What it takes to keep food fresh from farm to fork
We rarely think about where our food comes from, but there’s an entire industry dedicated to storing and moving your favorite commodities, from strawberries to ice cream, and keeping them cool at every stop in their journey.
Welcome to the Cold Chain
Explore each stage of the cold chain by clicking the icons below to learn more.
FARMERS
Food from farmers around the world first enters the cold chain by road, rail or sea.
FOOD PRODUCERS
Food from producers around the world first enters the cold chain by road, rail or sea.
IMPORTERS
Food from importers around the world first enters the cold chain by road, rail or sea.
PRODUCER-ATTACHED FACILITY
Depending on the commodity, food may be further processed at a Lineage facility before going into cold storage.
FOOD PROCESSING / MANUFACTURING FACILITIES
Depending on the commodity, food may be further processed at a facility before going into cold storage.
DISTRIBUTION & FULFILLMENT CENTERS
As customer orders are made, products are sent to distribution and fulfillment centers where they're parsed out into orders and placed on pallets for delivery. Through multi-vendor consolidation, even the most complex orders are possible.
FOOD SERVICE DISTRIBUTION CENTER
Lineage distribution centers act as key hubs, connecting food from warehouses to restaurants through a variety of transportation services.
FULFILLMENT CENTER
Lineage fulfillment centers act as key hubs, connecting food from warehouses to retailers and consumers through a variety of transportation services.
RETAIL DISTRIBUTION CENTER
Lineage retail distribution centers act as key hubs, connecting food from warehouses to retailers through a variety of transportation services.
RETAILERS
Retailers receive their orders. From there, food is placed on shelves for the final consumer.
RESTAURANTS
Restaurants receive their orders. From there, food is plated for the final consumer.
CONSUMERS
Thanks to a more connected cold chain, people can enjoy popular commodities and delicacies from across the globe.
Learn more about the cold chain essentials
This interconnected web of food process facilities, cold storage warehouses and transportation services spans the entire planet and is the lifeline for perishables from farm to fork.
The next link in the cold chain gets right to the heart of temperature-controlled logistics: cold storage warehousing.
Lineage enhances the global food supply chain with innovative transportation solutions across sea, road and rail, ensuring efficiency and sustainability.
One team at every link in the cold chain
We created Lineage Link® to help global food brands, like Ajinomoto Foods North America, Inc., to improve supply chain visibility and stay ahead of shortages.
By encouraging team member involvement and emphasizing continuous improvement, our Great Plains site has become a beacon of sustainable safety excellence within our network.
Discover innovative strategies for efficient, cost-effective temperature-controlled food transport in our transportation whitepaper.
A worldwide leader in cold chain logistics
Our network of sophisticated, strategically located cold storage facilities offers comprehensive and innovative solutions for protecting your temperature-controlled products.
Our end-to-end transportation services help streamline your business and move your products from point of origin all the way to the last mile.
