Association: The Global Cold Chain Alliance: Helping the cold industry adapt

The Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA) was launched in April 2007. The alliance is the result of the realisation that changing global conditions have forced the cold chain industry to adapt its business models, which in turn has led to integration and closer relationships among all links in the chain. Developments, such as dedicated distribution facilities and public refrigerated warehouse (PRW) investment in trucking assets, bore witness to this trend.
Three strong influences were changing the industry:
1. Increasing integration in business models of PRWs - from warehousing to logistics providers. Refrigerated warehouses were investing in trucking assets and perused varied arrangements and structures with customers.

2. Recognition of international business structures. In many emerging economies, single companies operate all aspects, from food production to food delivery. In these countries, the third party provider is a developing concept.

3. Need for core competencies - maintaining proper temperatures and instilling best practices. The cold chain involves the development of all links from post harvest handling/processing, to retail.
WHAT IS THE COLD CHAIN?
The cold chain refers to the management of the temperature of perishable products in order to maintain quality and safety from the point of slaughter or harvest through the distribution chain to the final consumer.
WHY IS THE COLD CHAIN IMPORTANT?
The cold chain ensures that perishable products are safe and of a pleasant quality at the point of consumption.
Failing to keep product at the correct temperatures can result in a variety of negative attributes including, among others, textural degradation, discolouring, bruising and microbial growth.
Moreover, a quality product leads to a satisfied customer, greater demand, and overall protection of public health.
WHO BEARS RESPONSIBILITY FOR MANAGING THE COLD CHAIN?
Each sector of the chain, from the point at which product is harvested to the point at which it is sold, shares responsibility. Breaks in the chain may occur just as easily on a warehouse dock as they do on a supermarket floor: if one link breaks, all suffer the consequences.
The Global Cold Chain Alliance acts as a platform where representatives of all these links in the cold chain can exchange business ideas, share experiences, benchmark operations, expand their knowledge, and be informed about the industry.
The alliance is the umbrella organization for the International Association of Refrigerated Warehouses (IARW), the World Food Logistics Organization (WFLO), the International Refrigerated Transportation Association (IRTA), and the International Association for Cold Storage Construction (IACSC).