Next generation cold supply chains in Denmark and China

Food industries are very important for both Danish and Chinese economies and the increasing level of international food trade between Denmark and China requires appropriate design of cold chain to ensure that the food products of highest quality reach the customers and appropriate processes are designed to protect against potential disruptions during the entire supply chain. New challenges arise for the supply chains in form of handling disruptions (natural or man-made), ensuring environmental sustainability, and complying with government regulations and safety directives. At the same time it is still central for efficient and effective supply chain to eliminate waste, increase responsiveness, ensure profitability and increase customer satisfaction. The next generation supply chains in the context of the digital economy rely more than ever on the above issues but also on developing partnerships, purchasing, scheduling, logistics planning, and value added distribution.

The long term vision of this research is on designing next generation resilient cold supply chains for food products by understanding the sources of risks, configuring the right logistics network and designing appropriate processes, engaging in the right alliances and partnerships, developing contingency plans against uncertainties supported by the appropriate Information and Communication Technology (ICT). The purpose is to identify the concepts, methodologies and tools that are required to support the development of 'Next generation cold supply chains" by working in close cooperation with firms involved in the food supply chain, to help the CELOG to establish joint research programmes with partner universities in China and to maintain international academic excellence in the proposed area.

The objectives are achieved though are achieved two research workshops (one in China and Denmark, respectively) and one dissemination workshop organized in Denmark. In the research workshops, the research team along with representatives from industry aim to understand the current practices and challenges, as well as identify potential enablers and barriers to developing resilient next generation cold supply chains. The focus is on food industries in the respective countries as well as cross border food trade involving both countries. This is followed by field visits and interviews with the firms involved in cold supply chains of both countries. In the dissemination workshop the findings are shared and plans for future research projects are outlined.

The project is financed by Danish Agency for Science and Higher Education through the International Network Programme, in the period January 2016 - January 2017.

For additional information: http://www.coldchain.aau.dk/