The transport of chilled and frozen food represents one of the main challenges to maintaining the cold chain , particularly during distribution and the last mile , where temperature variations can compromise the preservation of products and generate economic losses for companies.
Around 50% of temperature deviations occur during the transport stages , while in the last mile the risk increases between 10 and 15%, according to estimates shared by Francisco Javier Cuevas Arriagada, co-founder and country manager of UNK for Mexico .
The specialist explained that, unlike warehouses, where conditions are more controlled, the movement of goods and the transfer of cargo present greater difficulties in maintaining a constant temperature.
“Often, the deviation is detected when the food has already reached its final destination or when it is about to be consumed,” he noted. He warned that companies cannot always identify at what point in the operation the failure occurred.
This situation has economic implications that depend on the type of goods being transported. In the case of higher-value products, such as certain proteins, a temperature variation can cause significant losses, especially when it is detected at the point of delivery and the food has to be discarded.
In addition, traditional monitoring systems tend to focus on measuring the ambient temperature where food is transported or stored , without necessarily recording the specific thermal conditions of the products.
“Today, the standard is mainly about controlling the environment where the food is moved, but not about having specific data on the temperature of the food,” explained Cuevas Arriagada.
Given this scenario, he emphasized the importance of incorporating tools that allow for obtaining real-time information, identifying deviations, and making decisions before a failure results in waste. He also noted that the industry still faces technological challenges in responding to the growth of the refrigerated and frozen food segments.
Technology to reduce waste
In this context, UNK, a Chilean company with nine years of experience , began operations in Mexico through contracts with clients in Mexico City. The company develops Internet of Things (IoT) solutions to monitor temperature in production plants, warehouses, and transportation operations.
It currently has approximately 2,800 devices in operation and, according to Cuevas, its technology seeks to reduce food waste by at least 35% , a figure based on the company’s experience.
The company began its market research in Mexico approximately two years ago and currently has operations in Mexico City. Its strategy involves the gradual integration of its solutions into industrial cafeterias, production plants, and other segments of the food industry, with applications in both fixed installations and distribution processes.
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