What sweet treat started as banana flavored, moved to vanilla because of a World War II supply chain disruption, and contains an ingredient also found in rocket fuel? It’s the Twinkie!
In this edition of This Week in Business History, Kelly Barner tells the story of the Twinkie from the heart of the Depression, through two bankruptcies, and to a race to push the limits of artificial ingredients and shelf life. She will dispel some popular urban myths and share facts that are stranger than any of the fictions you thought were true!
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supply chain
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April 25, 2024
Earth Month Special: Cultivating Sustainability with The Cheeky Panda
As we conclude the celebration of Earth Month in 2024, hosts Kristi Porter and Nuria Sierra welcome you to this episode of Logistics With Purpose, as Chris Forbes, co-founder of The Cheeky Panda, discusses the company’s journey and commitment to sustainability. The Cheeky Panda, a UK-based startup, produces household products like toilet paper and baby wipes from bamboo, the world’s fastest-growing plant. Forbes explains that the idea was born out of a desire to create a sustainable, high-quality product that could easily replace everyday essentials. The company, which distributes in 27 countries, has faced challenges such as working capital and supply chain management. Listen and learn as Forbes emphasizes the importance of small, sustainable choices in everyday life, and encourages consumers to question their need for plastic and opt for recyclable alternatives.
logistics
Podcast
November 19, 2025
Analysis of the U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index – Q3 2025
In this episode of Supply Chain Now, hosts Scott Luton and Kim Reuter welcome Bobby Holland, Vice President/Director of Freight Business Analytics at U.S. Bank, and Heather Shilt, Director, Global Logistics at Fortive, to unpack Q3 2025 findings from the U.S. Bank Freight Payment Index, one of the industry’s most referenced trucking indicators, informed by tens of billions in transactions. The panel explores why volumes are down even as costs rise, how tariffs and manufacturing softness are reshaping regional performance, and where rate pressure and capacity tightness are showing up first. Together, they dig into nine key takeaways from the national and regional views (West, Southwest, Midwest, Northeast, Southeast): most significant sequential gains in the West in four years, persistent softness in the Southwest, and mixed signals elsewhere as consumer demand, housing starts, and labor dynamics tug the market in different directions. From shipper playbooks (carrier-mix depth, lane-level cost vigilance, and alternate modes) to practical watch-outs for Q4 and early 2026, this data-driven conversation equips operators to trend, plan, and pressure-test their assumptions in a volatile environment. This episode is hosted by Scott Luton and Kim Reuter, and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. Additional Links…