Hello, and welcome to the coolest community in freight! Here you’ll find the latest information on warehouse news, tech developments and all things reefer madness-related. I’m your controller of the thermostat, Mary O’Connell. Thanks for having me!

All thawed out

The Midwest got a little more neighborly after South Dakota-based Vertical Cold Storage acquired Indianapolis-based MWCold. While the financial terms of the deal are left to the best guesses, Vertical Cold Storage has acquired about 550,000 square feet of temperature-controlled warehousing space for food, pharmaceuticals and manufacturing. 

Indianapolis being home to a few interstates drew Vertical’s attention as that proximity to interstates enables greater two-day-or-less service to more than 75% of the U.S. and Canada. Vertical now has warehousing and distribution centers in Chicago; Dallas; Omaha, Nebraska; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Miami. My prediction is that the West Coast is up next in its acquisition plan.

Temperature checks

In-flight cocktails are about to level up. Tower Cold Chain has developed a new product for onboard catering containers. These new containers can maintain fresh and frozen temperatures without needing dry ice. This development is more than just extra ice in your cocktail friendly. By not having to use dry ice and having a better grasp on the temperature, airlines can keep the meals for long-haul flights fresher and provide better options. 

According to the American Journal of Transportation, “This upgrade gives airlines and rail operators the ability to serve ice on return flights or long train routes without the need to restock. The clever and simple design means a single trolley can hold consumables needing two different temperatures.”

Not to be outdone by the air, Canadian Pacific Kansas City has expanded its offering as well  — not in the way of drinks carts and food but in the way of cross-border freight to Mexico. The company is adding 1,000 53-foot refrigerated intermodal containers to its lineup. This development goes hand in hand with the company’s new Mexico Midwest Express, the daily premium single-line intermodal rail service running between the U.S. Midwest and Mexico. The new express service will benefit temperature-controlled shippers in Chicago, Kansas City, Missouri, and Laredo, Texas, and the  Mexican cities of Monterrey and San Luis Potosi. Given that Monterrey is quickly becoming the home for manufacturers for a significant amount of U.S.-based companies, this express service is bound to take off in the coming years. 

In FreightWaves’ Noi Mahoney’s article, Jonathan Wahba, CPKC senior vice president of sales and marketing, said, “Since being launched, MMX has provided truck competitive service, delivering exactly what we promised and executing what many said could not be done. We’re providing customers with the fastest transit times in the rail industry and this expansion of our state-of-the-art reefer equipment gives more customers the solution they need to convert to rail.”

Food and drugs

Capitalizing on the increased demand for frozen food is the company Blender Bites. Already a freezer aisle native, the company is looking at expanding its offerings. Currently Blender Bites specializes in smoothies. Toss a “puck” in a blender or shaker bottle with liquid, blend or shake and enjoy its solution for a more convenient smoothie with extra vitamins and nutrients. 

It’s now  bringing that to coffee. 1-Step Frappé is designed to offer a nutritious and convenient beverage for health-conscious consumers. These frappés contain collagen, lion’s mane, iced coffee, 90 milligrams  of caffeine and a combo of 12 vitamins and minerals. The new flavors are Mindful Mocha (improved memory and focus), Caramel Collagen (skin and joint support) and Vanilla Bean-Bio (gut health). 

As someone who doesn’t drink coffee, I’m looking to you guys to try these bad boys out and give them the thumbs up or down.

Cold chain lanes

This week’s SONAR chart takes a glimpse into the Savannah, Georgia, market. Reefer outbound tender rejections in Savannah have fallen 843 basis points week over week (w/w). Seeing as how the beginning of May started with contracted rejections around 35%, falling to 19.51%, after a holiday weekend, is a welcome change, especially in the spot rate department. Rejections near 20% do still signal inflated spot rates, but it’s a lot better than almost 40% rejections. Reefer outbound tender volumes have taken a different approach and actually rose 55% w/w. Those are the moves we love to see, volume returning to the market, albeit for a short time. 

Is SONAR for you? Check it out with a demo!

Shelf life

Ryder Named Among Food Logistics’ Top 3PL & Cold Storage Providers to Food & Beverage Industry for 11th Consecutive Year

Volta Trucks Chooses Petit Forestier for Refrigerated Customer Rental Solutions

UB Consulting: Will Chicken Be the Winner in a Potential Economic Downturn?

Frozen food startup rebrands, expands

Wanna chat in the cooler? Shoot me an email with comments, questions or story ideas at [email protected]

See you on the internet.

Mary

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