Maintaining the cold chain for 20 hours, supplying 102 stores every day from a single warehouse, without any cold rooms in store and using non-refrigerated trucks — this is the exceptional logistics challenge that Colruyt France successfully tackled with Olivo Cold Logistics. Here is a closer look at a customer case that is reshaping temperature-controlled food distribution.

A radical operational constraint : no cold rooms in store

Colruyt France could have followed the conventional model: refrigerated trucks, cold rooms in store and a traditional logistics setup. Instead, they chose a different path. Inspired by their Belgian model, their approach is clear, deliver every store daily using standard trucks, with no cold infrastructure at the destination.

This decision was driven by energy efficiency and the optimisation of retail space. However, it raises a very practical operational question: how can fresh and frozen products remain at the correct temperature for up to 20 hours, from warehouse picking through to store shelves, without any onboard refrigeration equipment?

That is the challenge they brought to us.

Three non-negotiable requirements

The brief submitted to Olivo was built around three strategic imperatives :

• Deliver products in three temperature ranges while optimising truck loading capacity using standard vehicles
• Guarantee complete cold-chain continuity, from warehouse picking through to shelf placement, with no thermal breaks
• Deploy a solution that complies with the company’s QHSE requirements and can be rolled out across the entire network

Additional challenges included reducing unnecessary energy consumption, securing products in a non-refrigerated delivery environment, and simplifying handling for operators both in the warehouse and in stores.

An automated injection system: the key to efficiency

At the heart of the solution lies an automated injection tower equipped with integrated software. Its objectives are threefold :

• Reduce handling operations by eliminating manual intervention on the cooling source
• Precisely calibrate the amount of cooling required for each container
• Improve the overall efficiency of the refrigeration solution

The system also offers strong financial visibility. Through detailed monthly reporting, Colruyt has a complete overview of cooling consumption and associated costs.

The operational flow : from warehouse to shelf in 20 hours

La solution Olivo s’intègre dans un processus logistique en quatre étapes, optimisé pour garantir la continuité de la chaîne du froid sur l’ensemble de la séquence.

Step 1 — Warehouse preparation

ROLL containers are stored in a dedicated area within the return centre. Before loading, they are placed in a pre-conditioning area at 0°C for 2 hours and 40 minutes to thermally saturate the insulated walls. They are then loaded with goods in a +3°C zone before being equipped with their cooling source via SiberSnow® injection.

Step 2 — Loading and transit

The containers are placed in the dispatch area and remain at the loading dock before departure. Each day, around 500 insulated containers for fresh products and 100 containers for frozen products are shipped to stores.

Step 3 — Delivery and in-store management

For example, in the Saint-Étienne store, containers are received between 5:00 and 7:30 a.m. They are stored in the backroom at ambient temperature, with butcher containers placed directly on shelves. Shelf stocking is completed by 11:00 a.m.

Step 4 — Return and recirculation

Once back at the warehouse, a sample of containers is inspected and cleaned. Maintenance operations are carried out if necessary before they are returned to the logistics cycle.

Why this approach is changing food logistics

Before any large-scale deployment, Olivo first tested the solution in laboratory conditions to confirm thermal performance. The containers were then tested in real operating conditions on Colruyt delivery routes.

Following these two phases, Colruyt validated the recommendations, confirming temperature stability for 20 consecutive hours in a non-refrigerated environment.

Cutting infrastructure costs

By getting rid of in-store cold rooms and refrigerated trucks, Colruyt makes significant savings on both infrastructure and operating costs. The Olivo solution moves the cooling function from the building and the vehicle to the container itself, a very different and much more flexible approach.

Keeping the cold chain under control without fixed equipment

For a logistics or quality manager, maintaining the cold chain is a top priority. The ROLL 900 SiberSnow® TWIN meets this need by providing up to 20 hours of cooling, whatever the outside conditions, transit time, or delivery setup.

A scalable model

The solution used by Colruyt is not a one-off prototype or a custom setup that can’t be replicated. It’s part of a standardized product range, with an automated filling station, control software, and monthly reporting. In other words, it’s a scalable, trackable model that can be improved over time.

Reducing QHSE risks

By automating the cooling process and reducing manual handling, Olivo helps lower the risk of human error, the main cause of temperature-related issues. For quality and transport teams, this means an extra layer of assurance when it comes to meeting regulatory requirements.