Your Food Matters—2018 and beyond
The year is coming to a close, and what a year it’s been. From awards to new certifications and partnerships, 2018 has been extremely exciting for VersaCold. This spring, we introduced our new tagline, Your Food Matters, as a commitment to making our customers and our customers’ food our top priority. And we have taken many steps this year to keep that promise.
Let’s take a look back at some of the year’s great accomplishments.
Partnership with purpose
We started 2018 off with a bang when we announced a strategic partnership with Nestlé Canada that was a number of years in the making. We know the strongest partnerships are those that continue to build and grow, and we needed a warehouse that could facilitate such growth. So we opened our biggest Canadian facility in Milton, Ontario. The facility was one of the most important initiatives we have ever undertaken, representing an investment of more than 225 million dollars and a commitment to strategically partner with our customers.
2018 also saw the beginning of a great partnership with Food Banks Canada. With food at its core, the charity’s values of delivering safe, quality food to families across Canada align perfectly with our own. By partnering with FBC, VersaCold was able to increase the amount of fresh and perishable foods delivered to families and make a real positive impact on local communities across the country.
Hard work pays off
We are honoured each and every time we’re recognized for our hard work and accomplishments. It further drives our commitment to enabling our customers to achieve success and peace of mind so that they can focus on what matters most—the families around the world who enjoy their products.
Here are a few of our accolades in 2018:
Food Logistics 2018 Top Green Provider
In the food and beverage industry, being an active player in the sustainability game is crucial when it comes to reducing the food chain's carbon footprint and preserving the industry’s thin profit margins. We’re proud to be among the companies recognized for the important role of promoting sustainability to our customers in 2018.
G75—75 Green Supply Chain Partners
In 2018, VersaCold was featured on Inbound Logistics’ annual G75—a carefully curated list of 75 companies that go above and beyond to ensure their global supply chains are sustainable, and their operations are socially and environmentally friendly.
Food Logistics Top 3PL & Cold Storage Providers of 2018
Food Logistics’ annual Top 3PL & Cold Storage Providers features those who are doing their part to ensure an integrated and safe global food supply chain. VersaCold is proud to be recognized for our 3PL services and warehouse/cold storage capabilities.
Expanding our reach
As of earlier this year, VersaCold operates the largest geographical footprint of Canadian refrigerated warehousing facilities that have the approvals to export fish and beef to China and the European Union. Ten of our thirty-one Canadian refrigerated warehousing facilities went through a rigorous review process that met the requirements of the Meat Inspection Act and Chinese veterinary hygiene and public health regulations. We also have 21 establishments approved to export fish and seafood to the People’s Republic of China. VersaCold engaged with senior government officials, retained the services of legal firms, and worked with industry groups in both Canada and China to meet the stringent requirements of the approval process. So what does that mean for our clients moving forward? A trusted partner, a wider reach, and a greater opportunity for competitive edge.
Meeting global standards
This year, VersaCold honoured our commitment to quality and freshness by choosing to utilize certifications like the British Retail Consortium (BRC) to regulate and maintain our quality standards.
Moses Akingbade, VersaCold’s Director of Cold Chain Assurance, explains the importance of being BRC-certified. “Certification to the BRC global standards assures our customers that VersaCold adheres to regulatory, food safety and quality standards, a demonstration to our commitment to ensuring the safety, quality and freshness of the food families eat.”
BRC’s constant evolution and unparalleled dedication to food safety and quality is a direct reflection of our own. That’s why we have 22 of our warehousing facilities BRC-certified and are aiming to have 23 certified by the end of 2018.
Looking ahead to 2019
Again, what a year it’s been. As we look back in gratitude on all that we’ve accomplished together in 2018, we can’t wait to see what’s in store for the year ahead. Thank you for coming along for the ride.
