Fresh food logistics: keeping an eye on the cold chain at all times
Sophisticated logistics are needed to bring fresh fish or fruit and vegetables grown further away to the consumer. Fresh food logistics, also known as refrigerated logistics, essentially ensures that the entire transportation and storage process is guaranteed in accordance with the required cold chain. The aim is not to fall below or exceed a predefined temperature range. Typically, these temperature ranges are continuously monitored in fresh logistics.
Vital for fresh food logistics: a refrigerated warehouse
A great deal of planning is required for logistics processes to mesh effectively and run within the respective time frames. A key aspect of this is cold storage, which must meet certain requirements (temperature, humidity, etc.). In the processing of fish, for example, there are intermediate storage facilities that ensure that the fish can be transported away and onwards according to certain specifications (temperature, drying, cooling, etc.).
Due to the frequent cross-border transports, permanent digital monitoring is necessary, for example in order to ensure that the goods are transported in a safe manner or to reduce lay time to a minimum. This also includes route guidance coordinated in real time. Only motor vehicles, so-called refrigerated vans, are used. Many producers also rely on reusable crates, which simplify order picking. They are constructed in such a way that fish, for example, are permanently under ice and any condensation is able to drain off.
Other aspects that must be taken into account:
- Reduction in throughput times
- Transparent traceability (e.g. SSCC in the food sector)
- Flexible storage capacities
- Energy efficiency of the cooling systems
- Higher storage density due to upward expansion
- Prevention of icing and condensation
- Further automation, e.g. through weight checks etc.
Important: Fresh food logistics also requires the use of modern storage and shelving technology specially designed for the intended purpose, as (partially) automated intralogistics is also increasingly being used here. So-called deep-freeze high-bay warehouses form the basic element of temperature-oriented logistics, where special storage and retrieval machines are also used.
