Momentum builds behind movement to reduce carbon emissions for frozen food as Move to -15°C coalition more than trebles in size in year since launch

• Move to -15°C coalition marks one year anniversary and welcomes new members including Iceland and Emirates.

• The coalition has more than tripled in size since launch, with a membership base that also includes major players like global logistics leader DP World, Europe’s largest frozen food producer Nomad Foods, and Morrisons, which is already trialling in-store changes.

• Together these members – from production through to retail – are collaborating to explore an increase in frozen food shipping and storage temperatures from -18°C to - 15°C.

• Expanded membership recently met at SIAL in Paris to share latest research, knowledge and best practice.

18 November 2024, London - The Move to -15°C, a sustainability initiative dedicated to cutting carbon emissions in the frozen food supply chain, has welcomed a range of high-profile new businesses to its membership base. Recent joiners include UK-based supermarket Iceland, which operates over 900 stores, Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, and Emergent Cold LatAm, a fast-growing cold storage operator in multiple Latin American markets.

Recognising that a shift in temperature standards from -18°C to -15°C requires deep collaboration across both industry and academia, the Move to -15°C also recently secured support from key UK trade bodies, the British Frozen Food Federation and the Cold Chain Federation, and Dutch institution, Wageningen University.

Membership has grown from 11 companies to more than 30 since the Coalition’s launch at COP28 led by global logistics firm DP World, which commissioned research to explore the feasibility of a change from -18°C to -15°C. The study from the International Institute of Refrigeration, the University of Birmingham and London South Bank University, among others, found a three-degree shift in frozen food temperature standards would cut greenhouse gases, lower supply chain costs and secure food resources for the world’s growing population, with no compromise on food safety or quality.

The coalition has also recently welcomed other important industry players such as Copeland, Ndustrial, Project44, Martico, Compleat Food Group and Sunswap. Together, these members bring a wide range of expertise, all working together to drive more sustainable practices within the frozen food industry.

Thomas Eskesen, Chairman of the Move to -15°C Coalition, says: “Rapid and ambitious climate action across complex and interwoven frozen food supply chains – which include food production, ports, shipping, road, rail and air freight, cold storage and retail – can only happen through cross-sector collaboration. That is why we are so thrilled to welcome these new members to the Move to -15°C coalition. We encourage more organisations to join us and explore the positive impact that moving towards -15°C can have on creating a future-proofed food system and lower carbon world.”

These new members join a diverse global coalition that spans the end-to-end cold chain. Existing members include Nomad Foods, Europe’s largest frozen food producer; Morrisons, a major UK retailer; Maersk, a global leader in logistics; Lineage, a top cold storage provider; Kuehne + Nagel, a prominent international transport firm and AJC International, a key player in global food distribution. There is a full list of members on the Coalition website: https://www.movetominus15.com/partners

Dennis Lister, Senior Vice President of Product and Innovation, Emirates SkyCargo, said, “We have long been leaders in the movement of perishable food, connecting the global agricultural community with their customers across the globe and delivering freshness you can taste. The Move to -15°C Coalition is a future-looking concept, bringing together likeminded partners to evolve the industry in line with current advancements in technology, equipment, facilities, packaging and more. We are excited to ocer our insight and expertise to help shape the next phase of food logistics while driving meaningful environmental impact.”

Move to -15°C Coalition members recently met at SIAL in Paris to update on activities, continue knowledge sharing and align on next steps in support of its mission to unite the industry behind an increase in frozen food shipping and storage temperatures. The frozen food temperature set point of -18°C was established as an industry standard a century ago, but with little evidence, and logistics technology has improved substantially since. To join or find out more about the Move to -15°C, please visit our website: movetominus15.com