The plant-based industry is laying down roots

From fast-food to fine dining establishments, plant-based protein is becoming an increasingly popular menu item. So, when one producer brought their operation to Canada, they needed a partner to help accommodate their expanding operation.

The Canadian facility accommodated both the production and packaging processes but did not have the freezer space or the general storage area needed to store ingredients, packaging materials—or the finished product. “It was very time-sensitive because the facility that does the manufacturing had barely any freezer space,” explains Max Perreault, Sales Director for Eastern Canada at VersaCold. With a rapidly expanding market adding to existing storage concerns, finding a partner with the ability to scale on-demand was a primary concern.

Why agility was the key to productivity at VersaCold throughout the pandemic

VersaCold Director of Quality Management Systems, Moses Akingbade, recently participated in the American Supply Chain Summit where he shared how VersaCold has achieved business continuity throughout the pandemic, with zero days of productivity lost due to COVID-19 so far.

As a logistics provider for the warehousing and transportation of food products across North America, VersaCold had to implement rapid change in order to ensure the safety and reliability of its network throughout the pandemic. With requirements changing every day, Moses says the key to planning for an unknown future is to pursue a collaborative approach with agility built into your response plan. VersaCold applied this philosophy in the form of a six-step plan for business continuity.

How VersaCold is approaching the next phase of COVID-19 recovery

It’s been over six months since COVID-19 changed the world and VersaCold is proud of the way we’ve adjusted our practices and protocols to help ensure the safety of our employees and the food we move. It’s thanks to these efforts and those of so many other Canadians, that we will continue to persevere through the next phase of the pandemic and the approaching cold and flu season.

With restrictions continuing to change, there is, understandably, a level of uncertainty. For example, parents likely have had to face uncertainty around the return to school. First, whether to send their children back at all. If they do return, must they refrain from visiting elderly family members? What if one of their friends gets sick? As President and Chief Operating Officer of VersaCold Logistics Services, Mike Arcamone, says, “These sorts of questions mirror the situation at VersaCold—we want to return to ‘normal’, but we want to do it safely.”

With the hope of providing some guidance for the next phase of the pandemic, the following are VersaCold’s current recommendations for the optimal safety of our own staff, at work and at home.

Enjoy the great outdoors while preventing food-borne illness

Barbeques, picnics, and camp cookouts have always been a favourite activity when the weather is nice. And throughout the summer of 2020, more people are still venturing into the great outdoors to enjoy meals and participate in physically distanced social gatherings. While open air activities may offer a lower risk for contracting airborne illnesses, it’s important to protect yourself against foodborne illnesses too.

Communication was the key to fast action for food safety and supply

As COVID-19 measures have started to relax across the country, we here at VersaCold have had a chance to reflect on our own response to the pandemic while at the same time, preparing to move forward with safety and business continuity in mind. We spoke to Lorna Jellow, Director, Labour Relations and Brian Printz, Director, National Accounts, who shared their unique perspectives on how VersaCold employees adapted under the pressures of COVID-19. Across the board, communication stood out as the number one tool for success in this unknown environment.

New Safe Food for Canadians Regulations and what they mean for you

Canada is recognized for having one of the strongest food safety systems in the world. But in attempt to strengthen its already world-class system, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has introduced new regulations. As of January 15, 2019, the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations are in effect.

5 ways to keep your food fresher longer 

As the demand for quality and fresh food grows, so does the need for a reliable supply chain company. To keep food fresh across the supply chain, the integration of temperature-sensitive storage and complex time-based distribution must be transparent, comprehensive and precise.

“Maintaining the freshness, quality and safety of food is shared by all, including the consumer,” says Moses Akingbade, Director, Cold Chain Assurance. “A key factor in maintaining food safety, quality and freshness, is ensuring that products are handled and stored at temperatures appropriate for the type of food. It’s what we all need to do in order to ensure we are nourishing ourselves in a safe manner.”

With over 65 years of experience with temperature-sensitive food, VersaCold can guarantee freshness from supplier to warehouse to store. But once food is delivered, it’s out of our hands. Here are 5 tips for keeping your food fresher longer.

“Anything to do with food, VersaCold knows how to handle all the goods.”

Our people here at VersaCold are the backbone of all that we do. So we’d like to introduce our new interview series that will continue to roll out in the months to come. These stories will feature different VersaCold employees across the cold supply chain and explore how their specific roles and personal dedication demonstrate their commitment to safety, quality and the freshness of the food families eat.

We recently sat down with Vera Penney to chat about her role at VersaCold and why it’s so important to her. Vera has been with VersaCold and Atlas Cold Storage (a company VersaCold acquired over 10 years ago) for a combined 13+ years. She’s taken on many roles at a number of Southern Ontario locations over the course of her cold chain career—from inventory control to customer service to workflow control and, most recently, as a shunter at our new Milton location.

Why VersaCold is committed to the BRC compliance

VersaCold has invested years of care and expertise in food safety and cold chain quality assurance. We are dedicated to food. That’s why we go above and beyond to demonstrate our commitment to providing customers with the highest level of quality and freshness. And one way we honour this commitment is by choosing to utilize certifications like The British Retail Consortium (BRC) to regulate and maintain our quality standards.

Keep cold and carry on – not quite…

The concept of refrigeration is a relatively simple one. Store foods that are not yet ready to be consumed at a temperature low enough to preserve their optimal freshness and quality – until such a time when they are ready to be prepared or eaten.