Two-echelon fresh product supply chain with different transportation modes

Abstract

The fresh product supply chain suffers from the quantity loss and quality loss due to its perishability in long-distance transportation, which affect the health of customers and the sustainable development of supply chain. Using low-cost normal temperature transportation or high-cost cold chain transportation has become a problem for transportation enterprises. This paper aims to investigate the impact of different transportation modes on the supply chain performance. The operation strategies of the supply chain are analyzed under three situations: no coordination contract, wholesale price contract, and revenue-sharing contract. Taking Zhanhua winter jujube as an example, the correctness of theoretical analysis is verified. The main findings are as follows. Supply chain participants, including consumers, can benefit from cold chain transportation. That the cost of cold chain transportation is below the threshold is the basic condition to use cold chain transportation. The retailer has the incentive to encourage the supplier to use cold chain transportation by increasing the wholesale price, but the wholesale price should be set within a certain range. The supplier has the incentive to use cold chain transportation under the revenue-sharing contract, but the revenue-sharing proportion needs to be within a certain range to ensure the retailer's profit. The revenue-sharing contract is superior to the wholesale price contract, and wholesale price contract is superior to no coordination contract.

Super Lightweight, Scalable, High-Strength, Thermal Insulating Molded Corrugated Wood Boards for Cold Chain Transport Construction

“…Effective cold chain management is crucial for temperature-sensitive products. It is estimated that approximately one-third of refrigerated products in the country deteriorate or lose their commercial value during the cold chain transportation process, resulting in a loss of more than 30% of the total cargo. − Cold chain transportation ensures product quality, extends the shelf life of goods, and enhances industry competitiveness. − In developed countries such as the United States and Europe, cold chain transportation accounts for over 30% of the entire logistics industry . To prolong insulation time and reduce costs, commercial cold chain facilities primarily utilize petroleum-based synthetic porous materials and traditional structural materials with excellent insulation capabilities, such as foam plastics, steel, and alloys. − However, the manufacturing of plastic and metal materials typically relies on nonrenewable resources, involves high-temperature processes, consumes substantial energy, and generates significant carbon emissions. − Therefore, there is an urgent need to explore sustainable lightweight structural materials as alternatives to nonrenewable petroleum-based materials and to construct a greener and more environmentally friendly cold chain transportation system. − During transportation, cold chain equipment, comprising lightweight insulation materials like foam plastics and corrugated cardboard, often lacks sufficient mechanical strength to offer effective support and low-temperature protection, particularly when exposed to vibrations and impacts.…”