Running on Ice: Last-mile ice cream solutions and Dolly Parton in the freezer

All thawed out

Solving last-mile issues in the cold chain is a constant challenge for consumer packaged goods companies. CPG giant Unilever recently shared how it uses AI to enhance last-mile logistics.

Currently, Unilever uses AI to analyze weather data to more accurately forecast and limit waste, and it’s working on implementing AI solutions throughout the entire supply chain, fully integrating technology and visibility from suppliers to consumers.

In a Supply Chain Dive article, Sandeep Desai, EVP and chief product supply chain officer for the company’s ice cream business, said: “If we were transporting diamonds, it’s cheap, the technology is available, it’s there, we can do it. When you’re transporting ice cream, where every mom and pop believes they can make ice cream, too, it’s quite a margin-sensitive game, and so the cost of the technology is what needs to come [down].”

Temperature checks 

Making a play to improve its over-the-counter medicine creation is Reckitt, the maker of Mucinex. The company is all in on localizing its supply chain as it develops a manufacturing site in Wilson, North Carolina. The site is expanding access to OTC medicine to help meet the demand for cold and flu medicines.

The $200 million, 310,000-square-foot investment will serve as the company’s U.S. flagship for over-the-counter manufacturing and is expected to be operational in early 2027. 

Quoted in a Supply Chain Dive article is Philip Hampden-Smith, SVP of supply for North America: “Resilience is such a key factor, given all the variables that are in play these days, whether it’s geopolitics, whether it’s material challenges, regulatory environments, etc., but in a nutshell, what I’m really looking to do is ensure that I build a future state, a supply network that can sustainably outperform. It’s all about onshoring, localization and really being much more agile to our consumers.”

Food and drug

The queen of Teneessee has expanded her offerings in the grocery store. Continuing the partnership with Conagra Brands, Dolly Parton’s frozen meals have finally reached the shelves. The new collection includes Chicken & Dumplings, Beef Pot Roast, Country Fried Steak and Shrimp & Grits. Some new staples are hitting the baking aisle, but the frozen choices are the biggest development in the partnership.

In a Retail Wire article, Tom McGough, chief operating officer at Conagra Brands, said: “This unprecedented partnership with Dolly Parton gives us an incredible opportunity to further cement Conagra Brands in our established categories, while authentically positioning us for tremendous growth in new ones including Southern cooking and comfort food.”

More and more consumers are shopping the frozen aisle for quick and easy meals in lieu of eating out, as a way to cut down on costs.

Cold chain lanes

This week’s market under a microscope is Little Rock, Arkansas. Capacity is tightening in Little Rock as reefer outbound tender rejections climb back up to 32.31%. After a brief reprieve in high OTRI in the middle of the month when tender rejection rates were closer to 22%, reefer demand has risen dramatically as reefer outbound tender volume has fallen. 

Reefer outbound tender volumes are off 29.87%, which signals greater strain on capacity. Reefer spot rates are going to be significantly elevated for outbound loads in Little Rock. Rates should mimic those seen around mid- to late January. 

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Shelf life

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Wendy’s unveils 2 new Girl Scout-inspired Frosty flavors

NextNRG to fuel Florida Beauty’s reefer fleet

Wanna chat in the cooler? Shoot me an email with comments, questions or story ideas at moconnell@freightwaves.com.

See you on the internet.

Mary

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