A decline in reported food and beverage cargo thefts in 2026 offers limited reassurance after a 2025 surge put the industry on high alert, as shifting targets and evolving theft tactics continue to challenge CPG companies and underscore the need for vigilant monitoring and up-to-date security measures.
Last year, food and beverage cargo thefts in the US and Canada skyrocketed 47% from 2024, with 708 incidents reported – far outpacing the 18% overall increase in cargo thefts overall, from 2,243 to 2,646, according to a report from cargo theft prevention and recovery company Verisk CargoNet. It estimates the losses across all cargo thefts reached nearly $725 million, up 60% from the previous year.
The latest figures suggest the picture is changing.
CargoNet recorded 677 supply-chain theft incidents across the US and Canada in Q2 2026, down 26% from the same period in 2025. But, the incidents involving food and beverage were a mixed bag, according to CargoNet. It found reported theft of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and mixed grocery products fell collectively by 36 events in Q2 of 2026 compared to the same period as last year, but seafood theft increased by 11 events.
Data from risk assessment and management firm Overhaul shows a similar year-over-year decline with overall US cargo thefts, with incidents dropping 5% in the second quarter of this year compared to last. The bad news is, though, it shows an uptick of 5% in Q2 compared to Q1.
Food and drink accounted for 9% of the incidents in the second quarter, but was also down 29% from Q1 2026 and 45% from Q2 2025, it adds.
“The quarterly increase follows the historical pattern in which cargo theft activity rises after the first three months of the year. However, the year-over-year decrease continues the trend first observed in Q1-2026, with both quarters recording lower theft levels than the corresponding period of 2025,” it notes in a recent report.
However, it warns, “the number of reported cargo theft incidents [of all categories in the US] remains among the highest levels recorded during the last decade. The current decline should therefore not be interpreted as a significant reduction in risk, and shippers, carriers and logistics operators should continue to maintain strong security and monitoring measures.”
What are thieves targeting?
While the incidence of food and beverage cargo thefts is down year-over-year, according to data from both CargoNet and Overhaul, the data also shows what products thieves are targeting is more expensive. Where and how the heists occur is also shifting and becoming more sophisticated.
“Lower incident volume should not be mistaken for lower risk,” Keith Lewis, vice president of operations at Verisk CargoNet warned in Q2 report. “The groups driving the largest losses are not necessarily trying to steal more freight; they are trying to identify the right shipment.”
In particular, they are evaluating value, demand and resale opportunity.
Within food and beverage, that translates to an uptick in seafood thefts by 11 events in Q2 2026. The previous year, thieves targeted alcoholic beverages, energy drinks, meat products and tree nuts – including pistachios – primarily, according to Verisk CargoNet.
“The strategic targeting of specific commodities reveals the business-like approach of modern cargo theft operations,” Lewis said in a statement at the time. “These aren’t opportunistic crimes – they are calculated operations targeting goods with the highest illicit-market value and easiest resale potential.”
Coffee, tea, infant formula and snack foods are also attractive targets, according to security provider Amarok’s food and beverage overview.
Where are the hotspots?
Where the heists happened also matters as they reveal potential danger zones to which manufacturers, suppliers and logistics personnel should focus.
Overhaul’s Q2 report places California and Texas as two of the hotspots to watch in the US. It found 34% of the US incidents in the second quarter occurred in California and 18% in Texas.
A deep dive into the “California Red Zone” by Overhaul also revealed food and drinks accounted for 17% of the thefts in the area in the last 12 months through June 2026.
CargoNet also found vulnerabilities for food in the Northeast and West Coast. In 2025, “meat and seafood were heavily targeted in the Northeast, especially in New Jersey, while tree nut thefts were more common on the West Coast,” it reported.
Drilling down, Overhauld found 37% of incidents happened in warehouse and distribution centers, while truck stops and fuel stations accounted for 15% of thefts and rail locations 11%.
How are the thefts being executed, and how is it changing?
How the thefts occur is as diverse as the locations – ranging from crimes of convenience to ones that take detailed planning and leverage AI.
According to Overhaul, “pilferage” – or the theft of cargo from a shipment, rather than taking the entire load – accounted for 46% of incidents nationally in Q2, up from 37% in Q1. While full-truckload theft accounted for 21%, facility theft 16% and deceptive pickup 11%
CargoNet also found “compromised-based schemes” continued at steady levels in 2026. These include business email compromise, which it said is the primary access point for many of Q2’s “most sophisticated cargo theft schemes.”
It adds, “Compromised accounts can provide criminals with access to shipment information, communication systems, contact directories and transportation management tools. That access may enable them to identify high-value shipments, impersonate trusted parties and alter shipment details while appearing legitimate to brokers, carriers, shippers and receivers.”
The shifts in the type of thefts, location and execution suggest a more concentrated cargo theft environment with fewer incidents overall, “but persistent account-compromise and shipment-misdirection activity and greater exposure to extreme losses,” CargoNet concludes.
How can companies protect themselves?
While the threat of cargo theft remains, companies can take action to protect their shipments, according to Overhaul, CargoNet and other stakeholders. They recommend businesses:
- Verify the carrier, driver, vehicle, pickup authorization and last minute changes through independent verified contact details before releasing freight.
- Track the shipment, not just the truck, which means watching for route deviations, unauthorized stops and signal drops.
- Secure staging and storage by reviewing unattended trailers, warehouse and distribution-center procedures, truck-stop exposure, parking and dwell times.
- Establish a response plan before it is needed so that carriers, brokers, logistics teams and security personnel can work with law enforcement quickly to show shipment records and handoff procedures.
The ultimate goal is to combine physical safeguards with identity verification, shipment monitoring and clear response process, rather than relying on a single point to prevent theft.
