With Kelsius, Conference Aston & Wilson Vale transform food safety culture and go fully digital

Conference Aston is Birmingham’s only residential conference centre, located on the Aston University campus. The venue operates a single kitchen serving hotel guests, delegates and private events. With a focus on delivering high-quality, safe catering experiences, Conference Aston combines hospitality excellence with modern operational management.

Managing food safety across a large hospitality venue with a single kitchen was becoming increasingly complex. Conference Aston relied on paper-based HACCP records, which could be time-consuming, inconsistent and prone to human error or falsification. Chefs used to spend hours photocopying and filing paperwork.

Audits could be slow with record-keeping traceability time-consuming to trace when issues arose. The leadership recognised the need for a modern, digital solution to standardise checks, ensure accuracy, and provide instant access to compliance data across all catering operations.

With the introduction of FoodCheck 2.0 from Kelsius, the Executive Head Chef has been able to tailor the system’s tasks and workflows to match existing operations, adding checks for deliveries, cleaning, and equipment monitoring. The platform’s flexibility allows new tasks, users and schedules to be added instantly, ensuring the system always reflects current operational needs.

Conference Aston and Wilson Vale have transformed their food safety culture by moving from paper to a fully digital, automated process. The team now saves five hours each week, operates more sustainably, and has complete confidence in compliance and traceability. The Kelsius FoodCheck 2.0 system has become integral to daily operations, helping Conference Aston deliver the highest standards of food safety, quality and guest assurance.

 

 

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. 

 

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 Digital HACCP and wireless temperature monitoring exceeds expectations for Hastings Hotels

The Culloden Estate And Spa Exterior

On average, each property saves three hours per day for all food staff

 

Hastings Hotels is a luxury hotel group operating six hotels and a stand-alone Gastro Pub, Cultra Inn, situated on the Culloden Estate in Northern Ireland, serving a wide range of prepared and fresh food to its customers. These seven properties offer guests an impressive choice of venues, catering across leisure, events, sporting pursuits and gourmet dining.

 

 

Challenges Faced by Management and Chefs

Hastings Hotels faced the challenge of managing food safety and HACCP records across multiple locations. Larger properties like the Grand Central and Europa Hotels have different areas for multiple kitchens, bars, delis and large catering spaces, all requiring up to date records to be kept.

Management had little oversight of all food safety records, with a paper process that was prone to errors, and too much time was spent on recording data rather than providing the best guest experience.

Chefs spent too much time reviewing paper records and manually recoding temperatures across different kitchens and floors. Stock was being lost due to no notifications of faulty appliances, and there was little traceability for food.

 

Introducing the Kelsius System

The Kelsius FoodCheck 2.0 system was introduced into operations at Hastings Hotels. With the system now in use in their properties, management has more confidence and peace of mind as audits and inspections are easier. Reporting is streamlined and it’s much easier to train any agency staff who are required ad hoc.

Digital traceability means better transparency and accountability, with no risk of falsification or mistakes due to human error. Automated alerts have hugely reduced the risk of food waste due to temperature excursions, improving the shelf life of products.

 

Benefits

  • Three hours saved per day on average per property by all food staff
  • Estimated £2000 per year per property saved on wasted food
  • Four hours per week saved by management using automated report
  • Paper, ink and folders used reduce to zero
  • Food safety training time reduced by half
  • 90% estimated reduction in mistakes caused by human error

 

 

Raymond Duncan Compliance, Operations & Procurement Manager, Hastings Group:

“Using the Kelsius system, I have peace of mind knowing all food safety processes are being adhered to. The automated system minimises human error and it’s so much easier for management to remotely identify trends or gaps in any hotel and act in real time. Our EHO loves the system as it gives them full visibility of our processes, in turn they are more confident in us to maintain outstanding food safety for our guests. We’re delighted with the system.”