A deployable bulk material distribution apparatus for discharging from a designated height an amount of a flowable bulk material into a discharge location is provided. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises an auger section; a bucket elevator section configured so as to be movable between: an upright position; and a reclined position wherein the bucket elevator section is substantially reclined for transport; and a joint assembly coupling the exit aperture of the auger section to the boot inlet of the bucket elevator section so as to allow the flowable bulk material to move from the exit aperture to the boot inlet when the bucket elevator section is in the upright position, the joint assembly being rotatably coupled to the boot inlet. The auger section and container operable to freely move along the bucket elevator section when it is moved between the upright and reclined positions.

In one embodiment, a system has a carousel that has a guiderail that forms a loop that has a loading position and an unloading position. The carousel also has a plurality of buckets, each having an upper end and a lower end. The lower end includes at least one bottom wall that is moveable between (i) a transporting configuration where the at least one bottom wall substantially closes the lower end of the bucket and (ii) a discharge configuration where the at least one bottom wall is moved so as to define an opening in the lower end of the bucket. The buckets are supported by the guiderail such that the buckets can be driven from the loading position towards the unloading position in the transporting configuration. The buckets can be transitioned to the discharge configuration so as to unload inventory items at the unloading position into a packaging material.