Kodiak Partners with Martin Brower to Autonomously Move Freight for Quick Service Restaurants
ROSEMONT, Ill., / MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (Feb 29, 2024) — Kodiak Robotics, Inc., a leading autonomous trucking company, and The Martin-Brower Company, L.L.C., a global leader in supply chain solutions, today announced that the companies are working together to autonomously deliver time-critical refrigerated freight for quick service restaurants eight times per week between Dallas and Oklahoma City. Since the companies began working together in July 2022, Kodiak has completed over 600 autonomous deliveries for Martin Brower. Kodiak and Martin Brower are also exploring ways to expand their commercial operations across the Martin Brower network.
Kodiak’s ability to provide tailored solutions for their partners has been instrumental to the partnership. Kodiak operates what Martin Brower calls a “shuttle lane,” where autonomous trucks shuttle full trailers between major hubs and local drivers handle distribution of goods to multiple restaurants, including two of the top five largest fast food chains in the United States. The companies are working together to explore additional shuttle lane opportunities that will optimize and future-proof Martin Brower’s network, allowing it to better serve the growing demands of its customers.
“We chose Kodiak because we share a mutual commitment to safety and customer service,” said Mark Grittner, Director - Global Capital, Fleet & Facilities, Martin Brower. “By working together, we are able to benefit from the safety, reliability and efficiency provided by Kodiak’s autonomous technology while also ensuring our local drivers can continue to provide the best-in-class customer service that is foundational to Martin Brower’s reputation.”
“Your next order of fries may have traveled on a Kodiak truck,” said Don Burnette, founder and CEO, Kodiak. “Autonomous trucks are well-suited to the difficult work of long-haul driving, while allowing our partners’ local drivers to handle last-mile deliveries and provide a personal touch for customers. Martin Brower’s shuttle lane model is an ideal application for Kodiak that enables us to demonstrate the value of our technology within our customers’ existing networks.”
As part of the partnership, Martin Brower has joined the Kodiak Partner Deployment Program, which helps carriers establish autonomous freight operations and seamlessly integrate the Kodiak Driver, Kodiak's self-driving system, into their fleet.
