Michael Costa

Value Proposition

September 16, 2021

US Foods has earned our Foodservice Distributor of the Year Award not by going about its business as usual during perhaps the most un-usual time for foodservice in decades, but by transforming itself into a multi-faceted solutions source for its 300,000 clients to access anytime. The company’s longtime tagline is “We Help You Make It”, and that took on a whole new meaning in 2020.

US Foods 2021 Foodservice Distributor of the Year

2021 Foodservice Distributor of the Year: US Foods

How US Foods delivered crucial business solutions to its customers during foodservice’s most challenging year.

Michael Costa

September 14, 2021

At this time last year, we at Refrigerated & Frozen Foods decided to put our annual Foodservice Distributor of the Year Award on hold. The COVID-19 pandemic precipitated unprecedented shutdowns in foodservice—restaurants, hotels, schools, caterers, stadiums, and other volume venues—leaving behind thousands of shuttered businesses. To put it lightly, there was very little to celebrate in foodservice last year.

Cold Technology Showcase: Refrigeration Controls & Equipment

Michael Costa

August 10, 2021

See what's trending in refrigeration controls and equipment for cold foods facilities.

New Equipment for Cold Foods Packaging

Michael Costa

August 5, 2021

New packaging solutions for cold foods.

Are We There Yet?

Michael Costa

August 5, 2021

As we enter the mid-point of 2021 in an increasingly post-pandemic cold chain, the industry destination on many minds is “The New Normal”. Are we there yet? Editor-in-Chief Michael Costa says the short-term answer is no, and the long-term answer might be the same.

Frigid Five: Best New Frozen Retail Products Winners

These chilly champions outpaced a field of 20 contenders through a combination of on-trend innovation and category-focused strategy.

Michael Costa

July 29, 2021

Refrigerated & Frozen Foods has hosted a Best New Retail Products Contest since 2013, but 2021 is the first time we’ve split frozen and refrigerated products into separate annual competitions. The first leg this year was for frozen foods, and after a month of voting throughout April, our top five was set based on vote totals from the public.

Leadership Lessons from Women in Supply Chain Management

Advice from three industry veterans for women wanting to grow their careers in this always-evolving industry.

Michael Costa

July 27, 2021

Traditionally, one overlooked and underutilized labor pool has been women. The industry has been a male-dominated field for decades, but the need for additional help today has put women in a better situation to start a cold chain career.

Constructing Cold Facilities with AGVs in Mind

Long-term strategies for AGV use to help alleviate the labor crunch.

Michael Costa

July 21, 2021

The ongoing labor crisis along the cold chain has necessitated a number of changes throughout the industry to keep up with record demand for goods.

The 2021 State of the Industry Report: A Mid-Year Snapshot

Continued growth and a new set of challenges for the post-pandemic cold chain in 2021.

Michael Costa

July 16, 2021

At this time last year, those working along the cold chain were collectively trying to figure out how to navigate daily—sometimes hourly—changes and disruptions to business in the middle of a pandemic. Today, as the pandemic wanes in the U.S., a new set of challenges exist, but the industry is better prepared and positioned to overcome many of those obstacles.