At Americold, we proudly give back to our communities as part of our “cold hands, warm heart” culture, and 2020 has been a year like no other. In response to COVID-19 and other events, we increased our support to charitable organizations around the world. As we take time to reflect on the year, we are proud of the support we’ve provided to the communities in which we live and work.

When someone mentions Thanksgiving dinner, the image that traditionally comes to mind includes turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and cranberry sauce. As one of the very few commercially grown fruits native to the United States, the cranberry symbolically represents an American harvest on our holiday tables. Cranberries are primarily grown in northern regions such as Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New Jersey, and the Pacific Northwest, with Wisconsin producing more than half of the world’s total crop. 

October is National Energy Awareness Month, and we’re marking the occasion by highlighting a unique program within our resource management strategy – rainwater harvesting.

Last month we detailed the Americold Operating System (AOS) – our unique business ecosystem – and the operational rigor it promotes among and between Americold’s network of integrated temperature-controlled warehouses. Read more here. This month, we’re looking at how the consistency this ecosystem delivers translates into dependable uniformity for our customers, as well as saved time and money. We’ll also explore AOS innovation and its benefits.

Consistency. It’s a familiar key deliverable for food producers and food retailers that builds a strong foundation for brand loyalty. In the service industry, executing consistency looks different; drivers like safety and supply chain remain crucial, but elements like innovation and process optimization emerge as important factors.

What’s the most popular frozen food sold in the United States? ICE CREAM!^[1] As the largest consumer of ice cream around the world, it’s fitting that the United States celebrates National Ice Cream Month every July. The average American consumes more than 23 pounds of ice cream per year.^[2]  While vanilla remains the most popular flavor, there are plenty of creative flavors out there to satisfy any taste bud.  At Americold, our temperature-controlled infrastructure and services help your favorite frozen treats get from where they’re produced to your freezer or neighborhood ice cream shop.  Here’s the scoop on ice cream by our numbers: 

For more information on Americold’s offerings and our ice cream cold capabilities, contact us. Let's talk!

[1] https://www.statista.com/statistics/253370/us-frozen-food-sales-by-product-category/
[2] https://www.idfa.org/ice-cream-sales-trends#:~:text=Consumption,popular%20category%20of%20frozen%20desserts.

Business as usual. COVID-19 put this cliché on ice and has introduced us to unprecedented times and new normals, rocking business models to their core and forcing change where none was wanted. As retail, healthcare, education, travel, banking, and other sectors struggle to adapt, we’re seeing new trends, new challenges, and new opportunities emerge.

Food is not only a necessity, it’s a comfort. Having a good day? Grab some ice cream! Having a bad day? Make it a double scoop. But have you ever stopped to think about how your food goes from manufacturer to table?

We asked our Proposal Manager, Iesha Jenkins, to share some of her BDPs for developing a first class RFP process - read on to find out more...

Benefits of a Request For Proposal (RFP)

Developing trustworthy relationships with your vendors will ensure a true, mutually beneficial partnership where you both win.  Your vendor will support you with the services you need and you’ll pay a fair price for them.  But to develop this kind of vested relationship you must go beyond a search purely for the lowest price and instead seek out value.  Enter the Request for Proposal (RFP) process...

We recently spoke with Pat Ballard, Americold's VP Business Development for Key Accounts in the Protein vertical, to catch up on the temperature-controlled protein supply chain.  Read on to hear his insights...