How the Seasonal Food Industry Uses Reefer Containers
Refrigerated containers, also referred to as reefer containers, are crucial for the transportation and storage of perishable goods. These containers come in different sizes, but all operate in basically the same way. Reefer’s use a cooling system to constantly circulate cool air throughout the container in order to maintain the desired temperature. These cooling systems can run on gas, but at Moon we offer all electric containers. These electric units are more cost-effective and don’t require the hassle of constant refueling. Reefer containers play an integral role in a supply chain known as the cold chain, which is a term used to describe the complex system of shipping and storing perishable goods that need to stay refrigerated. Reefer containers are used in many different markets, like agriculture, construction, laboratory storage, and seafood distribution.
The seasonal food industry relies heavily on refrigerated shipping solutions like reefer containers. Seasonal foods like freshly grown fruits and vegetables sometimes travel hundreds of miles from farm to retailer in very short time frames. This kind of feat would be impossible without the infrastructure of the cold chain. Below we’ve outlined some different parts of the seasonal food industry and how they use reefer containers and other refrigerated storage and shipping solutions.
Farms
All seasonal produce starts its journey at the farm. Immediately after harvest, farmers store the produce in a refrigerated space of some kind for preservation. Some farmers have even found ways to upcycle used reefer containers into permanent refrigerated storage units. The produce will stay here until the farmers ship it out. Shipping these goods means the need for more refrigeration. Reefer containers are especially useful in shipping due to their stackable, modular design. These design elements make them super easy to load on shipping freighters.
Shipping and Distribution
There is much more to the seasonal food supply chain than farms and grocery stores. Processors, Distributors, and Wholesalers are just a few middlemen that make it possible for produce to reach your table. Throughout its journey, produce may have changed hands as many as a dozen times. This is why refrigerated shipping solutions are so important. Without these refrigerated options, it would be impossible to ship food without an immense amount of waste.
Retailers
After produce makes its way through the complicated and long supply chain, it will end up at a retailer, like a grocery store or market. Reefer containers aren’t only for shipping though. Retailers can also use reefer containers for overflow storage in the event their refrigerators and freezers are full. This kind of flexibility has been very important for retailers in the last two years, with all the changes to shopping the Covid-19 pandemic has ushered in. With more pickup and delivery options, grocers must maximize their back-of-shop cold storage in order to be successful. If you’re interested, check out this article on changes in cold storage strategies for grocery stores.
Why Moon?
If you are looking for a refrigerated, walk-in portable storage container for your business, look no further. Moon Refrigeration offers 20 and 40 ft electric “reefer” containers and 10 ft portable walk-in coolers and freezers. We’ll work hard to meet all your short-term and long-term needs, providing fast, reliable, and affordable service at a day’s notice.
Our mobile containers are some of the newest on the market– leading in world-class performance, energy efficiency, quiet operation and reliability. In fact, no refrigeration unit today provides full-load performance as well as our trusted Carrier PrimeLINE technology!
We proudly serve Louisville, Southern Indiana, Lexington, and the surrounding regions. As one of Kentucky’s largest full-service leasing companies, we can also offer you dumpster rentals, portable restroom rentals, trailer leasing, grease trap cleaning, and much more! If you’re interested, give us a call or visit our website today!
