A method of managing an inventory of a large plurality of individual portions of a perishable food product, comprising: providing a distribution conveyor having a first side, a second side, a centerline therebetween, a proximal end to receive a source stream of a perishable product, a distal end to discharge a tail stream of the perishable product from the distribution conveyor, and one or more controllably adjustable side-discharging flow control valves (22, 24) intermediate the proximal end and the distal end of the distribution conveyor, each of the one or more controllably adjustable side-discharging flow control valves being controllably adjustable to discharge from an opening in a rotatable sleeve, from the first side of the distribution conveyor, a controllable portion of the source stream of product to a corresponding receiving structure (23, 25) that is disposed below each of the one or more controllably adjustable side-discharging flow control valves; providing a recirculation conveyor having a proximal end, disposed proximal to the distal end of the distribution conveyor to receive the tail stream that is discharged from the distal end of the distribution conveyor, and a distal end positioned to discharge the tail stream of product from the recirculation conveyor onto a redeposit section of the distribution conveyor, the redeposit section of the distribution conveyor being intermediate the proximal end of the distribution conveyor and a nearest of the one or more controllably adjustable side-discharging flow control valves and laterally offset from the centerline of the redistribution conveyor towards the first side of the distribution conveyor; activating the distribution conveyor to move at least a portion of the source stream of the perishable product that is received at the proximal end of the distribution conveyor through the one or more controllably adjustable side-discharging flow control valves (22, 24) and to the distal end of the distribution conveyor for discharge to the proximal end of the recirculation conveyor; activating the recirculation conveyor to move the tail stream received at the proximal end of the recirculation conveyor to the distal end for discharge to the redeposit section of the distribution conveyor; conveying the tail stream along the distribution conveyor to the one or more controllably adjustable side-discharging flow control valves (22, 24); and discharging the tail stream to the one or more receiving structures (23, 25). providing a distribution conveyor having a first side, a second side, a centerline therebetween, a proximal end to receive a source stream of a perishable product, a distal end to discharge a tail stream of the perishable product from the distribution conveyor, and one or more controllably adjustable side-discharging flow control valves (22, 24) intermediate the proximal end and the distal end of the distribution conveyor, each of the one or more controllably adjustable side-discharging flow control valves being controllably adjustable to discharge from an opening in a rotatable sleeve, from the first side of the distribution conveyor, a controllable portion of the source stream of product to a corresponding receiving structure (23, 25) that is disposed below each of the one or more controllably adjustable side-discharging flow control valves; providing a recirculation conveyor having a proximal end, disposed proximal to the distal end of the distribution conveyor to receive the tail stream that is discharged from the distal end of the distribution conveyor, and a distal end positioned to discharge the tail stream of product from the recirculation conveyor onto a redeposit section of the distribution conveyor, the redeposit section of the distribution conveyor being intermediate the proximal end of the distribution conveyor and a nearest of the one or more controllably adjustable side-discharging flow control valves and laterally offset from the centerline of the redistribution conveyor towards the first side of the distribution conveyor; activating the distribution conveyor to move at least a portion of the source stream of the perishable product that is received at the proximal end of the distribution conveyor through the one or more controllably adjustable side-discharging flow control valves (22, 24) and to the distal end of the distribution conveyor for discharge to the proximal end of the recirculation conveyor; activating the recirculation conveyor to move the tail stream received at the proximal end of the recirculation conveyor to the distal end for discharge to the redeposit section of the distribution conveyor; conveying the tail stream along the distribution conveyor to the one or more controllably adjustable side-discharging flow control valves (22, 24); and discharging the tail stream to the one or more receiving structures (23, 25).