What is fresh food logistics?
Definition: Fresh food logistics refers to the organization, management, and monitoring of the transport and storage of perishable goods while maintaining defined temperature and quality standards. It is also known as cold chain logistics.
What tasks and processes exist in fresh food logistics?
Fresh food logistics ensures that perishable products such as fish, fruits, vegetables, or pharmaceuticals are not under- or overcooled during transport and storage. Core components include cold storage facilities, refrigerated vehicles, frozen high-bay warehouses, and specialized storage and racking systems. Digital sensors measure temperature, humidity, and storage duration in real time and feed the data into ERP or logistics systems, allowing deviations to be detected immediately and corrective actions to be taken.
Other key aspects of fresh food logistics include:
- Reduction of throughput times
- Flexible storage capacities and higher storage density
- Energy efficiency of cooling systems
- Automation of processes, e.g., temperature and weight monitoring
- Prevention of icing and condensation
Conclusion
Fresh food logistics requires precise planning, specialized storage and transport technology, as well as digital monitoring. It ensures product quality, minimizes losses, and guarantees efficient supply chains for perishable goods.
