All about cold chain.
Hello and welcome to the coolest community in the cargo industry! Here you’ll find the latest in warehouse news, technology developments, and all things Reefer Madness. I’m Mary O’Connell, your thermostat controller. Thank you for inviting me!
I unzipped everything
(Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)
Walmart made some bold decisions. Instead of locating a new milk processing facility in the Upper Midwest, in the heart of dairy country, he decided to open a store in Valdosta, Georgia. A bold choice. Knowing Walmart, there is a reason for the move to the South. The reason could be increased access to Walmart and Sam’s Club stores in the Southeast.
The new facility will focus on milk processing and create 400 jobs in the Valdosta community. The service will be available at more than 750 Walmart and Sam’s Club stores. This is Walmart’s second dedicated milk processing plant, the first being in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Walmart is considering similar measures for other products. In addition to partnering with rancher Sustainable Beef LLC, the company is working to build two case beef facilities in Georgia and Kansas.
Body temperature check
(Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)
Massachusetts-based Cold Chain Technologies is once again growing internationally. The acquisition is Exeltainer, an international thermal packaging company based in Spain and Brazil. This is Cold Chain Technologies’ third acquisition since it was acquired by Aurora Capital in 2019.
“Exceltainer has developed a portfolio of superior solutions that meet the stringent compliance requirements of our pharmaceutical customers around the world,” Cold Chain CEO Ranjeet Banerjee said in a press release.
Here in the United States, cold storage space is also growing in Portland, Maine. One year after breaking ground, construction is accelerating on a 107,000-square-foot warehouse on Portland’s shores. The project will begin in about a year, with some changes from the original planned date. It is stagnant due to underground and resident problems. They’re not big fans of this project.
The new facility is also expected to meet the needs of Icelandic shipping company Eimskip and businesses in Maine. It would restore some of the roughly $2 billion worth of seafood exported from the East Coast that bypasses Portland.
food and medicine
(Photo: Business Wire)
The man who gave us the show “Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern” displayed a talent for something a little less bizarre. Zimmern has developed a unique frozen entrée that doesn’t seem inherently novel. His meals focus on comfort food and the convenience of not having to wait more than 45 minutes for his meatloaf to be cooked.
His meals include pulled pork mac and cheese, meatloaf, turkey dinner, Swedish meatballs, and more. Personally, I love a good roasted turkey, but I hate waiting several hours to cook a whole turkey, so turkey dinners intrigue me the most.
“These frozen meals are the result of years of exploration, passion, and dedication to the art of cooking,” says Zimmern. “Whether you enjoy the comforting aromas of pulled pork mac & cheese or the rich flavor of Swedish meatballs, each dish tells a story of authentic flavor and family. “By Andrew Zimmern” Frozen Entrees allow you to enjoy chef-quality comfort food without the stress. ”
cold chain lane
(SONAR ticker: ROTVI.DSM, ROTRI.DSM)
This week’s SONAR Market is Des Moines, Iowa. Reefer’s outbound bid rejections increased by 203 basis points from the previous week, bringing his ROTRI to 15.84%. If the rejection rate is above his 10%, it indicates that spot rates in the market are rising, so much above that should result in favorable rates for carriers. Shippers should expect a significant amount of contract cargo to be rejected and forced into the spot market.
Is SONAR right for you? Check it out with a demo!
shelf life
Curse of Thawed Roadma and Management of Refrigerated Assets
Conagra brand focuses on finding the ‘sweet spot’ as consumer demands change
Constellation Cold Logistics signs agreement to acquire Colso Coldstorage
California does not ban Skittles, but restricts four additives
California once again told the court that AB5 does not interfere with trucking within the state.
Would you like to chat in the cooler? If you have any comments, questions or story ideas, please email moconnell@freightwaves.com.
See you on the internet.
mary
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