🎣 Freight’s Brutal Reset

TGIF. In today’s feature, contributor Ari Levy shares what getting laid off from his brokerage taught him and why it might be the best thing that’s ever happened to you.

Plus,

• ⚖️ Broker Liability Back in Play After TQL Ruling
• 🥣 Ferrero Buys Kellogg Co. for $3.1B
• 🛒 Walmart Still #1 in 2025 Retail Rankings
• ... and more.

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🍳 WHAT’S COOKIN’ IN FREIGHT

⚖️ Broker Liability Debate Escalates as Sixth Circuit Reverses TQL Victory. The Sixth Circuit has reignited the debate over freight broker liability, ruling in Cox v. TQL that the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act (F4A) does not shield brokers from state-law claims related to motor vehicle safety. The court reversed a prior decision in favor of Total Quality Logistics, finding the F4A’s safety exception applies even if the broker doesn’t operate vehicles. This adds to a growing circuit split, pitting the 6th and 9th Circuits against the 7th and 11th, and may increase pressure on the Supreme Court to settle the issue. Brokers now face heightened legal risk in several key states such as Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, and Tennessee.

🥣 Ferrero to Acquire WK Kellogg. Ferrero International SA has agreed to acquire WK Kellogg Co. for $3.1 billion, offering $23 per share, a 31% premium, marking another major step in its U.S. expansion strategy. The deal pairs Ferrero’s confectionery portfolio, including Nutella, with iconic U.S. cereals like Froot Loops and Frosted Flakes. It also diversifies Ferrero’s offerings amid soaring cocoa costs. The acquisition, expected to close in the second half of 2025, follows Ferrero’s recent purchase of Bomb Pops and aligns with its ongoing push into high-profile American brands. WK Kellogg has struggled post-spinoff, making the deal a potential turnaround opportunity.

🛒 Walmart Tops 2025 U.S. Retail Rankings as Market Consolidation Deepens. Walmart leads the National Retail Federation’s 2025 Top 100 Retailers list with $568.7 billion in U.S. sales, ahead of Amazon, as the sector stabilizes amid shifting consumer habits and trade volatility. While the top 13 retailers remained largely unchanged, deeper trends show how supply chain agility, digital transformation, and value-focused strategies are separating leaders from laggards. Retail consolidation is intensifying, inventory and sourcing complexity are growing, and freight partners must continue to stay agile as logistics strategies evolve to meet the demands of fewer, but more dominant retail companies.

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Laid Off? Good. Now You're Dangerous.

Increasingly tighter margins. Broker closures. Industry layoffs. And why this might be the best thing that’s ever happened to you.

"I didn’t want to get let go. But I’m glad I did."

That’s how Ari Levy opens his story, one that’s becoming all too common in freight.

After years in the brokerage world, he found himself jobless. But instead of scrambling back into the market, he built something new: Landing Talent & Advisory. His message? A layoff might be your greatest leverage play if you’re willing to use it.

Layoffs are sweeping through freight again, and it’s hitting brokers hard.

3,100 Brokerages Closed in 2024 Alone

If you’ve been laid off in the last year, you’re not alone.

According to Brush Pass Research, 3,104 freight brokerages deactivated in 2024, with thousands more failing in 2023.

That’s over 5,500 closures in two years, a 17% net drop in active brokerages.

And in the broader freight sector? Nearly 8,800 jobs have been slashed since January 2025, hitting carriers, 3PLs, and warehouse operators across the U.S. and Mexico.

From Laid Off to Lethal

Here is what Ari advises in case you get let go:

1. Trust your gut. If things aren't going well, you can feel it. Listen to what your body is telling you and start preparing your resume, and reach out to some potential employers.
2. Take a break. We spend most of our time working. Take your much-needed break. Take a trip, take a staycation, or go do something during the day where you live. Reset and refocus for however long that may be, given your own situation.
3. Tap your network. If a remote sales job is posted on LinkedIn, you can expect 100 applicants in an hour, with 99 of them likely not being qualified. Reach out to former coworkers or mutual connections who can help you cut through the noise.
4. Work with a recruiter. There are many great recruiters in the supply chain world (like Landing Talent & Advisory). Imagine having an agent working on your behalf, with no cost to you, the candidate. That's the beauty of recruiters. There is no downside in talking to a recruiter, even if you're employed. Great recruiters, even if they don't have a job for you, will keep an eye out and present your resume as they talk to new companies.

A layoff isn't always a reflection of your body of work. So many logistics companies are struggling at the moment. Don't get too down on it.

• Your skills are real. Just because someone in finance cut your seat doesn’t mean your experience stopped being valuable.
• Freight is relationship-driven. If people trust you, you can build anything. A book. A business. A brand.

My advice: Don’t rush back to safety

Comfort is what got you stuck in the first place. You don’t need to be someone's “employee” right away. You need to build leverage.

Final Words?

Layoffs are brutal, but they’re also a signal. A signal that this market is still shaking out, and that your best move might not be to scramble back into the first open seat.

Ari’s story is a reminder: leverage lives on the other side of a setback. Whether it’s building a new book, launching a niche service, or just taking a pause, this industry is still built on relationships.

And the best ones don’t go away when the job does.

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🌎 AROUND THE FREIGHT WEB

🥇 Top 100 Most Observed Carriers. GenLogs has published its list of the Top 100 Most Observed Carriers. Walmart is at the top of the list, with UPS coming in at the number 2 spot.

🌐 35% Tariff on Canada? President Trump has proposed a 35% tariff on Canadian imports, while Canada is weighing retaliatory tariffs of 15–20% on other U.S. goods. The escalation raises fresh concerns over North American trade stability.

🔌 Copper Theft Surges. Organized theft rings are targeting copper shipments by the truckload as the value of the metal climbs, prompting shippers to reassess security measures amid rising losses across supply chains.

🥤 Holding Margin Lines. PepsiCo continues to offset declining sales volumes with higher pricing. Executives say strategic cost controls and brand strength have helped maintain margins in the current challenging retail environment.

⚖️ $1.5M Tax Fraud. Dantavious Jackson has pleaded guilty to a $1.5 million tax fraud scheme involving false filings by unregistered “ghost preparers,” defrauding the IRS from June 2022 through August 2023.

🎣 THE FREIGHT CAVIAR CORNER

• Manifest 2026: FreightCaviar community, tap into massive savings on Manifest 2026. Get registered now and save $1100 on your attendance price. Click here for details.
• FreightCaviar Podcast: On this week’s episode, we chat with Sushanth Raman, ex-Google PM and now Founder & CEO of Pallet, the AI operating system for freight. Fresh off a $27M raise, Raman shares what’s getting automated next in logistics and why falling behind on tech isn’t an option. Catch it on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.
• Freight Broker Group Chat: Lost a load to a ghost MC? Just discovered a 15-layer carrier spoof ring? Come swap war stories, drop memes, and ask the stuff no one wants to post on LinkedIn. Join us on forum.freightcaviar.com

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