A well-known Polish chef had a habit of getting into the delivery driver's vehicle before accepting any delivery to his restaurant. He checked 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, only the customer doesn't get into the car 😊. They trust that the store has taken care of the entire cold chain from the warehouse 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 a dozen percent a 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 like 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 cost-effective 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 stores with fresh food face 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 maintains quality, 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 delivers at a controlled temperature to over 6,000 locations across Poland, including smaller towns and villages. 

Can a small e-grocery store use refrigerated transport without having its own fleet? Yes. Goodspeed serves both large and smaller players without requiring 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 door.