The following text was submitted by Stijn Verstijnen, Commercial Director at Otflow.
"In a world where sustainability, food waste reduction, and cost efficiency are becoming increasingly important, the refrigerated transport sector stands at a crossroads. Margins are thin, quality requirements are high, and pressure on the supply chain continues to grow. Yet one persistent problem keeps resurfacing: temperature claims in chilled fruit transport. At Otflow, we know exactly where things go wrong, and more importantly, how to fix them."
"Every day, hundreds of reefer containers filled with fresh fruit depart from South America, bound for Europe. The journey is long, and the climate en route can be unpredictable. During a three-week sea voyage from Chile to Rotterdam, the ship crosses the equator and frequently faces outside temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius. While consumers expect freshness, even a one-degree variation in temperature during transit can result in loss of quality, and a costly claim."
The problem: a failing system in a modern supply chain
"The refrigerated containers used for this type of transport were originally designed for shipping stacked boxes. Today, however, fruit is typically transported on pallets. That may seem practical, and in many ways, it is, but it comes with a major downside. The pallets obstruct the airflow needed to cool the fruit evenly. The result: on the 'wrong' side of the container (furthest from the cooling unit), the temperature rises quickly. This is especially problematic when containers are placed below deck, where engines generate additional heat and ventilation is limited."
Below-deck situation causes additional heat
"That's why we at Otflow, in collaboration with Wageningen Food & Biobased Research, developed a smart and sustainable solution: An innovative airflow mat placed on the floor of the refrigerated container. Simply put, this mat ensures that cold air is distributed evenly throughout the entire container, including underneath the pallets, where airflow was previously minimal."
"Independent research by Wageningen University & Research shows that using OTFLOW reduces temperature differences in containers by up to 30%. This not only leads to better fruit quality upon arrival, but also significantly reduces food waste and financial claims. And that last point is far from minor — worldwide, rejected shipments represent millions of euros in losses."
Smart, circular, and globally deployable
"What makes Otflow truly special is that the mats are produced in the Netherlands from 100% residual waste from the packaging industry, and they are fully recyclable. Sustainability isn't just a bonus; it's a core value. Thousands of containers now travel the globe with our mats, from New Zealand to Spain, from South Africa to Peru."
"In countries like Chile and India, we've given live demonstrations to major exporters. This sector is rightly skeptical: "Seeing is believing." Our scale models and live demos, for example, at Fruit Attraction in Madrid, clearly show how airflow behaves with and without Otflow. And that's where the difference is made."
From fruit to flowers: expanding applications
Although Otflow was originally developed for the transport of soft fruit like blueberries, we're discovering more and more areas of application. Think of flower bulbs, vegetables, and even pharmaceutical products. Anything that is temperature-sensitive and transported on pallets benefits from optimized airflow.
Improving the cold chain together
"Improving airflow in refrigerated containers may sound like a small technical detail, but its impact is significant. Less food waste. Lower CO₂ emissions. Reduced logistical costs. Higher customer satisfaction. And ultimately: a more efficient and sustainable supply chain."
"At Otflow, we believe innovation doesn't have to be complicated, as long as it's well thought out. We continuously improve, test, and optimize. And we're proud to do this together with our partners, customers, and researchers. Because only through collaboration can we truly make the cold chain future-proof."
For more information:
Otflow
www.otflow.com