Many products — particularly those in the food, beverage and pharmaceutical sectors — are highly sensitive to thermal variations. Maintaining a consistent temperature from production to destination presents supply chain professionals with a complex challenge and numerous variables. This is when the vital role of the cold chain becomes crystal clear.
While you might assume summer heat poses the greatest risks for the cold chain, winter presents its own set of difficulties. As trucking company Ryder recently reported, severe cold can strain refrigeration units, often pushing them beyond their limits. Further, in freezing temperatures, diesel engines are less efficient; battery power wanes; and oil thickens, adding friction between moving parts and increasing the risk of operational failures. Of course, if and when a truck does break down, the products inside are at serious risk.
One business that feels these challenges acutely is Unilever, producer of ice cream brands including Ben & Jerry’s, Breyers, and Magnum. The company's ice cream supply chain has 35 factories and 3 million freezers across 60 countries. That international presence — along with ice cream’s inherent seasonality — demands an agile supply chain: “In a European summer month like June, even a 1°C rise in temperature can substantially impact sales forecasts,” Unilever reports.
Fortunately, AI is proving to be a valuable resource for the company, as the tool enables professionals to analyze temperature input data points quickly and accurately. In fact, forecast accuracy has improved by 10% in Sweden since the adoption of AI-enabled freezers. The technology is also saving Unilever money on ingredients such as cocoa and vanilla, helping the business run more efficient production lines and minimizing waste.
“Using AI, we understand where to sell, how much we are going to sell, in which cabinet we are going to sell, and when and where to send our orders in the most efficient way,” says Elif Cakir, Unilever’s Ice Cream Supply Chain Long-Term Planning Lead.
For its part, Ryder is partnering with another ice cream giant, Turkey Hill, to replace the company’s current trucking fleet with more sustainable and reliable models that include built-in maintenance solutions. They’re also using predictive analytics to better plan routes, thereby avoiding areas heavily affected by winter weather.
It’s time for CHAINge
The struggles and triumphs of the cold chain are just some of the topics we’ll be discussing at CHAINge 2025, the brand-new iteration of ASCM’s annual supply chain event. CHAINge will bring innovation, education and collaboration to help supply chain professionals like you build truly efficient and sustainable networks. You’ll learn from industry experts about cutting-edge technology, pacesetting trends and so much more.
For the inside scoop on what we’re planning, check out this LinkedIn Live event, where I sat down with CHAINge Chair Bart A. De Muynck, supply chain thought leader and advisor; and Craig Jones, a CHAINge advisory council member and senior vice president at Levi Strauss & Co. Then, be sure to register for CHAINge Europe, 17-18 June in Brussels; and CHAINge North America, September 9-10 in Columbus, Ohio. Use promo code ELEVATE to save a cool €200/$200!
