Made In Cookware

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Made In Cookware Streamlines Order Fulfillment With On-Demand Labor

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In today’s hyper-competitive consumer landscape, speed and quality are critical differentiators. Customers expect fast delivery and a flawless unboxing experience—without exception. For Made In Cookware, a premium brand that provides restaurant-quality cookware to both culinary professionals and home chefs, meeting those expectations profitably is non-negotiable.

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That’s why, when the team decided to bring fulfillment in-house after previously relying on a 3PL, they reimagined their entire operational strategy.

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Their goal was clear: maintain industry-leading turnaround times, scale dynamically with demand, and reinvest labor cost savings into innovation and growth. To achieve this, they partnered with Veryable to embed on-demand labor at the heart of their Selma, Texas distribution center (DC).

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*some quotes have been altered slightly to enhance clarity

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Restructuring Operations with On-Demand Labor At The Center

Made In launched its Selma, TX distribution center in January 2023. The shift from a Kentucky-based third-party logistics provider (3PL) to in-house fulfillment was a bold move aimed at improving service quality, owning the customer experience, and gaining greater operational control. But it came with one major challenge: how to staff a fulfillment center for a business characterized by intense seasonality and project-based workflows, without overcommitting to fixed labor costs.

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Rather than building a large, static full-time team, Made In structured its new facility around a lean, agile model. Just three full-time employees—all in management roles—support the entire operation. The rest of the workforce? Sourced dynamically through Veryable’s on-demand labor marketplace.

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“It was more just as we built this business, trying to figure out where we were gonna source our labor from,” explained Wilson Duke, Warehouse Director at Made In. “Veryable approached us, and their on-demand model felt like a very 2023 solution. We gave it a try—and it just kept working.”

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Scaling Up—And Down—With Ease

Made In’s partnership with Veryable began with a small kitting project, which proved to be the perfect test case. The bid received a strong response, operators arrived on time, and the team knocked out the project efficiently. This early success helped the team feel confident in moving forward with the platform.

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“We started out small and quickly saw the value,” said Albert Kelly, Outbounds Manager. “Now we can ramp up to 30 operators a day if needed—and ramp right back down when we don’t.”

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Made In’s DC now leverages a flexible labor pool of more than 60 trained operators, 20 of whom are used on a weekly basis and have become embedded members of the operational rhythm. This labor pool model allows the company to respond precisely to daily needs, forecasted spikes, or project-based demand such as:

• Holiday season order surges (Christmas, Memorial Day, Labor Day, etc.)

• Kitting projects for promotional or bundled products

• Labeling and reboxing inventory

• Product launches or flash sale fulfillment pushes

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“We definitely see volume changes from ecomm spikes and special projects,” said Kelly. “It’s great to be able to pull in extra operators for specific tasks—and then release them once the job is done. There’s no long-term cost drag.”

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Training and Culture—Without Compromise

One of the biggest early concerns for Made In was training. Would on-demand workers require too much onboarding? Would they understand the nuances of a high-velocity fulfillment environment? Would they align with the company’s culture?

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Those fears quickly faded.

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“That was one of my fears early on—how much training would be needed,” said Duke. “But Veryable reassured us, and they were right. Most operators had warehouse experience. We gave them a quick orientation and they just got to work.”

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In fact, the on-demand model has become so seamless that veteran operators from the Labor Pool now help train new arrivals, freeing up managers to focus on higher-level initiatives.

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“Working with the Veryable operators is just like working with full-time employees,” Duke added. “Some of them have been here since day one. They know how we work, and they help others get up to speed.”

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Cost Control That Fuels Growth

One of the most powerful outcomes of Made In’s new labor strategy has been the impact on cost. By using on-demand labor, the company has kept labor cost per unit exceptionally low—even during peak seasons—while preserving operational agility.

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“It’s all about keeping our cost per unit as low as we possibly can,” said Duke. “With the ability to throttle up and down, we avoid the cost of carrying a large static staff. And that lets us reinvest in other parts of the business—R&D, marketing, equipment.”

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In the past, a business like Made In with high seasonality would have to overhire, then struggle through low-volume months. Now, Made In brings in exactly the number of people needed—no more, no less. When a project or season ends, the labor spend ends with it.

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“It’s a model that just makes sense,” said Kelly. “We don’t have to hold onto excess labor when things slow down. And when we need help fast, it’s just a few clicks away.”

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A Seamless Partnership That Delivers

Made In’s management team describes their relationship with Veryable not as vendor-client—but as a true partnership.

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“It’s been flawless,” said Duke. “We’ve worked with a lot of vendors over the years, and Veryable is by far the most responsive. Whether it’s the local reps or the regional support, they’re always there when we need them. Honestly, they respond faster than some of our equipment vendors.”

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Posting an opportunity is as easy as opening the app and selecting a few settings. Bids roll in quickly, and the team has the flexibility to choose who fits best for the job—whether it’s a large group for peak holiday shipping or a few hands for a light week of relabeling.

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Results That Speak for Themselves

Since launching the Selma facility and embracing an on-demand labor model, Made In has achieved:

• Consistent outperforming of its former 3PL in both speed and accuracy

• Labor cost reductions by eliminating fixed headcount for variable tasks

• A 60+ member Labor Pool trained to operate at high standards with minimal onboarding

• Scalable fulfillment operations that keeps pace with demand without sacrificing margins

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“We treat it as a real partnership—and it’s been a great experience,” said Duke. “Veryable has enabled us to keep our fulfillment fast, our costs low, and our team focused on growing the brand.”

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Conclusion: A Blueprint for the Modern Fulfillment Center

Made In Cookware’s fulfillment center in Selma, TX, is more than just a warehouse—it’s a case study in what operational excellence looks like in the age of eCommerce. By combining agile labor planning with a focused, on-demand workforce, they’ve created a model that delivers fast, scales smart, and keeps overhead in check.

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This isn’t just the future of fulfillment. It’s happening now.

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And it’s working.