Supply Chain Logistics for Refrigerated & Frozen Food

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Varcode, the maker of patented digital, time and temperature sensitive supply chain solutions, announced today it closed its most recent round of funding with a syndicate of investors. The infusion of capital gives Varcode the ability to expand and fully commercialize its solution amidst growing demand and additional use cases.

Amid a devastating pandemic that’s crippling economies worldwide, here’s a Port of Oakland (Port) bright spot: meat exports to Asia. the Port said today its meat exports jumped 26% in the first quarter of 2020 over Q1 2019. The Port said it now controls 42% of the market for meat exports leaving U.S. West Coast ports. Its nearest competitor, the Port of Long Beach, has 31% of the market.

Lineage Logistics (Lineage), the world’s largest provider of temperature-controlled logistics solutions, announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Henningsen Cold Storage Co. (Henningsen). Lineage was founded by and continues to be managed by Bay Grove. The strategic acquisition adds to the company’s expansive U.S. facility network and bolsters its presence in the Pacific Northwest, with the addition of 14 facilities across Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Pennsylvania, North Dakota and Oklahoma. Financial terms of the transactions were not disclosed.

The Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA) released first-quarter data showing the general major cost structure of operating refrigerated warehouses. The cost of labor was once again the largest share of expenses, followed by property rent/lease/mortgage costs.

The closures of restaurants, hotels, and schools have left growers with heaps of fresh produce without a destination. With crops often grown exclusively for the foodservice industry, growers who produce crops with a large percentage of production destined for this vital market segment are faced with incredible challenges amidst COVID-19 closures. 

Conveyco Technologies, one of the premier order fulfillment and distribution center systems integrators in North America, announces their strategic partnership with Geek+, a global provider of smart logistics solutions that utilizes advanced robotics and artificial intelligence technologies, to help support organizations across North America. According to Interact Analysis, Geek+ is the No. 1 supplier of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) in the world with 10% market share.

As businesses reopen and face an influx of new labor, Hyster-Yale Group announces the availability of free lift truck operator training video content for supply chains adapting to the effects of COVID-19. The giveaway offer is meant to help businesses adhere to current health and safety protocols as they onboard the necessary labor to keep operations moving as the economy reopens.

“The average restaurateur makes about 4 cents for every dollar, and now with decreased traffic and increased costs, it’s even more challenging for them,” says Jim Osborne of US Foods--one of the giants of foodservice distribution to restaurants, hotels, catering, schools and more. On the latest From the Cold Corner Podcast, I talk with Osborne about US Foods’ latest initiative—the Restaurant Reopening Blueprint—to help restaurateurs navigate new guidelines for service, staffing, and customer behavior due to coronavirus.

As states prepare to reopen across the country, the Consumer Brands Association called on Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to prioritize supply chain performance and resiliency by developing a National Supply Chain Index and Performance Dashboard.

The North Carolina State Ports Authority set a new record for refrigerated container volume. North Carolina Ports moved 1,459 refrigerated containers--2,918 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units)--through the Port of Wilmington during the month of April.