All thawed out
Bananas for all is something that Chiquita takes very seriously. Its ongoing partnership with Daikin Reefer has been holding strong since 2018. That’s nearly six years of collaboration to give bananas to the world, more specifically North America. Chiquita uses Daikin’s ZeSTIA reefer units, which Chiquita says are unmatched for reliability and performance. As a bonus, the units help reduce carbon dioxide emissions while preserving the bananas’ freshness.
According to a news release, “Bananas, ranked as the world’s fourth most crucial food crop, are highly susceptible to changes in their environment and require meticulous cold supply chain conditions during transportation. Recognizing this, Chiquita has progressively expanded its fleet of Daikin Reefer units. Presently, about half of the ZeSTIA units in Great White Fleet’s equipment are supported with Daikin CA (controlled atmosphere) technology.”
Chiquita operates a shipping fleet through ocean carrier Great White Fleet.
Temperature checks
Big developments are coming to the cold storage warehouse world. Conveyco has created a new line of frozen, chilled and ambient autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). These robots provide order fulfillment, replenishment, transportation, and storage and retrieval for environmentally controlled warehouses. The robots are designed to save on labor, forklifts and floor space – a huge jump into the world of automation.
Not all cold storage warehousing is created equal. With varying temperatures and products under one roof, there is finally a solution that should work for them all. Whether a robot is going from frozen to refrigerated, this is a way to help staff not have to go through the different environments.
According to the news release: “The technology [can] operate in frozen environments as low as minus 13 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 25 degrees Celsius) and in ambient temperatures up to 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius) while carrying loads up to 2,645 pounds (1,200 kilograms). Additionally, the robotic solutions integrated by Conveyco can move in and out of varying temperatures without condensation build up.”
Food and drugs
Since there is a special day for everything, such as World Plumbing Day, National Dream Day or the Ides of March, it’s only fitting that frozen food, a $365 billion industry, gets an entire month. March is National Frozen Food Month. Frozen Food Day, which was March 6, was first proclaimed in 1984 by President Ronald Reagan. The purpose is a day to learn about the history of frozen foods as well as eat some frozen food.
The goal behind this observance is to help educate consumers about the benefits of frozen food. A common misconception is that frozen food isn’t good for you or is even wildly unhealthy. That isn’t the case. Nothing is stopping you from buying a frozen Pepperidge Farm Cake and eating it in one sitting, but more commonly there are frozen fruits and vegetables and other convenience foods that are a healthier alternative to an entire frozen cake.
Not only that, but frozen foods help reduce food waste. Americans waste 25% of the food they buy, and given that grocery prices haven’t hit the ceiling, that’s painful to hear. Plus, 40% of all food is wasted. Since every special month deserves a celebration, I’m off to the freezer aisle.
Cold chain lanes
SONAR Tickers: ROTVI.ATL, ROTRI.ATL
This week, our focus turns to Atlanta, known as the birthplace of Coca-Cola and a bustling hub of freight activity. Despite its reputation as a dynamic market, Atlanta’s reefer outbound tender volumes have shown remarkable stability, with a decrease of less than 1% compared to the previous week. This steadiness extends to capacity, with no significant fluctuations, and reefer rejection rates have remained almost unchanged week over week.
This data suggests that Atlanta’s market has reached equilibrium, exhibiting flat rejection rates and a stable flow of reefer outbound tender volumes. This indicates a market that has settled into a state of calm and predictability.
Despite being one of the busiest markets in the U.S., Atlanta currently boasts readily available capacity and relatively low spot rates. This scenario aligns with the market’s stable conditions, reflecting a balance between supply and demand.
Is SONAR for you? Check it out with a demo!
Shelf life
Morgan truck body announces the acquisition of Transit Truck Bodies Inc.
PERDUE launches ‘The Wing Sleeve’ to help chicken-loving basketball fans avoid elbow fatigue
Oceanic Foods Limited announces expansion of cold storage facility
I’ve Finally Embraced the Glory of Frozen Meals — And Here Are My Absolute Favorites
Wanna chat in the cooler? Shoot me an email with comments, questions or story ideas at moconnell@freightwaves.com.
See you on the internet.
Mary
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