Challenges in Cold Chain Logistics for Perishable Goods.
Temperature failures, tracking gaps, and poor record-keeping break the cold chain for perishable goods. Yoghurt spoils when the cooling systems quit. Frozen meals thaw and refreeze without anyone noticing.
Companies often have no idea where their cold shipments are or what conditions they face. When problems finally show up in reports, the damage is already done, and products must be thrown away. These problems waste money, create safety risks, and cause failed inspections.
Infios WMS (formerly known as Körber) helps close those visibility gaps, giving companies control before cold chain failures turn into losses.
Let’s look at the specific challenges and how to solve them.
- Cold chain temperature monitoring linked to warehouse systems catches cooling problems before products spoil, dramatically reducing waste.
- Product handoffs create the biggest cold chain dangers – each transfer between storage and vehicles risks temperature damage.
- Digital systems replace error-filled paper records with automatic documentation that passes inspections and speeds up recalls.
- Warehouse management systems pay for themselves quickly by reducing energy use, preventing spoilage, and making staff more efficient.
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Key Challenges in Managing the Cold Chain for Perishable Goods.
Temperature Fluctuations Across the Supply Chain
Products spoil quickly when cold chain temperatures rise even briefly. Each time refrigerated doors open or cooling systems fail, sensitive goods begin to degrade.
The biggest danger points include:
- Loading docks where outside air meets cold storage
- Transfer hubs where products change vehicles
- Delivery stops with repeated door openings
- Equipment breakdowns during long hauls
Most companies discover these problems too late. A single temperature spike might cut days off shelf life without changing how products look. Smart businesses solve this by connecting temperature sensors directly to their warehouse system. Infios (formerly known as Körber) WMS tracks conditions and alerts staff when readings drift outside safe limits.
Delays and Disruptions Impacting Shelf Life
Shipping delays cut directly into the selling time for date-sensitive products. Every hour stuck in transit means less freshness on store shelves.
Cold chain products operate on tight timelines:
| Product Type | Typical Shelf Life |
|---|---|
| Fresh seafood | 2-5 days |
| Prepared meals | 3-7 days |
| Dairy products | 7-14 days |
| Vaccines | Temperature dependent |
Table 1. graph of different product types and their typical shelf life.
When a truck sits in border checks or traffic for half a day, retailers may reject deliveries or demand heavy discounts. Smart companies build time buffers into schedules and track trouble spots in their Infios WMS to avoid problem areas.
Poor Visibility and Lack of Real-Time Tracking
Tracking gaps make protecting cold chain quality impossible. Some smaller or legacy operations still rely on paper records and phone calls to follow shipments, learning about problems only after delivery.
This creates three major challenges:
- Discovering temperature breaks after products have spoiled
- Struggling to trace affected lots during safety recalls
- Missing pattern data that could prevent future failures
Some businesses solve this by connecting tracking systems with their warehouse software. The right WMS shows exactly where products are and what conditions they face throughout the journey, highlighting issues when there’s still time to save the shipment.
Inadequate Cold Storage Infrastructure
Old warehouses create cold spots, warm zones, and temperature swings that ruin perishable products. Ageing facilities often have serious design problems that newer systems can fix. Door seals leak precious cold air. Poorly arranged racks block airflow. Single temperature zones force different products to share the same conditions regardless of their needs.
The best cold chain companies map their warehouses carefully:
- They track temperature patterns across different areas
- They move sensitive products away from trouble spots
- They upgrade door seals and loading dock barriers
- They reorganise racks to improve air circulation
“Too many cold warehouses, even brand new ones, suffer from a conventional warehouse mindset, treating temperature control as secondary. The result is a chronic design flaw: inadequate thermal separation that lets warm air seep in at doors and docks, undermining the cold chain at its weakest points. To truly protect temperature-sensitive goods, companies must invert their approach; design the building, operations, and technology around an unbroken cold chain. That means everything from insulated, air-locked loading bays to smart sensors and automation, all working together to keep the cold in and the heat out”
— Chris Marsden, Project Delivery Director at Balloon One
Infios (formerly known as Körber) WMS helps manage these facility challenges by tracking each storage location’s conditions – one of the key benefits of using cold storage warehouse management software in temperature-sensitive operations. The system sends workers to check problem areas more often and guides product placement based on each item’s temperature needs.
Regulatory Pressure and Compliance Complexity
Food safety regulations demand perfect records throughout the cold chain. Meat, dairy, and medications each come with their own complex rules. Every temperature change must be logged. Each product batch needs complete traceability. Transport vehicles require certification. Staff training must be documented.
Failed inspections hit businesses hard:
| Compliance Failure | Result |
|---|---|
| Missing temperature logs | Products thrown away |
| Poor batch tracking | Bigger, costlier recalls |
| Incomplete paperwork | Failed audits and fines |
Table 2. table showing different forms of compliance failure and the result.
Paper records often fail during inspections because they contain gaps or errors. Digital systems solve this problem by collecting data automatically. Infios WMS captures every temperature reading, tracks each product batch, and generates complete reports for inspectors – functions that are critical to ensuring food safety in the cold chain through a WMS.
Rising Costs of Cold Chain Operations
Cold storage costs more than regular warehousing because refrigeration uses massive energy and specialised equipment. Cooling systems run constantly. Refrigerated trucks burn extra fuel. Trained staff demand higher wages. Product losses cut directly into profits.
Smart companies use their WMS to tackle these expenses:
- They monitor energy use by area and time
- They schedule deliveries to reduce cooling loss
- They plan maintenance before equipment fails
- They track waste to find and fix problem areas
These improvements pay off quickly by preventing the spoilage that hurts margins most. The right technology solution helps businesses reduce both energy costs and product losses while improving operational efficiency.
Last-Mile Delivery Integrity
Final delivery hurts cold chain products through frequent door openings and temperature changes. Each stop exposes products to outside air. Many items sit on loading docks too long, waiting for receiving staff. Small delivery vans often have weaker cooling systems than large trucks.
The biggest last-mile problems include:
- Repeated door openings that let warm air in
- Products sitting unrefrigerated at delivery points
- Temperature fluctuations between different stops
- Smaller vehicles with less powerful cooling
Temperature damage adds up quickly on delivery routes. Products may survive one brief warming but fail after multiple exposures. Smart companies use their WMS to plan better routes and track conditions during delivery. Some add extra insulation or deliver during cooler morning hours to protect sensitive items.
Workforce Training and Human Error
Staff mistakes break the cold chain when workers lack proper training or take shortcuts. Common errors include leaving doors open, stacking products incorrectly, and turning off refrigeration to save energy.
Most human errors occur during:
- Peak seasonal periods when everyone rushes
- Staff changes with new or temporary workers
- Shift changeovers with unclear handoffs
- Equipment problems requiring manual workarounds
Better companies build training directly into their systems. Infios WMS guides workers through proper handling on mobile devices and enforces important steps like temperature verification before tasks can complete.
How to Prevent Mistakes in Cold Chain Logistics.
Preventing cold chain failures requires complete visibility, fast alerts, and clear procedures. Great companies connect all their systems together. Temperature monitors talk to the warehouse system. The WMS tracks products throughout shipping. Automatic alerts warn staff when conditions change.
The best prevention comes from connecting end-to-end monitoring, real-time alerts, clear staff instructions, and regular emergency drills.
How Balloon One Can Help.
Balloon One helps businesses protect cold chain quality through integrated technology solutions. Our approach focuses on preventing problems before they damage products or disrupt operations.
We specialise in implementing Infios WMS (formerly known as Körber) for cold chain environments, drawing on experience with warehouse management systems in the food and beverage industry and other perishable goods. The system provides:
- Continuous temperature monitoring across storage zones
- Complete product traceability from receiving to shipping
- Automated workflows that ensure proper handling
- Real-time alerts when conditions drift outside safe ranges
Our team has helped companies across the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and medical supply industries improve their cold chain performance – some of the names we’ve worked with are Huel, Virgin Wines, or Classic Fine Foods. We work with your unique requirements to design a solution that addresses your specific challenges.
Ready to improve your cold chain operations? Contact us at 020 8819 9071 and let our team help you find the right solution for your business.
Download our free guide now.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
Cold storage for perishable food means keeping temperature-sensitive products at the right temperature from production to consumption. This includes refrigerated warehouses, transport vehicles, and specialised handling procedures designed to maintain product quality and safety.
The two main types of cold chain are frozen (below -18°C) and chilled (0-5°C). Frozen chains handle ice cream, frozen meals, and certain meats. Chilled chains manage fresh produce, dairy, prepared foods, and many medications that need refrigeration but not freezing.
Products requiring cold chains include dairy (milk, cheese, yoghurt), meat and seafood, fresh produce, frozen foods, prepared meals, vaccines, many medications, blood products, certain cosmetics, and some chemicals. Each category needs specific temperature ranges for safety and quality.
Store perishable goods at their required temperature without interruption. Keep different product types in appropriate zones (frozen, chilled, or cool). Monitor temperatures constantly. Follow FEFO (First Expired, First Out) rotation. Maintain airflow around products. Check and maintain equipment regularly to prevent failures.
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