How Passive Cooling Technology is Changing the Game for Cold Chain Last-Mile Delivery

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How Passive Cooling Technology is Changing the Game for Cold Chain Last-Mile Delivery: A Deep Dive into ifoodbag’s Final Mile System.

Cold chain last-mile delivery has always been a challenge for food delivery logistics companies. It involves delivering products to customers’ doorstep, which is often the most time-consuming and costly part of the entire delivery process.

Factors such as traffic congestion, time-sensitive deliveries, and rising temperatures only add to the complexity of the process.

 To overcome these challenges, logistics companies have traditionally relied on conventional methods such as refrigerated vehicles and cooling bags. However, these methods have their limitations, and often result in increased operational costs, reduced efficiency, and an unavoidable negative impact on the environment.

In recent years, passive cooling technology has emerged as a game-changer in the last-mile delivery industry. This technology is helping food delivery logistics companies overcome the challenges of last-mile delivery while reducing operational costs and increasing efficiency.

In this blog post, we will take a deep dive into passive cooling technology and its impact on the last-mile delivery industry. Specifically, we will analyse ifoodbag’s final mile system, which is a pioneering example of how passive cooling technology is changing the game for last-mile delivery.

Last-Mile Delivery Challenges:

The last mile of the cold chain delivery process is often the most challenging part of the entire process. This is because it involves delivering products to customers’ doorstep, which requires navigating through traffic congestion, parking issues, and time-sensitive deliveries. Moreover, with rising temperatures due to global warming, the need for temperature-controlled deliveries has become more critical than ever before.

Conventional Methods of last mile delivery:

To overcome the challenges of last-mile delivery, logistics companies have traditionally relied on conventional methods such as refrigerated vehicles and cooling bags. While these methods are effective in keeping products cool, they have their limitations. 

For example, refrigerated vehicles are expensive to operate and maintain, and they require a considerable amount of energy to keep the temperature inside the vehicle constant. Contributing enormously to the global warming issues they face as companies. Similarly, cooling bags are effective for short distances, but they are not suitable for long-distance deliveries, and they require frequent recharging.

Passive Cooling Technology:

Passive cooling technology is a game-changer in the last-mile delivery industry. It involves using materials and techniques that can keep products cool without the need for external power sources. Passive cooling technology is cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and has a significant impact on reducing operational costs and increasing efficiency.

Passive cooling technology works by using materials that have high thermal mass, which can absorb and store heat energy. These materials are combined with insulating materials that can prevent the transfer of heat, thereby keeping the products cool. 

Additionally, passive cooling technology can also use a wide range of passive cooling elements as a complement to secure the cooling in the alvobox® and ifoodbag®, including chilling or freezer shields, gel-packs, icepacks, dry ice, and Phase Change Materials (PCM).

ifoodbag’s Final Mile System:

ifoodbag’s final mile system is a pioneering example of how passive cooling technology is changing the game for last-mile delivery. The ifoodbag is a reusable, lightweight bag made from paper. The bag is designed to keep products cool for up to 24 hours without the need for external power sources.

Our reusable chilling- or freezer shields are easily attached to the unique lid of the alvobox® – but there are a wide range of passive cooling elements that can be used as a complement to secure the cooling in the alvobox® and ifoodbag®. We offer the right product for each case: chilling or freezer shields, gel-packs, icepacks, dry ice or Phase Change Materials (PCM).

The ifoodbag is easy to use and can be loaded onto any vehicle, making it a versatile solution for last-mile delivery. Moreover, the ifoodbag is environmentally friendly, as it does not require any energy to operate, and, very importantly, it is reusable, which reduces waste. 

The ifoodbag system is also highly versatile, as customers can choose the appropriate passive cooling elements based on the type of products being delivered and the distance of the delivery.

Case Study:

Customers of ICA Stabby were struggling to marry up their grocery delivery times with the free windows of their busy evening schedules. Together with ifoodbag, a genius solution was found. 

The insulated thermal Alvobox is placed on the doorstep of ICA Stabby’s customers’ homes between the hours of 5:00am and 7:30am, ready for when they wake up. The delivery boxes are then collected when the delivery van makes its next delivery.

‘Thanks to the ifoodbag® system, I can use regular cars or vans instead of refrigerated ones. This gives me more flexibility and reduces cost. The customers will have an option to get their order before leaving home in the morning instead of hurrying back home in the afternoon to meet up with their grocery delivery.’Tore Jonsson

Future of Passive Cooling Technology in Last-Mile Delivery:

Passive cooling technology has the potential to transform the last-mile delivery industry. It is cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and has a significant impact on reducing operational costs and increasing efficiency. With the rise of e-commerce and the growing demand for home deliveries, the need for temperature-controlled deliveries has never been more critical. Therefore, passive cooling technology is likely to play a crucial role in the future of last-mile delivery.

However, there are still some challenges that need to be addressed before passive cooling technology can be widely adopted in the last-mile delivery industry. For example, there is a need for standardisation and regulation of passive cooling technology to ensure that products are delivered at the right temperature. 

Additionally, there is a need for more research and development to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of passive cooling technology. Despite these challenges, there are several upcoming innovations in passive cooling technology that have the potential to transform the last-mile delivery industry. For example, researchers are developing new materials that have higher thermal mass and better insulating properties, which will make passive cooling technology even more effective.

In conclusion, passive cooling technology is a game-changer in the last-mile delivery industry. It is cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and has a significant impact on reducing operational costs and increasing efficiency. ifoodbag’s final mile system is a pioneering example of how passive cooling technology is changing the game for last-mile delivery. 

There are still some challenges that need to be addressed before passive cooling technology can be widely adopted in the last-mile delivery industry. Nevertheless, with the upcoming innovations in passive cooling technology, the future of last-mile delivery looks promising. Therefore, it is imperative for logistics companies to embrace passive cooling technology and leverage its benefits to improve their operations.

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