A well-known Polish chef had a habit of entering the delivery driver's vehicle before accepting any delivery to his restaurant. He would check the transport temperature. He knew that the best ingredients could be ruined before they even reached the kitchen.

The same rule applies in e-grocery, except the customer does not enter the vehicle 😊. They trust that the shop has taken care of the entire cold chain from the warehouse right to their doorstep.

The e-grocery sector can scale its business thanks to refrigerated transport

The e-grocery market in Poland is growing at a rate of over ten percent per year. According to a report by Strategy&, its value could increase from PLN 9 billion in 2024 to PLN 14 billion in 2028. This growth is driven not only by customers from large cities such as Warsaw or Gdańsk – online grocery shopping is also growing in smaller towns, where customers today expect the same standard of delivery as in major metropolitan areas.

The problem is that cold chain logistics to the doorstep is available in Poland mainly where it is profitable to maintain one's own fleet. Selected large chains often have their own refrigerated vehicles, but they only serve a specific, smaller area. Smaller e-grocery shops with fresh food are faced with a choice: limit their reach or accept a lack of control over delivery conditions.

Goodspeed's refrigerated transport for e-grocery  at a controlled temperature of approx. 2-8°C ensures freshness and quality maintenance, and above all, reaches all regions of Poland. 

Rafał Szcześniewski writes more on this topic in an article on LinkedIn – read it here.

FAQ

Is refrigerated transport of fresh fruit and vegetables, and other products like meat or dairy, available outside major cities? Yes. Goodspeed carries out deliveries under controlled temperatures to over 6,000 locations across Poland, including smaller towns and villages. 

Can a small e-grocery shop use refrigerated transport without having its own fleet? Yes. Goodspeed serves both large and smaller players without the need for them to invest in their own fleet.

How does cold chain logistics differ from standard courier delivery? A standard courier does not control the temperature – vehicles without refrigeration and parcel lockers have uncontrolled temperature conditions. Goodspeed ensures a continuous cold chain, with a stable temperature of 2-8°C from the warehouse to the customer's doorstep.