Hotter Weather, More Heatwaves – How Extreme Weather Affects Fridges and Freezers

In recent years Europe is repeatedly experiencing summer heatwaves, with June heatwaves becoming increasingly common particularly in Spain. Spain’s state weather service, Aemet, reports 10 recorded heatwaves in June in mainland Spain between 2000 and 2025, and just two in the previous 25 years1.

Other countries are similarly experiencing hotter temperatures and more frequent heatwaves. As well as the impact this has on the lives and health of people, high temperatures can also affect the safety of temperature-sensitive products.

When temperatures rise, fridges and freezers become even more critical to food safety, product quality and compliance. For food businesses, healthcare sites, laboratories, pharmacies, hospitality operators and cold-chain teams, unusually hot weather can place refrigeration equipment under additional pressure. The unit may still appear to be running normally, but behind the scenes the system is often working harder to maintain the required temperature.

This matters because chilled and frozen products rely on stable storage conditions. If a fridge or freezer can’t remove heat quickly enough, internal temperatures can rise. Even short periods outside the correct temperature range can increase food safety risk, affect product quality, reduce shelf life or create compliance issues.

Understanding how refrigeration systems operate, and why hot weather can make their job more difficult, helps businesses prepare before problems occur.

How fridges and freezers normally work

Most commercial fridges and freezers operate using a vapour compression refrigeration cycle. While the equipment can vary in size, from an upright fridge to a walk-in freezer or cold room, the basic principle is the same.

The purpose of the system is to remove heat from inside the cabinet, room or storage area and release that heat outside the cooled space. It does not “create cold” in the way many people imagine. Instead, it continuously moves heat from one place to another.

The main components involved are:

  • The evaporator: This sits inside the cooled area. Refrigerant passes through the evaporator at a low temperature and absorbs heat from the air inside the fridge or freezer.
  • The compressor: The compressor pumps refrigerant around the system. It raises the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant so that the absorbed heat can be released.
  • The condenser: The condenser is usually located outside the chilled space, often at the back, top or external plant area of the unit. Its job is to reject heat into the surrounding air.
  • The expansion valve or metering device: This controls the flow of refrigerant into the evaporator and reduces its pressure, allowing it to absorb heat again.
  • Fans and controls: Fans move air across the evaporator and condenser coils. Sensors and thermostats monitor temperature and tell the system when to switch on, run harder or switch off.

During normal operation, the thermostat detects when the internal temperature rises above the set point. The compressor starts, refrigerant circulates and the system removes heat until the required temperature is reached again. The compressor then cycles off or reduces output, depending on the type of system.

In a well-maintained unit, this process happens continuously throughout the day. Doors open, warm air enters, products are loaded, and the system responds by removing the extra heat.

What changes during extremely hot weather?

During hot weather, the fridge or freezer still works in the same technical way. The refrigeration cycle does not change. However, the conditions around the equipment change significantly.

A fridge that performs adequately in mild conditions may struggle when temperatures rise.
A fridge that performs adequately in mild conditions may struggle when temperatures rise.

The most important factor is the difference between the temperature inside the unit and the temperature outside it. A fridge may be trying to hold food at around 5°C or below, while the surrounding room might be 28°C or higher. A freezer may be trying to maintain frozen products at around -18°C while rejecting heat into very warm ambient air.

This wider temperature difference creates a higher heat load. More heat enters the cabinet through door openings, walls, seals and product loading. At the same time, the condenser has to reject heat into air that’s already warm. That makes the process less efficient.

In practical terms, the system may need to run for longer periods. The compressor may cycle on more frequently. Fans may operate more often. Defrost cycles may become more important. Any weakness in the equipment, such as dirty condenser coils, worn door seals, poor airflow or low refrigerant charge, can become more noticeable during hot weather.

A fridge or freezer that performs adequately in mild conditions may struggle when temperatures rise.

The compressor works harder

The compressor is one of the hardest-working parts of a refrigeration system. During hot weather, it may be under increased pressure because the system needs to remove more heat and run for longer.

When the condenser is exposed to high ambient temperatures, the refrigerant may not reject heat as easily. This can increase the pressure on the high side of the system. The compressor then has to work harder to move refrigerant and maintain the required cooling effect.

Longer run times can increase wear. Higher operating pressures can increase stress. Electrical components may also run hotter. If the compressor is already ageing, poorly maintained or operating in a poorly ventilated area, unusually hot weather can increase the likelihood of failure.

This does not mean that every fridge or freezer will break down during a heatwave. Well-designed, well-maintained equipment should be able to cope with expected operating conditions. However, hot weather reduces the margin for error. It can expose problems that were previously hidden.

The condenser has to reject heat into hotter air

The condenser is responsible for releasing heat from the refrigeration system into the surrounding environment. It works best when there is good airflow and a reasonable difference between the condenser temperature and the surrounding air temperature.

During extremely hot weather, this becomes more difficult. The air around the condenser is warmer, so heat transfer is less effective. If the condenser coil is dusty, blocked or located in a cramped plant room, the problem can become worse.

Poor condenser performance can lead to higher head pressure, longer compressor run times and reduced cooling capacity. In some cases, the system may trip on high pressure to protect itself. This can leave the fridge, freezer or cold room unable to maintain temperature until the fault is resolved.

For this reason, condenser cleaning and ventilation are particularly important before and during periods of hot weather.

Door seals, insulation and airflow become more important

Hot weather also increases the importance of the basic physical condition of the unit.

Door seals help prevent warm air entering the fridge or freezer. If seals are cracked, loose or damaged, warm air can leak into the cabinet. This forces the system to remove more heat and may lead to condensation, ice build-up or unstable internal temperatures.

Insulation also plays a key role. The walls, doors and panels of the unit are designed to slow heat transfer. If insulation is damaged or panels are poorly fitted, more heat enters the cooled space.

Airflow inside the unit is another important factor. If stock is packed too tightly or vents are blocked, cold air cannot circulate properly. This can create warm spots, even if the temperature sensor shows that part of the unit is within range. During hot weather, poor airflow can become a bigger issue because the system has less spare cooling capacity.

Fans and evaporators may be under more pressure

Evaporator fans circulate cold air around the storage area. Condenser fans help remove heat from the system. During hot weather, both may run more frequently or for longer periods.

If a fan motor is weak, obstructed or failing, the refrigeration system may not perform properly. Reduced airflow across the evaporator can affect cooling inside the cabinet. Reduced airflow across the condenser can prevent heat from being rejected effectively.

The evaporator itself can also be affected by moisture. When warm, humid air enters a fridge or freezer, especially through frequent door openings, moisture can condense or freeze on the evaporator coil. In freezers, this can contribute to ice build-up. Excessive frost can restrict airflow and reduce the system’s ability to absorb heat.

Defrost systems are designed to manage this, but if defrost cycles are not working correctly, hot weather and high humidity can make the issue more visible.

Are fridges and freezers more likely to break down in hot weather?

It’s possible, especially if they are already under-maintained, overloaded or operating in poor conditions.

Hot weather does not automatically cause refrigeration failure. Commercial units are designed to operate within specified ambient temperature ranges. However, when ambient temperature rises, the system has to work harder. Components may experience longer run times, higher pressures and greater thermal stress.

Problems that may be manageable in cooler weather can become critical in hot weather. Examples include:

  • Dirty condenser coils
  • Blocked airflow around the unit
  • Damaged door seals
  • Poorly closing doors
  • Overloaded cabinets
  • Frequent door openings
  • Faulty fans
  • Incorrect thermostat settings
  • Low refrigerant charge
  • Ageing compressors
  • Poorly maintained defrost systems

The risk isn’t just that a unit stops working completely. A more common issue is that it slowly struggles to maintain temperature. This can be harder to spot without continuous monitoring because the unit may still sound as if it is running.

The risk to chilled and frozen products

Higher temperatures can allow harmful bacteria to grow more quickly around temperature-sensitive food in storage.

When fridges and freezers struggle, product temperature can rise. This creates several risks.

For chilled food, higher temperatures can allow harmful bacteria to grow more quickly2. Even where food remains visually unchanged, the safety risk may increase if it has been held outside the required temperature range.

For frozen food, temperature rise can affect quality and safety. Partial thawing and refreezing can damage texture, increase ice crystal formation and reduce product integrity. In some cases, frozen products may no longer be suitable for sale or use.

For healthcare, pharmacy, laboratory and life sciences environments, the stakes can be just as significant. Medicines, vaccines, samples, reagents and other temperature-sensitive materials may have strict storage requirements. A temperature excursion can compromise product stability, create documentation challenges and lead to costly wastage.

In any regulated environment, the issue is not only whether a product feels cold or frozen. The question is whether it has remained within the approved temperature range for the required period.

Why manual checks may not be enough

During hot weather, temperature can change quickly. A manual check carried out once or twice a day may miss an overnight excursion, a lunchtime door issue or a gradual rise caused by a failing component.

By the time a member of staff notices a problem, the unit may already have been outside range for several hours. Without a clear temperature record, it can be difficult to know when the issue started, how long products were affected and what has been happening at each CCP3.

Continuous temperature monitoring gives teams better visibility. Automated alerts can warn staff when temperatures move outside agreed limits, allowing them to act before stock, samples or medicines are compromised. Digital records also support audit readiness by showing the temperature history and the response taken.

Practical steps during hot weather

Businesses can reduce risk by preparing refrigeration equipment before hot weather arrives and increasing vigilance during warm periods.

Key actions include:

  • Check that fridges, freezers and cold rooms are operating at the correct set temperatures4
  • Inspect door seals and replace damaged seals promptly
  • Avoid overloading cabinets or blocking vents
  • Minimise unnecessary door openings
  • Allow hot food or deliveries to cool appropriately before loading, where safe and suitable
  • Check that fans are operating correctly
  • Review defrost performance on freezers
  • Ensure condenser and evaporator coils are inspected and cleaned as part of routine refrigeration maintenance, and check that airflow around the equipment is not restricted5
  • Keep plant rooms and back-of-house areas as cool and ventilated as possible
  • Use automated monitoring and alerts to detect issues early
  • Record corrective actions when temperatures move outside limits

Hot weather makes monitoring essential

Extremely hot weather places additional pressure on fridges and freezers. The refrigeration cycle remains the same, but units must work harder to remove heat and maintain safe storage conditions. Compressors, condensers, fans, seals, evaporators and defrost systems all become more important when ambient temperatures rise.

Ensure that monitoring processes and systems are in place to alert staff if equipment is struggling or fails, potentially leading to products moving outside safe or approved temperature ranges. Wastage, compliance issues, product degradation and financial loss can all be the result of equipment failure, which could otherwise be averted if reliable monitoring is in place.

Contact Kelsius to learn more about automated temperature monitoring with real-time alerts. 


Sources

  1. BBC News, ‘Drowning deaths soar in France as Europe buckles in peak of heatwave’
    https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c79yvw3j114o
  2. Food Standards Agency, ‘Chilling food correctly in your business’
    https://www.gov.uk/food-hygiene-businesses/chilling-and-freezing
  3. Food Safety Authority of Ireland, ‘Principles of HACCP’
    https://www.fsai.ie/business-advice/running-a-food-business/food-safety-management-system-%28haccp%29/principles-of-haccp
  4. Food Safety Authority of Ireland, ‘Storing food safely’
    https://www.fsai.ie/consumer-advice/food-safety-and-hygiene/storage
  5. Restaurant Facility Management Association (RFMA), ‘The Case for a Refrigeration Preventive Maintenance Program’
    https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.rfmaonline.com/resource/resmgr/rfma_conference_presentation_archives/the_case_for_a_refrigeration.pdf

Compliance and efficiencies ‘significantly improved’ at Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn

In a busy hospital catering environment, food safety, traceability and patient service are critical. At The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn NHS Foundation Trust, the catering team manages high volumes of daily food production, with strict compliance requirements across delivery, preparation and service.

Before introducing Kelsius FoodCheck 2.0, the team relied heavily on paper-based records. This created challenges around incomplete documentation, damaged paperwork, manual checks and limited real-time visibility of fridge and freezer performance.

 

Following implementation of the Kelsius system, the hospital moved to digital food safety records, automated temperature monitoring and real-time reporting. Staff now complete checks using tablets and probes, while supervisors have instant visibility of completed and outstanding tasks.

The result is a more efficient, transparent and audit-ready approach to food safety. The team has reduced paperwork, improved accountability, strengthened compliance, and gained better insight into food waste and menu planning.

With Kelsius FoodCheck 2.0, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn has created a simpler, smarter and more reliable way to manage food safety, supporting both operational performance and patient service.

 

 

To start improving your compliance and efficiencies, contact Kelsius today.

Kelsius protects over 90 pharmacy fridges and freezers at St Vincent’s University Hospital

St. Vincent’s University Hospital (SVUH), one of Ireland’s leading academic teaching hospitals, needed a reliable way to continuously monitor more than 90 medication fridges across its campus, including out of hours and at weekends. 

With the Kelsius remote, wireless and paperless temperature monitoring system, SVUH now has 24-hour visibility of fridges, freezers and incubators containing medication, with real-time alerts, corrective action records and reporting available through the Kelsius portal.

 

 

The system has helped SVUH respond quickly to temperature deviations, identify trends such as doors left ajar, and strengthen medication storage compliance across the hospital. Over one three-month period, the potential maximum financial saving from avoided stock loss was approximately €120,000.

Read the full case study to see how SVUH improved hospital-wide temperature monitoring with Kelsius.

 

 

To book your free Kelsius demo, contact the Kelsius sales team.

Why Monitoring Air Temperature isn’t Enough: Product Simulation in Cold Storage

Temperature monitoring sits at the heart of compliance, safety, and quality assurance across food, pharmaceutical, and healthcare sectors. Whether safeguarding vaccines, chilled foods, or laboratory samples, businesses rely on accurate temperature data to make critical decisions.

But there is a fundamental flaw in how temperature is often measured. Most monitoring systems track air temperature. Yet, what truly matters is the temperature of the product itself.

This distinction is not trivial. In fact, it can be the difference between false alarms and genuine risk, between wasted stock and proactive intervention. Increasingly, industry experts and researchers are recognising that product simulation technology is essential for accurate temperature monitoring.

The Problem with Air Temperature Monitoring

At first glance, measuring air temperature seems logical. It is easy to capture, quick to respond, and widely used. However, refrigeration systems do not operate in a steady, constant state. They are dynamic systems by design.

Refrigeration units operate within controlled cycles:

  • Compressors switch on and off to maintain efficiency
  • Internal temperatures fluctuate within a defined band
  • Defrost cycles temporarily raise temperatures
  • Door openings introduce short bursts of warmer air

These behaviours create natural temperature oscillations, often ranging several degrees above and below the setpoint.

Crucially, these fluctuations are:

  • Normal
  • Engineered
  • Necessary for system performance and longevity

However, air temperature sensors react almost instantly to these changes. A brief door opening or defrost cycle can cause a rapid spike in air temperature, even though the stored product remains stable. This creates what engineers often refer to as ‘data noise’.

The Consequence: False Alarms and Alert Fatigue

When monitoring systems rely solely on air temperature, this ‘noise’ becomes problematic. Short-term spikes can trigger alarms that do not reflect real risk. Over time, this leads to frequent nuisance alerts or time wasted investigating non-issues. They can also cause desensitisation among staff and increased risk of missing genuine failures.

The concept of alarm fatigue is well documented in healthcare1 and industrial2 environments. Studies in clinical settings have shown that excessive non-actionable alarms can reduce response rates and compromise safety outcomes. The consequences are not just the risk of inefficiencies, but this can also be operationally dangerous.

The Core Insight: Products Change Temperature Slowly

To understand the solution, we need to consider a key principle of thermodynamics – products do not respond to temperature changes as quickly as air does. This is due to thermal inertia3. Air has low thermal mass, meaning it heats and cools rapidly. By contrast, products such as food, liquids, or pharmaceuticals have significantly higher thermal mass. They absorb and release heat slowly.

For example, a refrigerator may briefly reach 10°C during a defrost cycle, but the product inside may remain safely within acceptable limits. This difference is important, as monitoring air temperature alone provides an incomplete and often misleading picture of product safety.

Product Simulation Technology

Product simulation technology addresses this gap by shifting the focus from air temperature to estimated product temperature. Rather than measuring the product directly, these systems use algorithms to simulate how a product would respond to environmental changes.

At the core of this approach is a well-established scientific principle: Newton’s Law of Cooling. This law states that the rate at which an object changes temperature is proportional to the difference between its own temperature and the surrounding environment.

This relationship can be expressed as:

  • The greater the difference between air and product temperature, the faster the change.
  • As the product temperature approaches the air temperature, the rate of change slows.

Using this principle, simulation algorithms apply a damping formula to air temperature data. This effectively filters out rapid fluctuations and models the slower, more realistic response of the product.

Filtering Out the Noise

The result is a transformed data stream. Instead of reacting to every spike, the system produces a smoothed temperature profile that reflects the true condition of stored goods.

This has several important implications:

  1. Ignoring transient air spikes. Short-lived fluctuations caused by:
  • Door openings
  • Compressor cycles
  • Defrost events

These are effectively filtered out. These events may cause sharp peaks in air temperature graphs, but they have minimal impact on product temperature. Simulation ensures they do not distort the data.

  1. Reducing false positives: By removing volatile air data, monitoring systems can dramatically reduce unnecessary alerts. What look like ‘critical’ alerts triggered by air temperature are removed, leaving only meaningful warnings regarding product temperature when simulation is applied. This highlights a fundamental advantage: fewer alerts, but higher relevance.
  1. Reflecting true product behaviour: Simulation provides a temperature curve that mirrors how real products behave. Analysis and studies have shown strong correlation between4:
  • Simulated product temperature
  • Physical buffered probes (e.g. glycol-filled vials)

This is significant because buffered probes have long been considered a gold standard in regulated industries.

  1. Eliminating the need for physical probing: Traditionally, organisations have used physical probes inserted into products or placed in glycol solutions to approximate product temperature. While effective, these methods are intrusive, require manual setup, and add cost and complexity. Simulation offers a software-based alternative that achieves similar outcomes without physically touching the stock.

From Reactive to Proactive Monitoring

One of the most important benefits of product simulation is the shift from reactive to proactive monitoring. Because simulated product temperature changes more gradually, it provides a clearer signal of genuine risk. In failure scenarios, simulation can:

  • Detect sustained temperature rises
  • Trigger alerts earlier in the risk window
  • Provide time for corrective action

Simulated temperature monitoring will closely track the actual product and provide an early warning before critical thresholds are reached. This aligns with broader industry trends toward predictive and risk-based monitoring, particularly in pharmaceutical cold chain management.

Why This Matters for Compliance and Risk Management

Regulatory frameworks across food and healthcare sectors emphasise the importance of maintaining product integrity, not just environmental conditions.

For example:

  • HACCP principles focus on controlling risks to the product5
  • GDP guidelines stress the importance of maintaining product quality throughout storage and distribution6

Monitoring air temperature alone does not fully satisfy this requirement. Product simulation, by contrast, aligns more closely with the intent of these frameworks. It provides a measurement that reflects what truly matters: the condition of the product itself.

Capture Meaningful Data

Temperature monitoring should be less about capturing the fastest-changing data and more focused on capturing the most meaningful data. Air temperature is volatile, noisy, and often misleading. Product temperature is stable, relevant, and critical to safety. By applying scientific principles, product simulation technology bridges this gap. It transforms raw environmental data into actionable insight, enabling organisations to:

  • Reduce false alarms
  • Prevent alert fatigue
  • Improve operational efficiency
  • Strengthen compliance
  • Protect valuable stock

This approach is essential for any temperature-sensitive environment, but particularly where precision matters and margins for error are small.

Contact Kelsius for advice and to learn more about protecting your products with automated temperature monitoring.

Sources:

  1. Joint Commission, ‘National Patient Safety Goal on Alarm Management’ https://www.jointcommission.org/standards/national-patient-safety-goals/
  2. Health and Safety Executive (UK), ‘Better Alarm Handling’, https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/chis6.pdf
  3. Science Direct, definition ‘Thermal Inertia’, https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/thermal-inertia
  4. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), ‘Cold Chain Management: Temperature Monitoring Solutions’, https://www.nist.gov/system/files/documents/2017/04/28/NIC45-Cold-Chain-Management-Temperature-Monitoring-Solutions.pdf
  5. Food Standards Agency, ‘Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP), https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/hazard-analysis-and-critical-control-point-haccp
  6. European Medicines Agency, ‘Good Distribution Practice’, https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/human-regulatory-overview/post-authorisation/compliance-post-authorisation/good-distribution-practice

Dubai-based FITT Meals trusts Kelsius to protect their food and their business

Meal prep company FITT Meals is responsible for creating, preparing and delivering hundreds of thousands of meals in the UAE. They use Kelsius systems throughout their production processes to protect their food and their business.

Established in 2019, the FITT Meals business was started by Founded and CEO Eoin Cantwell. The aim of the company is to help health-conscious customers with busy lifestyles to save time but not sacrifice nutrition when it comes to mealtimes. FITT Meals shops, prepares, cooks, chills and delivers delicious and nutritionally balanced meals direct to over 500,000 customers throughout the UAE.

 

With affordable meal plans that provide maximum nutritional value and food quality, FITT Meals needed a temperature monitoring system that removed the need for paperwork and automated monitoring for improved efficiencies. As a company that strives to innovate and to be the best at what it does, they chose Kelsius to give them the confidence that they had an automated temperature monitoring system in place that they could rely on.

FITT Meals has recently opened a new warehouse and purpose-built facility to cater for their growing demand. With a now significantly larger operation, FITT Meals trusts Kelsius to monitor all the fresh food that passes through every stage of the production process including delivery, storage and food preparation.

Founder and CEO of FITT Meals, Eoin Cantwell said, “Moving into our new facility, there always needs to be investments upfront. One of the smartest ones we’ve made is with Kelsius, which literally ensures our food safety and ensures that our temperatures are all on check. It’s all done remotely, and everything is absolutely guaranteed for us. It’s a huge comfort knowing that we have a company like Kelsius behind us, keeping our compliance and our products up to date.”

Watch the video to learn more about how FITT Meals management trusts Kelsius.

To book your free Kelsius demo, contact the Kelsius sales team.

Beyond Compliance: Why Automated Temperature Monitoring Is Critical for Transporting Food and Healthcare Products

In today’s global supply chains, moving temperature-sensitive products – from fresh produce to medicines – is both a logistical necessity and a growing challenge. With rising demand for perishable food products, increased healthcare transportation requirements, and stricter regulatory standards, precise temperature control must be maintained throughout transportation. Failure to do so carries not just financial risk but also public health consequences. 

The recent launch by Kelsius of FoodTrak365 and CoolTrak365 underscores a fundamental shift: businesses must adopt automated, real-time temperature monitoring solutions to protect products, ensure compliance, and minimise waste. 

This article explores why automating temperature monitoring in transit matters more than ever. We look at economic losses from temperature excursions, examples of cold chain failures caused by manual error or unexpected events, and the scale of temperature-controlled transport markets that depend on real-time visibility. 

 

The Scale of Temperature-Sensitive Transport 

Temperature-controlled logistics, often referred to as the cold chain, is a significant and rapidly expanding segment of global supply chains. 

The global cold chain logistics market was valued at around USD393.2 billion in 2025 and is forecast to grow to approximately USD1,632.6 billion by 2035, expanding more than fourfold in just a decade. This growth reflects rising consumer demand for fresh food year-round and the expanding distribution of temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals and biological products. Transportation services alone are expected to account for nearly 45% of cold chain logistics demand by 2025.1 

More locally, the UK and Europe are experiencing similar trends: up to 30% of all food produced in Europe requires cold chain logistics due to perishability and quality standards.2  

In short, billions of dollars’ worth of goods are in motion every day that require tight temperature controls, and transportation is the most vulnerable segment of that journey. 

 

How Much Product Is Lost Without Reliable Temperature Control? 

The cost of temperature excursions is already affecting businesses on a massive scale. 

A key finding from international health authorities is that up to 50% of vaccines are wasted globally each year because of inadequate temperature control, logistics, and shipment issues.3 This staggering loss represents billions in product value, compromised public health outcomes, and wasted human effort. 

Across broader cold chains, it is estimated that temperature-control failures contribute to roughly 526 million tonnes of food lost annually, equivalent to nearly 13% of all food produced worldwide. When accounting for disposal, logistics, compliance breaches, and opportunity costs, this loss is estimated at a value approaching USD1 trillion every year.4 

In the pharmaceutical sector, cold chain failures can affect the journey at any stage, with the most common issues arising due to temperature fluctuations, exposure to extreme environmental conditions, delayed transport, and handling errors. It is estimated that 12% of pharmaceutical shipments experience temperature excursions.5 Even minor excursions of just a few degrees can degrade products such as monoclonal antibodies, insulin, and mRNA-based vaccines, rendering them unsafe or ineffective.  

These figures show that temperature instability is one of the most wasteful weaknesses in current logistics systems. 

 

Real-World Costs of Manual Error and Oversights 

Cold chain systems are complex, involving multiple handovers, storage environments, and shifting external conditions. Each transition point – loading docks, vehicle transfers, unloading at destination – introduces risk. 

Human error alone is a frequent contributor to cold chain failures. A study by the Georgia Institute of Technology estimated that up to 90% of such failures resulted from human error.6  

Lapses such as these and related issues lead to costly spoilage events: 

  • The pharmaceutical industry loses approximately USD35 billion in products per year because of failures in temperature-controlled logistics – the vast majority of which are preventable.7 
  • In food logistics, breaks in the cold chain – from simple temperature fluctuations to prolonged exposure outside optimal ranges – are a major contributor to global food loss and waste, particularly for perishable goods such as dairy, meat, fruits and vegetables.8  
  • Weather-related transit delays, refrigeration unit failures, or oversight during customs processing have also been directly linked to cold chain breaches that resulted in waste and regulatory non-compliance.5  

Across industries, these incidents demonstrate that temperature checks and retrospective documentation can record damage that occurs but not prevent it.  

 

Why Automation and Real-Time Monitoring Matters 

Automated temperature monitoring transforms logistics from reactive to proactive. Instead of waiting for inspections or manual log entries at checkpoints, connected sensors offer continuous, real-time data throughout the transport lifecycle. 

This capability has several crucial benefits: 

  • Immediate Alerts: Automated systems notify logistics teams instantly when temperatures deviate, allowing corrective action before products are compromised. 
  • Audit Trail for Compliance: Digital records provide tamper-proof documentation for regulators and quality auditors in food safety (HACCP) and healthcare (GDP) environments. 
  • Reduced Human Error: By removing manual logging, automated systems reduce the risk of inaccurate entries, missed checks, or unreported excursions. 
  • Enhanced Visibility: Integrated dashboards often allow end-to-end tracking, giving stakeholders visibility into every stage of the supply chain. 
  • Predictive Insights: Over time, data from temperature monitoring can reveal patterns, enabling companies to refine routes, optimise refrigeration, and prevent recurring issues. 

 

Automated Monitoring in Practice: Food and Healthcare Logistics 

In food logistics, products like fresh produce, dairy, and prepared meals are highly sensitive to temperature swings. Even brief excursions can accelerate spoilage, deteriorate quality, and promote bacterial growth. Automated tracking helps ensure these goods remain in specified temperature ranges until they reach retail shelves or restaurant kitchens. 

In medical logistics, vaccines and biological products often require ultra-precise temperature ranges – some as low as -70°C for mRNA vaccines – to maintain efficacy. Vaccines are particularly delicate biological substances that will have reduced or lost efficacy if they are frozen, if stored above +8°C, or if exposed to direct sunlight or ultraviolet light (UV).9 

Across both sectors, the margin for error is shrinking as products become more specialised and regulations more stringent. 

 

Temperature Monitoring that meets consumers’ demands and regulators’ standards  

The sheer volume and value of temperature-controlled goods in global transport illustrate a critical truth: maintaining temperature integrity in transit is central to modern supply chains. With up to half of all vaccines wasted, hundreds of millions of tonnes of food lost, and billions of dollars in global economic impact, the risks of cold chain failure are too high to ignore. 

Automated temperature monitoring solutions like FoodTrak365 and CoolTrak365 are not just technological upgrades, they are strategic necessities for businesses that handle temperature-sensitive products. By delivering real-time visibility, reducing risk, and strengthening compliance, these systems directly address the root causes of product loss and supply chain inefficiency. 

In a world where supply chains are complex, consumers demand quality and regulators expect accountability, automation is the best defence against waste, loss, and reputational risk in temperature-sensitive transport. 

Contact Kelsius today to find out more about the automated temperature monitoring solution that works best for your goods in transit.

 

Sources 

  1. Fact MR, ‘Food Cold Chain Logistics Market Forecast and Outlook 2025 to 2035’, https://www.factmr.com/report/food-cold-chain-logistics-market 
  2. Market Data Forecast, ‘Europe Refrigerated Transport Marketing, June 2025’, https://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/europe-refrigerated-transport-market 
  3. World Health Organization, ‘Monitoring Vaccine Wastage at Country Level – Guidelines for Programme Managers’, https://iris.who.int/server/api/core/bitstreams/bf88e08d-273b-48df-93b7-a1d7cb9ac02a/content  
  4. Sustainable Energy for All, ‘Cooling for Food, Nutrition and Agriculture’, https://titancontainers.ie/news/the-true-cost-of-cold-storage-failures  
  5. Cargo Forwarder Global, ‘What Happens When the Cold Chain Breaks?’, https://cargoforwarder.eu/2025/11/23/what-happens-when-the-cold-chain-breaks/  
  6. BioPharma International, ‘Challenges in Managing the Cold Chain’, https://www.biopharminternational.com/view/challenges-managing-cold-chain-0  
  7. SupplyChainBrain, ‘Pharma Supply Chain Failure is a $35 Billion Problem’, https://www.supplychainbrain.com/blogs/1-think-tank/post/35071-the-35-billion-challenge-using-supply-chain-intelligence-to-improve-pharma-operations  
  8. UNEP and FAO. 2022, ‘Sustainable Food Cold Chains: Opportunities, Challenges and the Way Forward’. Nairobi, UNEP and Rome, FAO. https://doi.org/10.4060/cc0923en  
  9. Health Service Executive, ‘HSE Guidelines for Maintaining the Vaccine Cold-Chain in Vaccine Cool Boxes’, https://www.hse.ie/eng/health/immunisation/hcpinfo/vaccineordering/sopnio02box.pdf  

Kelsius Unveils Two Ground-Breaking Cold Chain Monitoring Solutions for Food and Healthcare: FoodTrak365 and CoolTrak365

Kelsius, a global leader in automated, digital temperature monitoring and cold chain traceability, has announced the launch of two innovative products designed to revolutionise how businesses monitor temperature-sensitive goods while in transit:
FoodTrak365 and CoolTrak365.  

The new, innovative products deliver real-time, end-to-end visibility of temperature and geolocation for goods on the move, helping food and healthcare businesses to protect quality, ensure compliance, reduce waste, and enhance operational efficiency around the clock.  

With increasing demands on supply chain integrity across industries where temperature control is essential for product quality but also legally mandated, Kelsius’s latest solutions meet a critical need for in-transit monitoring. Both solutions build on Kelsius’s established cold chain expertise and cloud-based technologies, bringing businesses unprecedented monitoring precision at every stage of production and supply.  

 

FoodTrak365: Protecting Freshness for Food Supply Chains 

FoodTrak365 provides food businesses with a powerful digital platform to continuously monitor the temperatures of food products as they move from origin to destination. It replaces outdated, manual logging procedures with a fully automated, paperless solution that gives stakeholders real-time alerts and complete oversight of environmental conditions en route. 

Key features of FoodTrak365 include: 

  • Real-Time Temperature and Alert Notifications: Continuous monitoring with immediate alerts when temperature thresholds are exceeded, allowing corrective action before product quality is compromised. 
  • GPS Shipment Tracking: Integrated geolocation provides visibility of shipment location and environmental status simultaneously, boosting logistical efficiency and supply chain reliability.  
  • Highest Accuracy Monitoring: Industry-leading precision ensures dependable readings that safeguard freshness and compliance at every stage of transit. 
  • Detailed Reporting Suite: Automatically generated digital reports facilitate compliance, quality assurance, and data-driven decision making with minimal human effort. 
  • AI-Driven True Temperature Algorithms: Advanced simulation technology ensures accurate temperature reporting regardless of ambient fluctuations.  

FoodTrak365 helps food businesses to drastically reduce product rejections and spoilage and helps them to uphold their OTIF (on-time, in-full) delivery commitments. At the same time, they are reducing food waste and the environmental impact across the cold chain.  

CoolTrak365: End-to-End Cold Chain Assurance for Healthcare 

Designed specifically for the unique needs of healthcare logistics, CoolTrak365 supports comprehensive temperature oversight of medicines, vaccines, and other time- and temperature-sensitive medical products while in transit. From manufacturing facilities to clinical destinations, this unique solution provides continuous visibility, robust regulatory reporting, and unmatched confidence for healthcare providers and pharmaceutical distributors. 

Standout aspects of CoolTrak365 include: 

  • Real-Time Excursion Alerts & Monitoring: Ensures temperature deviations are detected instantly, empowering staff to act swiftly to protect product safety.  
  • Regulatory Compliance: Aligns with GxP standards and complies with stringent HPRA, MHRA and industry expectations for traceability and audit readiness.  
  • High-Accuracy GPS and Temperature Tracking: Monitors location and temperature of medical products with precision, enabling strategic logistics planning and supply chain transparency.  
  • Automated Upload and Reporting: Eliminates manual record-keeping errors and accelerates operational workflows with automated data uploads.  
  • Customisable Dashboards: User-friendly interfaces tailored to business requirements provide clear insights into temperature trends and risk profiles.  

CoolTrak365’s integrated data automation helps healthcare organisations to mitigate risk, streamline audits, and protect valuable products from compromise, loss, or regulatory non-compliance. 

 

Setting New Standards in Cold Chain Management 

Both FoodTrak365 and CoolTrak365 underscore Kelsius’s commitment to innovation in cold chain monitoring, removing reliance on manual recording while providing powerful digital tools for proactive temperature control. By harnessing real-time data, advanced alert systems, and cloud-based analytics, businesses can safeguard product integrity, support brand trust, and unlock operational efficiencies not possible with traditional monitoring methods.  

Commenting on the launch, Kelsius Chief Commercial Officer Mario Kelly said, “We are delighted to introduce FoodTrak365 and CoolTrak365 as part of the Kelsius mission to provide unmatched cold chain insight and control. These solutions reflect our deep understanding of the challenges in food safety and healthcare product transport, and our commitment is to deliver systems that drive confidence, compliance and sustainability in cold chain operations.” 

To learn more and request a free demonstration, visit www.kelsius.com or contact Kelsius:  

Tel. UK 02045 799 048, Ireland 074 916 2982
Email: sales@kelsius.com 

 

Winter Food Safety Challenges for Food Retail – A Perfect Storm of Risks for Food & Food Safety in Store

Winter is one of the most important and most demanding periods of the year for food retailers. The busy run-up to Christmas brings increased footfall, higher stock turnover, and pressure on teams to deliver consistently high standards. Yet as soon as the festive rush ends, many retailers face a sharp slowdown as customers return to work and take stock of their holiday spending. This seasonal fluctuation alone can place strain on operations, but the real challenge lies in protecting food safety throughout this exceptionally busy and unpredictable period.

Winter often brings a unique combination of complications. A perfect storm of actual storms, freezing temperatures, staff taking extended leave, and the need to hire and train seasonal workers all contribute to a higher likelihood of disruption. Normal routines can be interrupted, roles may need to be covered at short notice, and managers often find themselves stretched thin across multiple tasks and sometimes multiple sites. These pressures create an environment where manual food safety processes quickly become vulnerable.

Manual HACCP systems depend heavily on the availability and consistency of trained staff. When team members cannot reach the store due to extreme weather, when experienced staff take extended holidays, or when seasonal workers are still learning the ropes, essential checks may be delayed or missed altogether. At the busiest time of year, this leaves food at risk and increases the burden on management to maintain oversight.

This is why many retailers are turning to automation to safeguard their operations. Automated wireless temperature monitoring and digital HACCP systems significantly reduce the strain on teams during the winter season. By replacing paper records and manual data collection, digital systems ensure that accurate information is always captured, always available, and always stored securely. Authorised staff can access data and reports from any web-enabled device, removing the need to depend on colleagues who may be off-site or unavailable, and eliminating unnecessary travel in dangerous weather conditions. Systems such as FoodCheck2.0 from Kelsius are designed to be intuitive and quick to learn, meaning permanent, part-time, and seasonal staff can all use them confidently with minimal training.

Winter weather can also cause sudden equipment failures with the onset of extreme cold and freezing temperatures. With FoodCheck2.0, automated alerts notify you immediately when readings fall outside safe limits, allowing fast intervention before stock is compromised.

As winter and the busy Christmas season approaches for food retailers, digital HACCP is essential to manage operations smoothly.

Contact Kelsius today to ensure your food safety processes are winter ready.

Nisa stores to save up to £10k a year with Kelsius food safety management tech

Nisa retailers stand to save thousands annually as the group progresses with a new technology trial in partnership with Kelsius. The cutting-edge food safety management system is currently being tested in selected stores. Kelsius undertook a three-month trial with independent retailer Gary Batten across his two Nisa stores in Cornwall. During the pilot, Batten saved up two hours of staff time per day at his store in St Stephens Cornwall, amounting to £10,000 a year.

His other Nisa store, based in Pentewan, Cornwall, allowed him to optimise up to one hour of colleague labour a day, saving £9,000 in annual costs. The innovative digital solution offers automated temperature monitoring and HACCP compliance tools via wireless sensors and probes. Retailers can access real-time data and generate reports that streamline audits and compliance processes, while digital checklists support consistent completion of daily hygiene and safety routines.

Danielle Guy, UK food retail sales manager for Kelsius, emphasised the value the system delivers, particularly amid the ongoing challenges in the retail sector. “With rising costs and persistent labour shortages, retailers are under more pressure than ever to find efficiency gains,” she said. “The Kelsius system empowers teams to ensure food safety is managed efficiently and consistently, without the burden of manual checks.”

Initial feedback from Nisa retailers suggests strong interest in rolling out the technology more widely following the trial phase, citing time savings, enhanced traceability, and reduced risk of human error.

In May 2018 Co-op Wholesale completed its acquisition of Nisa Retail Limited. Working with the Co-op, Nisa Partners still have the freedom to operate independently. They have the flexibility, insight, and tailored support they need to thrive, backed by Co-op’s industry-leading own-brand range, supply chain expertise, and buying power.

 

Read The Grocer article covering this story here.

 

Navigating Food Safety Compliance in UK Retail: Challenges and Solutions

Ensuring food safety is a paramount concern for UK food retailers, as it directly impacts consumer health, brand reputation, and regulatory compliance. Navigating the complexities of food safety regulations can be challenging, but with the right tools and systems, retailers can maintain high standards and streamline their operations.

 

Understanding UK Food Safety Regulations 

The UK enforces stringent food safety laws to protect consumers and uphold food quality. Key legislation includes the Food Safety Act 1990 and the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013, which mandate that businesses ensure food is safe for consumption and meet hygiene standards.  

Retailers are required to implement effective food safety management systems, conduct regular hazard analyses, and maintain detailed records of their processes. Non-compliance can result in severe penalties, including fines, legal action, and damage to brand reputation. 

 

Common Challenges Faced by UK Retailers 
  1. Regulatory Compliance: Keeping abreast of evolving food safety regulations demands continuous monitoring and adaptation. 
  2. Record Keeping: Maintaining accurate and accessible records is essential but can be labour-intensive and prone to human error. 
  3. Supply Chain Management: Ensuring that all suppliers adhere to food safety standards requires diligent oversight and coordination. 
  4. Staff Training: Regular training is necessary to keep staff informed about best practices and regulatory changes, which can be resource intensive. 
  5. Labour Shortages: Retail particularly continues to face the challenge of labour shortages caused in varying degrees by the effects of the pandemic, Brexit and the availability of a flow of a suitable workforce.  
  6. Rising costs: The cost of doing business is significant for UK food retailers who need to consider the price of stock, energy, labour, regulatory compliance, local services and business rates. All while at the same time consumer behaviour continues to shift towards price-driven purchase decisions.  

 

How a Digital HACCP System can Help 

Kelsius offers innovative digital solutions designed to assist UK retailers in overcoming these challenges: 

  • FoodCheck 2.0: This system automates temperature monitoring and HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) management, reducing reliance on manual checks and paperwork. It provides real-time data and alerts, ensuring swift responses to potential issues. 
  • CoolCheck: Specialising in wireless temperature monitoring, CoolCheck ensures that all refrigeration units operate within safe parameters, preventing spoilage and ensuring compliance with food safety standards.

Benefits of Implementing Kelsius Systems 

  • Enhanced Compliance: Automated monitoring and record-keeping simplify adherence to regulations and facilitate smoother audits. 
  • Operational Efficiency: Reducing manual tasks allows staff to focus on core business activities, improving overall productivity. 
  • Data-Driven Insights: Access to comprehensive data enables informed decision-making and proactive management of food safety risks. 


Conclusion 

In the dynamic landscape of UK retail, maintaining rigorous food safety standards is both a regulatory requirement and a competitive advantage. Kelsius provides the tools necessary to streamline compliance, enhance operational efficiency, and ensure the highest levels of food safety. 

For more information on how Kelsius can support your business, visit www.kelsius.com.