Photo: Dr. Jean-Paul Rodrigue, 2011.

Grocery Chain Cold Storage Facility, Regina

The growing efficiency and reliability of cold chain logistics has enabled major grocery store chains to establish large cold storage distribution facilities servicing large market areas. This strategy confers economies of scale (lower operating costs) as well as the ability to supply a wider variety of cold chain retail goods. The above photo depicts a cold storage facility of Loblaw Companies, the largest food retailer in Canada, located at the Global Transportation Hub inland port in the vicinity of Regina, Saskatchewan. It services most of the grocery stores in Western Canada. An array of domestic 53 foot reefer containers are being loaded with the orders of specific stores ("no name" refers to the generic store brand).