The Move to −15°C Coalition, a global sustainability initiative dedicated to exploring and enabling an increase in the standard temperature set point of the frozen-food cold chain from −18°C (−0.4°F) to −15°C (5°F), has grown fivefold to 55 members since its launch at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in December 2023.
The Coalition provided that update last month on World Refrigeration Day (June 26).
The −18°C international standard temperature for frozen food was established almost a century ago, but logistics and technology have evolved significantly in the decades since. The Coalition believes that raising the frozen-food set point by three degrees centigrade would help to reduce CO2e emissions, cut energy use and future-proof the frozen-food supply chain.
“We are challenging ourselves to make [refrigeration] more efficient, equitable and climate-aligned,” said Thomas Eskesen, Chair of the Move to −15°C Coalition. “The case for change remains clear, including finding efficiencies within today’s regulations. The Move to −15°C Coalition will continue to lead by example, grounded in evidence and strengthened by global collaboration.”
According to the Coalition, raising the standard set point for frozen foods to −15°C could cut global emissions by 17.7 million metric tons of CO₂e annually – the equivalent of the annual emission of 3.8 million cars – without compromising food safety or quality. In addition the change could save 5–7% of annual energy usage throughout the cold chain and potentially as high as 12%, said the Coalition.
A range of cold-chain members
Launched by Dubai-based global logistics firm DP World, the Coalition is now supported by leading companies in the cold chain, from food producers and storage specialists to logistics firms, technology providers and retailers. Members include AJC Group, A.P. Moller – Maersk, Daikin, Copeland, Morrisons and Lineage Logistics, with recent commitments from Cosco Shipping, Holt Logistics, JB Hunt, Americold, Indicold, Orbcomm, Seacube Container Leasing, IKEA, the University of Oxford’s Energy and Power Group and Aviko.
The Coalition has also partnered with independent experts from the International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR) in Paris and the University of Birmingham, U.K., among others, to review this temperature standard for this sector.
On June 26, members met in London to share the latest research and agree on collective strategy.
The Coalition has been engaged in research projects, including the “Three Degrees of Change” report and an 18-month trial by Nomad Foods and Campden BRI. These studies suggest that “increasing the frozen food temperature set point from −18°C to −15°C does not compromise food safety or quality across a range of products, with microbial activity remaining inactive below −12°C and no significant impact observed on taste, texture, or nutrition,” the Coalition said.
“We are challenging ourselves to make [refrigeration] more efficient, equitable and climate-aligned.”
Thomas Eskesen, Chair of the Move to −15°C Coalition
In its next phase, the Coalition is partnering with FROSTEQ, a research project led by Wageningen Food & Biobased Research, to identify and address practical challenges in changing the frozen-food temperature standard. In addition, A.P. Moller – Maersk is monitoring temperature shifts and their effects on logistics and emissions, and Ndustrial is applying smart technology to analyze and predict product temperatures, according to a LinkedIn post.
The Coalition is also collaborating on near-term initiatives, such as moving from −22°C to −18°C in certain segments of the cold chain, which is possible within current operations and regulatory boundaries. “These incremental changes reinforce the principle that every degree counts, and that meaningful emissions and energy savings can be achieved now,” said the Coalition.
The next members meeting will take place in September in Wageningen, the Netherlands, hosted by FROSTEQ.
In another cold chain initiative the Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA), a member of the Coalition, and the American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI) have recently developed a new protocol to standardize and modernize temperature monitoring across the frozen food supply chain, tracking fluctuations from production to distribution.
This article was updated on July 31 with information from a LinkedIn post by the Coalition.
