KALONA — In 2013, Awesome Refrigerated Transit of Iowa (ARTI) began providing transportation services for several organic and natural food brands in the Kalona area.

But according to managing partner Jed Stramel, the company was unable to gather enough qualified truck drivers.

So Stramel, who has 25 years of experience in supply chain management, inventory control and daily operations management, and Owner/CEO Bill Evans decided to develop a brokerage service.

“We came up with the idea, that with my background, why don’t we start a brokerage firm and hire more local drivers that want to keep their own authority, and not be someone else’s employee,” Stramel said. “We decided that was the way to grow this business.”

That led to the birth of Awesome Logistics LLC.

“Our primary service is to natural food distribution, as well as the grocers’ food service arena,” Stramel said. “Anywhere you find products that come from the Kalona area, it is our trucks that are delivering those products to the grocers.”

United Natural Foods, Hy-Vee food stores and Fareway stores are among the company’s clients. The company has four employees at its Kalona site, and its footprint is wide.

“We have distribution into northern and southern California, Colorado, Dallas, Texas, Minnesota, Illinois and Wisconsin,” Stramel said.

One of the more worrisome aspects of starting the brokerage business at first was a concern for just how fast the business would grow.

“Our worries have gone in the other direction,” Stramel said, “and now we are landing some very large accounts much faster than we first imagined and are figuring out how to keep up with it.”

Bringing truck drivers on board in line with the company’s dedicated philosophy of first rate customer service is at the top of the list as the company works to keep expanding its customer base.

“We want to get those carriers that will do an incredible job. It is so important in this industry to have dependable drivers that provide that superior service,” said Marketing Manager Sara Rissi.

“ARTI is currently looking for drivers,” added Rissi, “and Awesome Logistics LLC is looking for more independent truckers to contract with.”

AT A GLANCE

Business: ARTI/Awesome Logistics LLC

Managing Partner: Jed Stramel

Address: 5195 Farmers Ave SW, Kalona, IA

Phone: (319) 683-2090, ext 102

Website: www.awesometransit.com