President Ronald Reagan declared that every July would be National Ice Cream Month. With all of the summer heat, there is only one way to cool down, delicious ice cream. But with families everywhere buying the cold and sweet treat, you have to ask yourself how it gets transported? Ice cream has to make it all the way from the factory where it is produced to the refrigerated shelves at the grocery store without melting. The only way to do it is by refrigerated transportation methods.
There are many different brands of ice cream that are transported, not only locally, but also nationally such as Breyers. And of course, there’s our local Kansas City favorite Belfonte. According to Breyer’s, the company has been making more than a million gallons of ice cream a year and shipping it to different states. Belfonte, on the other hand, is still growing, but is quickly picking up market share. Belfonte products are found in more than 550 supermarkets and convenience stores, and in more than 600 restaurants, country clubs, hospitals, schools and food service facilities.
So how does ice cream get shipped? According to the International Dairy Foods Association, the most important part of transporting ice cream is to keep it fresh, and like other perishable goods and frozen treats, once they are exposed to higher temperatures, they can change in body, texture and flavor.
Refrigerated trailers have been a revolutionary invention created by Frederick McKinley Jones. Focused primarily on the field of refrigeration in his work, he is well known for inventing an automatic refrigeration system for long haul trucks and railroad cars. Before his creation, trucks were loaded with ice to help keep the products fresh. If the ice melted before the final destination was reached then carriers risked losing the entire shipment. Jones’s invention was a roof-mounted cooling system to make sure all food stayed fresh and at the appropriate temperatures.
To learn more about the benefits refrigerated shipping we encourage you to visit our website and fill out one of quick contact forms.
