerated or frozen facilities. Beyond the challenge of finding workers, organizations must also adapt to a workforce with evolving expectations and motivations.
As a result, food industry leaders are relying on automation. Technologies like robotic picking systems, voice-enabled workflows, and cross-docking automation are at the top of the list.
According to a 2024 Gartner report, 80% of warehouses and distribution centers will deploy some form of warehouse automation by 2028, and nearly half of supply chain leaders surveyed cite labor availability constraints as the top reason for investing in material handling automation.
The time to act is now to avoid the risk of falling behind the competition.
Labor mismatch
Industry leaders are recognizing a growing disconnect between the jobs they offer and what today’s workforce is willing to do. It’s not just that there’s a shortage of workers. The jobs being offered no longer align with what the workforce wants.
Gartner’s research confirms that the ongoing labor challenges, influenced by economic disruptions and restrictive migration policies, are pushing organizations to both optimize the workers they have and introduce more automation to maintain continuity.
Cold chain automation
In the past, automation in cold or frozen environments has lagged due to cost and complexity. Today, thanks to AI-driven robotics and voice-enabled workflows, food facilities are adopting smarter solutions to close labor gaps in critical environments.
1. Voice picking in refrigerated zones
To improve productivity in cold environments, many food distributors are implementing voice-enabled picking. These systems eliminate the need for handheld scanners or paper pick lists. Instead, workers receive verbal instructions and confirm tasks hands-free, leading to improved pick accuracy and faster training.
According to Gartner, many facilities are also incorporating performance visibility tools into voice systems to further improve engagement and retention.
2. Robotic picking and goods-to-person solutions
More advanced operators are turning to robotic picking systems that integrate AI-enabled vision with flexible robotic arms and grippers. These robots can handle odd-shaped items, adjust in real time, and operate autonomously in any environment. Use cases include palletizing, depalletizing, and order picking.
Goods-to-person (G2P) systems are also on the rise. In G2P systems, autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) retrieve items from freezer storage and deliver them to operators stationed in warmer areas, minimizing worker exposure to cold temperatures and boosting overall productivity.
Gartner categorizes these as part of a broader trend toward intralogistics smart robotics (ISRs), which are robotic technologies purpose-built for flexible, scalable warehouse operations.
3. Cross-docking automation
For perishable items, many food distribution centers rely on cross-docking. Coordinating this time-sensitive workflow has become more challenging with reduced labor pools.
With automated cross-docking, inbound goods are quickly identified, sorted, and directed to outbound docks with minimal human interaction. AMRs and mobile sortation robots speed up sorting, while reducing the need for fixed equipment.
Gartner notes that mobile robotic sortation systems, while not as fast as legacy conveyors, offer more flexibility and faster ROI, particularly for seasonal or volatile demand environments that are common in food logistics.
Data and AI
As facilities automate more processes, they must also improve their data. Whether through a warehouse execution system (WES), labor management tools, or embedded sensors in robotics, the ability to have real-time data is crucial.
Many leaders are now investing in AI tools that can deliver real-time inventory visibility, intelligent task orchestration, and proactive labor planning. Without the entire picture, it’s going to be hard to make good decisions.
Gartner's report also emphasizes that data will increasingly be the foundation of an intelligent supply chain and helps businesses move from historical decision-making to predictive and autonomous execution.
Modular and scalable
In the past, automation consisted of bolted-down systems that required years to install. Today’s food facilities need more modular, flexible, and cost-effective options.
According to Gartner, this shift is being driven not only by labor shortages but also by the need to better manage demand peaks, storage constraints, and multichannel complexity. Flexible systems like AMRs, collaborative robots, and robotic sortation can scale up or down without breaking the bank.
This operational efficiency is critical in food logistics, where SKU profiles are diverse, shelf life is short, and consumer expectations are constantly growing.
Looking ahead
As AI advances, combining robotics, real-time data, and predictive analytics is creating smarter warehouses that can sense, adapt, and optimize on their own.
While some companies are just beginning this journey (or haven’t started at all), Gartner predicts that by 2028, 80% of warehouses will deploy some form of automation, and 40% will use employee engagement tools to improve productivity and retention.
Facilities that embrace the future will be better positioned to adapt, scale, and win in a competitive market.
Those that don’t may soon find they’re not just short on workers but also falling short of customer expectations.
