On October 7, chilled food manufacturers producing items such as ham, sausages, and dairy products launched the “Chilled Logistics Research Association” to promote sustainable chilled food logistics. The association includes nine companies: Itoham Yonekyu Holdings, Nissin Foods Refrigerated, Nissin York, Nippon Ham, Prima Ham, Marudai Foods, Meiji, Morinaga Milk Industry, and Megmilk Snow Brand.
Chilled logistics face unique challenges in addition to common issues within the logistics industry, such as a shortage of drivers and declining transport volumes. These challenges include shorter shelf lives, the need for refrigerated storage, frequent small-batch deliveries, and short lead times for deliveries. In the past, companies handled these issues individually. However, with the looming “2024 Logistics Crisis” and other industry-wide concerns, it became apparent that addressing these challenges on a company-by-company basis was insufficient. As a result, chilled food manufacturers have joined forces across categories to tackle these problems collectively through the establishment of this research association.
The association will focus on four key areas:
1. **Relaxing delivery conditions**: Extending delivery lead times, easing delivery time constraints, revising store-specific sorting, reconsidering 365-day delivery schedules, adjusting order units, encouraging pre-orders for new and promotional products, and extending delivery deadlines.
2. **Reducing auxiliary tasks for truck drivers**: Reviewing in-store sorting, warehouse transfer work, internal movement tasks, and forklift operations.
3. **Improving transport and delivery efficiency**: Promoting joint delivery initiatives.
4. **Standardization and system integration for operational efficiency**: Introducing pallet operations, among other strategies.
This fiscal year, the association plans to form subcommittees focusing on relaxing delivery conditions and reducing auxiliary tasks for truck drivers. From 2025, the group will begin discussions with other industry organizations and work closely with government agencies to promote these initiatives. Additionally, the subcommittees will address improving transport efficiency and standardization through system integration, aiming to resolve these logistical challenges by 2030 and establish a long-term sustainable chilled logistics framework.
While the Chilled Logistics Research Association will engage in discussions with various organizations and research bodies about logistics issues, individual companies will continue to negotiate and finalize delivery conditions with retailers independently.
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