As more consumers pack their grocery carts with fall staples like apples, changing consumer habits around meals and economic pressures are increasing the need for refrigerated shipping. In fact, consumer demand for refrigerated products has continually increased since 2020.
According to the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) and its data platform Unify/IRI, refrigeration sales have increased by 32% over the past five years, and nearly 64% of adults say they save money or control their budget by eating at home. This has led to a rise in demand for meal prep services, ready to eat meals and grocery items overall.
“The maintenance and trend of at-home dining goes beyond simple cost-cutting,” said Tricia Greyshock, President and CEO of the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association. “Our research indicates that consumers are finding real value in preparing meals at home, with 61% reporting it allows them to eat healthier. The refrigerated foods industry continues to evolve with innovative products that combine convenience, nutrition and variety – we expect to see further expansion in refrigerated offerings that cater to the evolving wants and needs of home cooks.”
As grocers and food providers are looking to increase shipments of refrigerated goods, Schneider National, Inc. (NYSE: SNDR), the premier multimodal provider of transportation, intermodal and logistics services, is one of the largest temperature-controlled carriers in the industry and has robust refrigerated freight capabilities tailored to meet the needs for customers across the industry.
Refrigerated shipping requires a well-coordinated, highly trained team and best-in-class equipment to do the job successfully. Timing, execution and on-time service are critical because there are many regulations when it comes to moving consumer-grade fresh foods. For example, the refrigerated trailers – also known as reefers – must maintain product-specific temperature requirements for the duration of the movement. One wrong step in the process could spoil the whole load.
Schneider operates specialized trailers and tractors and utilizes high precision tools such as remote and real-time monitoring temperature sensors, status and maintenance data, visibility tracking and reporting metrics – ensuring optimized solutions and visibility every step of the way. The company’s trailer technology and driver processes allow for constant monitoring while in transit to ensure temperatures stay consistent to keep customer products fresh when reaching the final destination.
“Refrigerated transport is a unique capability a full-service provider like Schneider is able to offer within our larger Dedicated portfolio, providing custom-based solutions that match what our customers need when they need it,” said Schneider Senior Vice President and General Manager of Truckload and Mexico John Bozec. “We know the most important aspect of refrigerated transport is delivering ‘on time and on temp’ and our team of experts have built longstanding collaborative relationships with customers in the space by ensuring reliability, capacity and consistent best-in-class service.”
Schneider continues to grow its refrigerated service offering, particularly in the grocery vertical. For grocer customers, consistent collaboration is key. As part of the Dedicated portfolio, Schneider company drivers and support teams are assigned exclusively to refrigerated customers, providing value through embedded expertise. To further ensure a best-in-class customer experience, Schneider created a Center of Excellence that offers 24/7 support from a highly trained team of refrigerated freight experts.
Alongside service, sustainability is also an important consideration for refrigerated customers. Schneider is committed to building a sustainable future, operating one of the most efficient fleets in the country. Many of the efficiencies that the company identifies within route and network planning also translate to lower emissions, and new technologies and processes to cool trailers reduce fuel usage.
With more than 30 years of experience moving temperature-controlled freight across North America, customers rely on Schneider to drive efficiency and growth, secure competitive market pricing and offer the latest technologies and processes to protect their loads. The company was most recently recognized as a 2024 Top Food Chain Provider from Food Shippers of America.
To learn more about Schneider’s Dedicated business and refrigerated freight solutions, visit: https://schneider.com/freight-shipping-solutions/dedicated.
About Schneider
Schneider is a premier multimodal provider of transportation, intermodal and logistics services. Offering one of the broadest portfolios in the industry, Schneider’s solutions include Regional and Long-Haul Truckload, Expedited, Dedicated, Bulk, Intermodal, Brokerage, Warehousing, Supply Chain Management, Port Logistics and Logistics Consulting.
Schneider has been safely delivering superior customer experiences and investing in innovation for nearly 90 years. The company’s digital marketplace, Schneider FreightPower®, is revolutionizing the industry giving shippers access to an expanded, highly flexible capacity network and provides carriers with unmatched access to quality drop-and-hook freight – Always Delivering, Always Ahead.
For more information about Schneider, visit Schneider.com or follow the company socially on Facebook, LinkedIn and X: @WeAreSchneider.
Source: Schneider SNDR
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