You know what’s cool? This year’s Future of Freight Festival. It takes place Nov. 19-21 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. What makes it so cool is the beautiful fall foliage, the industry leader talks and the fun. Sure, all conferences say they’re the fun ones, but this one actually is. Not to mention, the Chattanooga Aquarium is quite chilly for the penguins. This year, subscribers to Running on Ice get a promo code exclusive to us! You can register with this link or use the code F3ROI24 at checkout for a discount. Spoiler alert: It is the best deal on tickets you can get.
All thawed out
The fallout from Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton is still being assessed. Preliminary damage totals, though, have added up to $30.5 billion and $160 billion, respectively. Both storms have had substantial impacts on the medical supply chain as entire communities throughout the Southeast are still without accessible roads and face a host of other problems.
The medical supply chain impact felt the most after Helene is an IV fluids shortage due to damage at Baxter International’s North Cove facility in North Carolina. Baxter is the primary manufacturer of IV fluids in the U.S. Baxter has additional facilities that are working overtime to make up the shortage, and the goal is to have the North Cove facility fully operational by the end of 2024.
A news release from the company states: “Baxter is advancing multiple paths to help ensure we are appropriately managing inventory and minimizing disruption to patient care as we work to fully restore our North Cove manufacturing operations. This includes implementing allocations, which limit what a customer can order based on historical purchases and medical necessity as well as available and projected inventory. Allocations help limit stockpiling and increase the likelihood of equitable access to available products.”
Temperature checks
DeltaTrak has launched the UBQ Network, a digital marketplace designed to simplify cold chain logistics for the North American produce and grocery markets. Modeled after platforms like Expedia, UBQ Network integrates 25 leading service providers with over 5,000 North American customers and 25,000 global customers to streamline cold chain management, ensure regulatory compliance and boost sustainability.
The platform aims to address three critical industry drivers: rising food waste, stricter food safety regulations and growing sustainability demands. Food waste in the U.S. has reached 100 billion pounds annually, and the Food Safety Modernization Act requires enhanced food sourcing traceability by 2026.
Karl McDermott, UBQ Network’s chief SaaS officer, said in a news release, “Our platform not only reduces waste but also supports sustainability goals and positively impacts costs and working capital.” The network offers flexible pricing models, making it accessible to businesses of all sizes.
Food and drug
It’s never too early to talk turkey. Thanksgiving puts a lot of pressure on the turkey as it’s traditionally the main dish. Butterball, once again, comes in to save the day. Not only does it have the Turkey Talk-Line open from November to December, but this year the new Cook from Frozen turkey arrives. There is no thawing, no mess – just unwrap and bake.
“Whether you are hosting Thanksgiving for the first time or the fifteenth time, preparing a turkey can be intimidating,” Michelle Lieszkovszky, head of innovation at Butterball, said in a news release. “Cook from Frozen … addresses both the fears and frustrations of cooking a whole turkey – it’s not only simple to roast, but the result delivers a tender, juicy, golden-brown centerpiece.”
There are no details yet on the cooking time for the frozen bird compared to a thawed one, but there is a brine that is supposed to keep the turkey succulent and tasty.
Cold chain lanes
This week’s market under a microscope takes us to Dallas. Reefer outbound tender rejections are plummeting after a sharp uptick to start the month. Outbound tender rejections are down 95 basis points week over week, going from 11.4% to 10.15%. Rejection rates are on the downward trend but still hovering at and above 10%, which typically indicates an inflationary spot market.
Reefer outbound tender volumes are on the rise but are still down 5.68% w/w. Current rejection rates and volumes are in line with the norm for this time of the year. A brief early October slowdown followed by increasing rejections and volumes as the holidays descend.
Is SONAR for you? Check it out with a demo!
Shelf life
Popeyes for Thanksgiving? How to get your own Cajun-style turkey this year
Danfoss introduces NeoCharge for industrial refrigeration optimization
French fry demand dips; McDonald’s top supplier closes plant, cuts 4% of workforce
Envirotainer recognised for most diverse range of packaging
Cryoport and VGCI partner to advance cell and gene therapy supply chain
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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