Editor-in-Chief Michael Costa looks back at the good and bad of an historic year for the cold chain, and what may lie ahead in 2021.

How cold facility flooring can boost or bust the bottom line.

Freshly, the leading fresh-prepared meal delivery service in the U.S., announced the launch of FreshlyFit, the company's first dedicated product line designed for consumers looking to command their health and fuel active lifestyles. Like Freshly, FreshlyFit's ready-to-eat meals are gluten-free and built on a foundation of clean, whole-food ingredients, but focus on a lower-carb, protein-powered nutritional profile to help fuel workouts, optimize recovery, maintain muscle mass, and support weight management. FreshlyFit meals have an average of 14 grams of net carbs, over 30 grams of protein, and 550 calories or less. More than a third of the meals contain zero added sugars.

Almark Foods and Michael Foods, a subsidiary of Post Holdings, announced that they have entered an agreement for the sale of Almark Foods. The transaction is set to be completed by Q1 of 2021.

Houweling’s Group has moved to its new Nogales, Arizona, distribution and packing services center. Having outgrown the 18,000-square-foot facility the company operated the last few years, the new 30,000-square-foot facility has 50% more receiving bays, six coolers with the ability to manage three separate climate zones and a cooled packing area.

Cold Summit Development has launched its first project in Dallas, a 343,000-square-foot multi-tenant cold storage facility (“Cold Summit Dallas”). The $60 million project is located at 2800 Cedardale Road on a 29-acre site within the South Dallas industrial submarket.

Today’s energy-efficient processing plants balance sustainable practices with energizing spaces to boost staff productivity.

We catch up with potato pioneers McCain Foods, our 2012 Frozen Foods Processor of the Year, to see how the company has evolved and expanded since then.

RLS Logistics announced plans to develop a state-of-the-art 83,000 sq. ft. temperature-controlled facility in central Massachusetts. This site will be the newest addition to the RLS Partnering Regional Operator (PRO) network of family-operated cold chain experts and is scheduled to open in Q4 of 2021. 

Califia Farms, an independently-owned, plant-based food and beverage company, is announcing national distribution for its new Plant Butters. The plant-based alternative to dairy butter is the first product outside the company's current beverage portfolio of plant-based milk, creamers, drinkable yogurts and cold brew coffee. Plant Butters are now available nationally at Whole Foods Market, Kroger, Stop & Shop, Target and other natural and major retailers.