How Embark Completed 100% of Retail Orders During Peak Season Because of DCL Logistics’ Direct EDI Management

Embark pioneered the most accurate dog DNA test. As an independent brand founded by dog-loving scientists and veterinarians, Embark is focused on one mission: being the trusted partner that transforms the way humans care for dogs. Their rapid omnichannel growth—including an expanding presence in Chewy and Petco, and product collaborations with industry brands—demands a level of fulfillment precision and responsiveness that protects both their premium brand and their fast-moving supply chain. 

To manage this complexity, Embark relies on DCL Logistics for high-touch kitting, expert retail fulfillment, and direct EDI integration that keeps every sales channel flowing smoothly. 

Director of Supply Chain at Embark, Jon Jangro says, “Having our EDI internally managed by DCL was huge for us. We didn’t have to deal with third parties who promise 90 days and actually take 150. DCL’s EDI experts fix issues immediately.”

“It was huge for us—DCL helped us capture critical peak sales. From our perspective, everything was smooth, DCL kept overtime to a minimum, and our customers saw zero impact.”

The Challenge: Unexpected Retail Surge Just Before Peak Season 

As Embark ramped up inventory for Amazon Prime Day and the holiday season, two major retail accounts placed larger-than-usual orders a month earlier than they forecasted. Jon says, “The pinch point was when Chewy placed a huge surprise order—300% more than normal—and we didn’t have the inventory. We were worried about showing out of stock on Amazon.” 

Embark was worried about losing Amazon FBA sales, missing revenue during their most critical sales period, and potentially getting docked by Amazon for lapse in on-hand inventory.   

Few 3PLs can maintain seamless performance across retail and marketplace channels without overextending labor or passing higher fulfillment costs back to the brand. Jon says, “It was huge for us—DCL helped us capture critical peak sales. From our perspective, everything was smooth, DCL kept overtime to a minimum, and our customers saw zero impact.”

The Solution: High-Touch Fulfillment and Direct EDI Support  

DCL manages hundreds of EDI connections daily, a product of DCL’s 40-year history in B2B distribution. With direct EDI support, DCL acts as an extension of the Embark team, and retail orders are seen and processed immediately.  

Jon says, “DCL understands the nuances of what we need to prep ahead of time. We make sure we know what’s needed, and DCL communicates what they can and can’t do. DCL’s level of communication has been extremely important to us. The relationship we have built is huge.”  

With constant communication and a proactive strategy, DCL quickly repositioned inventory, executed a large fast-turn kitting project, and protected Embark’s performance across every channel. Here’s how DCL made it happen.

1. Direct EDI Management for Retail Speed and Accuracy

Because DCL manages Embark’s EDI internally—not through a third-party provider—orders from Chewy, Petco, and large DTC partners were handled instantly and accurately. This means no delays in processing, and full transparency on timing for both Embark and the retailer. Direct EDI is Embark’s fast-pass to order resolution.

Jon says, “EDI is a really important automation for our business.  It’s the original reason we started working with DCL—their internal EDI capability makes sure that we aren’t losing business just because of some random connection error. DCL’s EDI specialists have been really important to make sure that our business is flowing.”  

2. Capacity to Rapidly Scale Kitting for Retail Orders

Embark products have multiple components to their packaging that need to be placed exactly right to ensure the customer gets a perfect product. To do this accurately, especially for retail orders at scale, they need high-touch kitting, sometimes for thousands of orders turned around quickly.

DCL’s proven track record of quality fulfillment at scale allows them to orchestrate bulk assembly to meet Embark’s retail needs—without compromising other sales channels. It all comes down to accurate forecasting, pre-planning and real-time communication; and the result is zero errors across thousands of retail units and really happy customers. 

3. Intelligent Inventory Movement Across Facilities

The DCL team was able to quickly reposition inventory to balance Embark orders to Amazon, DTC, and retail demand. DCL’s flexibility—supported by six strategically located U.S. facilities and a comprehensive inventory management platform—gives Embark the resilience and capacity they need.

Jon says, “We’re in those funny teenage years of growth where order volume can swing dramatically month to month. DCL has the room for expansion; their flexibility is going to be huge as we grow.”

The Results: Zero Stockouts and 100% On-Time Fulfillment 

Despite massive changes in retail demand at the busiest time of year, Embark was able to avoid stockouts entirely, complete 100% of orders in full, all with zero customer impact and minimal operational overtime. 

The net positive is that Embark captured significant incremental revenue that otherwise would have been missed. The high-touch service translates to customers across all channels who have a great experience with Embark, ensuring they want to come back for more.  

Why Embark Continues to Choose DCL: Scalable Fulfillment for a Fast-Growing Brand 

When growing a retail business, order volume can ebb and flow from month to month. It’s imperative to have a fulfillment partner who can scale up or down to meet that capacity. This allows a brand to meet the needs of their retail customers with precision, keep their margins steady, and have the room to iterate on their products or test growth strategies.   

DCL brings high-touch service and tech-forward operations—including internal EDI and precise inventory management tools—to help Embark scale their retail volume, even with intricate kitting and complex packaging needs.  

Both DCL and Embark have a strong, long-term relationship, built on operational flexibility, consistent communication, and transparency.  

Jon says, “DCL is willing to roll with the punches. In my experience with other 3PLs, DCL has a little bit more room for expansion. That flexibility is going to be huge as we try and figure out the next growing pains. DCL working with us and rolling with those punches is going to be really important as we grow.”

About Embark  

Embark Veterinary, Inc. is a global leader in dog health and genetics that is transforming the way humans care for dogs. Starting with the most accurate dog DNA test in the industry, Embark offers the world’s best products and services to help pet parents strengthen their bonds with the dogs in their lives. Dog lovers can dig into their dog’s breed, ancestry, and health. An official research partner of Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Embark believes the bond between humans and dogs brings the world joy and can be strengthened and extended through the power of science. 

Learn about your pup’s breed, health, traits, and more with the most accurate and comprehensive dog DNA test available.