Penn State CSCR: Unpacked: Insights (formerly Penn State Supply Chain Podcast)
Exploring Armada’s Recipe for Resilience & High-Performing Teams with Kim Hadlum, VP of Inventory Planning at Armada Supply Chain Solutions
Why It Matters
Understanding these supply‑chain innovations is crucial for anyone overseeing food‑service or retail operations, as they illustrate how technology and flexible planning can mitigate waste and protect margins in volatile markets. The episode offers timely lessons on building resilience and agility—skills that remain essential as the industry navigates post‑pandemic disruptions and evolving consumer demand.
Key Takeaways
- •Restaurant inventory planning faces unpredictable SKU demand and perishability.
- •Armada uses proprietary tech, redistribution, and balance‑sheet ownership for savings.
- •Pandemic forced agile trend tools, improving resilience beyond crises.
- •Collaboration and soft‑skill development are critical for supply‑chain leaders.
- •KPI focus shifts to service, inventory turn, and metrics.
Pulse Analysis
Kim Hadlam, Armada’s Vice President of Inventory Planning, traces her supply‑chain career from a Penn State bakery to leading a multi‑modal team that serves restaurant brands. She explains that restaurant inventory planning differs sharply from fashion retail because SKUs range from fresh ingredients to cleaning supplies, and demand can swing dramatically with menu changes, promotions, or weather events. Perishability adds a layer of urgency: expired product means waste and lost service. Armada’s one‑stop‑shop model—combining warehousing, transportation, engineering, and proprietary technology—allows clients to outsource these complex decisions while maintaining high service levels.
Technology is the engine of Armada’s resilience. The company blends off‑the‑shelf platforms with custom visibility tools and its RE‑D (redistribution) service to optimize truckload quantities and reduce waste. By leveraging its own balance‑sheet, Armada can own inventory when needed, turning a traditional 3PL into a strategic partner. During the COVID‑19 shutdowns and extreme weather like the Fern storm, the firm deployed real‑time trend analytics, shifted from just‑in‑time to just‑in‑case strategies, and rerouted shipments through secondary facilities. These agile responses illustrate how data‑driven planning and cross‑functional coordination mitigate risk and keep shelves stocked.
Armada measures success with service level, inventory turn, and write‑off reduction, but it adapts KPI tolerances to market realities. Kim stresses that strong relationships and clear communication often outweigh rigid targets, especially when crises demand rapid pivots. For emerging professionals, she advises mastering soft skills, seeking mentors, and consistently adding value through problem‑solving projects. This blend of analytical rigor, collaborative culture, and technology‑enabled agility positions Armada—and its clients—to thrive amid inflation, shifting consumer habits, and evolving supply‑chain complexities.
Episode Description
In this episode, Donna and Tom sit down with Kim Hadlum, Vice President of Inventory Planning at Armada Supply Chain Solutions, to explore her journey from fashion retail to leading inventory planning for the restaurant industry. Kim discusses the unique supply chain challenges in food service, the importance of adaptability and collaboration, and how technology and innovation drive efficient assured supply. She shares insights on building high-performing teams, the value of mentorship, and practical advice for early-career professionals looking to make their mark in supply chain management. Listeners will gain valuable perspectives on career development, cross-industry learnings, and the evolving landscape of inventory planning.
Takeaways:
Kim's career transition from fashion retail to supply chain solutions in the restaurant space
Unique challenges of food service supply chains compared to other industries
The importance of being a problem solver with strong communication and relationship-building skills
Armada's 20-year partnership with Penn State Smeal's Center for Supply Chain Research
Stay connected with CSCR on LinkedIn (Center for Supply Chain Research) and Instagram (@pennstatesupplychain), and be sure to follow us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you are tuning into Unpacked: Insights hosted by the Penn State Smeal Center for Supply Chain Research™. Thank you for joining us!
Visit our website: https://www.smeal.psu.edu/cscr
Guest Bio:
Kim Hadlum is the Vice President of Inventory Planning for Armada Supply Chain Solutions. In this role, Kim leads Armada's Demand Planning, Supply Planning, and Planning Analytics and Capabilities functions to drive efficient assured supply for clients in the restaurant space.
With over 20 years of supply chain experience, Kim has held roles of increasing responsibility, driving inventory focused solutions that leverage technology, innovation, collaboration, and planning expertise both domestically and internationally. In addition to her Armada experience, Kim has a depth of planning leadership experience in the retail sector. Kim leads a team of 40+ individuals and has a demonstrated history of success in mentoring and development that spans beyond her own area of responsibility.
Kim holds a bachelor's degree from The Pennsylvania State University and is Armada's liaison to Penn State's Center for Supply Chain Research. She currently resides in western Pennsylvania with her family.
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