Seven Eleven, the convenience store chain operated by Korea Seven, is strengthening its summer cold chain management system to improve the freshness and safety of refrigerated and frozen products amid a record heat wave.
According to Seven Eleven on the 8th, the company recently introduced a new “real-time temperature monitoring system” for all delivery vehicles operated at its low-temperature centers. The system transmits data collected through temperature sensors installed inside delivery vehicles to an Internet of Things (IoT)-based cloud every 10 minutes, and stores and visualizes the information.
Logistics managers can check the interior temperature and change trends of each delivery vehicle in operation in real time through the monitoring screen. Because operating status and temperature history are accumulated as data for each vehicle, situations in which the temperature rises or deviates from the standard range in a specific section can be quickly identified.
Previously, the company managed the transport condition of low-temperature products by recovering the temperature recording devices installed in delivery vehicles and then checking the data. Because the temperature deviation during transport could only be confirmed after the vehicle finished delivery and returned to the logistics center, there was a limitation that only after-the-fact measures were possible even when problems occurred.
In summer in particular, the external temperature rises significantly, and as the delivery vehicle doors are repeatedly opened during the loading and unloading of products, the possibility of a temporary rise in interior temperature increases. Situations in which vehicle operating time lengthens due to traffic congestion or delivery schedules are delayed can also affect low-temperature maintenance, making the management of refrigerated and frozen products even more important.
With the introduction of this system, if a slight temperature deviation or abnormal sign occurs inside the vehicle during delivery, it can be immediately checked through the monitoring screen. Through this, logistics managers and delivery drivers can quickly identify the cause and take necessary measures, such as inspecting freezing and refrigeration equipment. The company plans to lower the possibility of spoilage of products sensitive to temperature changes, such as lunch boxes, sandwiches, dairy products and ice cream, and to stably maintain freshness and quality until arrival at stores.
Another feature is that the temperature history of the entire delivery process can now be managed as data. By analyzing temperature changes by vehicle and time period, the company can identify sections where temperature deviations recur and their causes, and when problems occur, it can more accurately determine responsibility and the time of occurrence.
“We will improve the management efficiency of the low-temperature product delivery process based on real-time temperature data and continuously advance our cold chain operating system,” a Seven Eleven official said. “Even amid heat waves and abnormal weather, we will stably maintain the quality of refrigerated and frozen products to provide consumers with safer and more reliable products.”