In countries with a tropical climate, characterized by high temperatures and humidity, such as Panama, this challenge is even greater, as food ripening and deterioration occur more quickly.

For this reason, efficient logistics are essential to reduce handling and transport times, ensuring the freshness of products until they reach the final destination, including international markets.

The story of VPC Company, a specialist in the sale and distribution of fruits and vegetables in Panama, demonstrates how the cold chain became a competitive advantage through the consolidation of Emergent Cold LatAm as a logistics partner.

VPC Company: specialist in fruits and vegetables

Specializing in the sale and distribution of fruits and vegetables to retail, wholesale, and institutional clients, Vida Produce Company, known as VPC Company, combines direct exports to major global markets with distribution focused on the Americas.

Logistics in Latin America: A Highly Complex Operational Challenge

Infrastructure in Latin America is heterogeneous. In destination markets such as Chile and the United States, more consolidated structures exist along with greater availability of technical knowledge and specialized solutions.

In Panama and much of Central America, these resources are still more limited, highlighting differences in cold chain development levels across regions.

Added to this are high transportation costs, complex customs procedures, and differences in sanitary and trade regulations between countries.

Moreover, the lack of integration between transportation systems, long or highly variable transit times, and technological limitations make it difficult to maintain product quality, meet delivery deadlines, and remain competitive at the regional level.

For VPC Company, this scenario did not allow for maintaining ideal conditions for fresh products, nor did it guarantee continuity in the cold chain, which is essential to preserve shelf life.

As a result, inventory was very limited, leading to delivery failures or complaints from end consumers due to nonconformities.

Criteria for Choosing a Logistics Operator

The decisive factors in selecting Emergent Cold LatAm as a logistics partner to address VPC’s challenges were:

• International presence;
• Extensive expertise in the full handling of fresh products;
• Robust and specialized infrastructure;
• Skilled and specialized team;
• Alignment with VPC’s quality standards.

As highlighted by Simon Navarrete, Country Manager at VPC, “The professionalism and knowledge of the team ensure an efficient operation aligned with our quality standards.”

Results of a Specialized Cold Chain Logistics Partnership

The partnership with Emergent Cold generated both qualitative and quantitative benefits for the operation.

By storing products in temperature-controlled facilities and relying on a logistics network positioned at key centers and ports, VPC Company observed:

• Fewer inspections;
• Reduced waste;
• Fewer rejections;
• Shorter delivery times;
• Extended quality of fresh products;
• Less need for fruit sorting before delivery;
• Professionalization of key areas, such as fruit unloading, inventory management, and transportation, both from the port and to customers.

Strengthening the cold chain and logistics network translated into measurable results. VPC Company recorded:

• A 4.5% reduction in waste by weight;
• An 8% decrease in incomplete deliveries or returns compared to 2024 (the year prior to the partnership);
• A 15% increase in sales of more sensitive products, such as berries.

VPC Company and Emergent Cold LatAm: A Partnership That Continues to Drive Results

Our partnership goes beyond the positive results achieved. The team continues to monitor and support VPC Company in the daily challenges typical of the fresh food business.

Even in the face of seasonal variations common in the sector, we demonstrate flexibility to adapt without compromising quality or the integrity of the cold chain.

Simon Navarrete concludes:

“The service provided by Emergent Cold LatAm has added significant value to our operations, helping us substantially enhance the quality of our product.

The added value embedded in the product is reflected primarily in maintaining its quality throughout the entire logistics operation: quality of infrastructure, quality of operations, and human quality. Quality is the central focus of the entire collaboration.”

Follow VPC Company’s Lead and Trust Emergent Cold LatAm Solutions

The VPC Company success story is just one of many examples of clients who have increased operational efficiency, reduced losses, and strengthened cold chain control with the support of our specialized infrastructure.

We support our clients in export and import processes, including customs documentation management, port logistics, and access to specialized facilities to deliver their products to over 150 destinations worldwide.

If you want to optimize your logistics and bring your products to new markets with safety and control, contact us right away.

The trajectory of the El Machetazo Group, one of the leading family owned retailers in Panama, in partnership with Emergent Cold LatAm, was the response to this challenge.

The critical challenge of the cold chain 

El Machetazo operates more than 12 large hypermarkets with a high volume of perishable products, as well as the convenience Machetazo Express stores, aimed at serving the daily needs of the neighborhoods where they are located.

The challenges faced are common to large retail operations: high costs and investments, operational complexity and difficulty of expansion. Take a look at the principal points:

High operational and investment costs 

Setting up and operating a temperature-controlled food storage and distribution infrastructure requires investments in refrigerated warehouses, control systems, and advanced technology.

These fixed costs reduce the capacity to invest in expansion and also brings risks of underutilization during periods of lower demand.

Lack of specialization

Operating a distribution center requires great operational dedication and a high technical level. The absence of specialization may affect the focus of El Machetazo negatively in their principal business: retail.

Operational complexity and risk

Maintaining the ideal temperature requires monitoring in real time, rigorous protocols and specialized teams. Any failure in the cold chain can result in loss of product, financial loss and risks to the safety and quality of the foods.

Lack of flexibility to scale

The expansion or the adjustment of storage capacity to attend to the seasonal demand makes it slow and costly due to the fixed assets, such as cold rooms.

The strategic solution: focus on the business

The partnership with Emergent Cold LatAm was not just for outsourcing, but one of strategic transformation for the El Machetazo Group.

The group replaced their fragmented systems by an optimized centralized distribution model, using the leading edge infrastructure of Emergent Cold LatAm.

How we help:

• We apply our technology to eliminate the need for direct investment, guaranteeing high standards of temperature control;
• We integrate systems to enable trackability and transparency in the flow of data in real time, affording greater operational control and basis for decision making;
• We adjust the logistics capacity according to the demand, making expansion into new markets faster and more secure, without the risk to one’s own infrastructure.

Results: more efficiency, sustainability and profitability

The results of the partnership were fast to appear and of high impact. According to Jose Erneider Ospina Gonzalez, Director of Supply Chain at the El Machetazo Group, the operations are now “significantly more efficient.”

Among the principal gains are:

• Optimized logistics processes in refrigerated storage, reducing the risk of rupture to the cold chain;
• Close collaboration to meet specific requirements — such as adjustments of temperature, delivery times and regulatory compliance — reinforcing trust and mutual growth;
• Integration of systems to guarantee fluid transactions and data in real time, favoring trackability, transparency and more agile decision making;
• Operational safety ensured for latest generation installations, enabling El Machetazo to concentrate fully on their strategic growth plan.

This efficiency is now evident in temperature-controlled food logistics and in the reduction of waste of sensitive products, such as fresh and frozen foods.

The partnership enabled better quality of the products and above all more sustainable and profitable growth. As Jose Erneider Ospina Gonzalez highlighted:

“It has been a positive transformation which directly supports our efforts to grow more sustainably and profitably.”

Follow the example of El Machetazo and rely on the solutions of Emergent Cold LatAm

The case history of success of El Machetazo with Emergent Cold LatAm is evidence that being able to count on a logistics operator specialized in the cold chain is a strategic move that enables retailers to focus on what they do best: serving their customers with quality and expanding their business with efficiency.

If your objective as a retailer is to improve operational efficiency, follow the example of El Machetazo Group and talk to us right away.

Why is real-time stock control essential? 

In such a competitive market, food companies face constant challenges in maintaining inventory accuracy. Inaccurate stock management leads to serious problems such as lost sales, customer dissatisfaction and supply chain errors. In fact, a study by Research and Markets suggests that up to 40% of logistics companies report errors in their inventories due to outdated or inaccurate systems. 

Success story: from inefficiency to precision with Emergent Cold Peru 

One of Emergent Cold Peru’s clients experienced these problems before partnering with us. Previously, they didn’t have an accurate record of the weight of products in real time, which caused discrepancies in stock and losses of thousands of Peruvian Soles in rejected sales and dissatisfied customers who didn’t receive what they expected. They operated blindly, with inaccurate information that cost them money and opportunities. 

With Emergent Cold Peru, they implemented an inventory control system with real-time weighing, gaining the visibility and precision they needed to avoid losses. 

Now, they not only know how many units they have in stock, but also the precise weight of each product, avoiding discrepancies and ensuring that each sale is made without surprises. 

Since then, they haven’t lost any sales due to lack of stock control and their revenue has grown by 30% thanks to the confidence they’ve regained in their supply chain. 

Benefits of real-time control of stock weighing 

Reduced economic losses 

By having precise control of the weight of each product, companies can reduce losses due to inventory discrepancies. According to McKinsey & Company, companies that adopt advanced inventory management technologies can reduce their operating costs by up to 20%. 

Increased customer satisfaction 

When inventory is managed accurately, customers receive exactly what they expect, without shortages or surprises. This increases their confidence in the company and builds loyalty. 

Optimization of the supply chain 

Having a real-time inventory system allows for a more efficient supply chain management, optimizing storage, reducing delivery times and improving visibility at every stage of the process. 

Technology and innovation: the future of food logistics 

The use of real-time control technologies is a growing trend in the logistics sector. The combination of advanced weighing systems and state-of-the-art software, allows companies to maintain total control over their inventory. At Emergent Cold Peru, this technology has enabled our clients to operate with millimeter precision, ensuring that the inventory reflects reality at all times. 

Conclusion: Is your company ready to stop losing sales? 

Accurate inventory control is fundamental in food logistics, and real-time weighing is one of the most powerful tools for achieving this. At Emergent Cold Peru we help our customers transform their operations, eliminating errors and ensuring that every sale translates into growth and satisfaction. Are you ready to take the next step towards a more efficient operation? 

Contribution: Karinna Espinoza, Commercial Manager Peru

The cold chain and its importance 

The cold chain is the process that ensures that perishable products are kept at controlled temperatures from origin to destination. When the cold chain is broken, products are exposed to inadequate temperatures, which compromises their freshness and quality. This can result in financial losses for companies and affect consumer confidence. 

Success story: overcoming container shortages in Peru 

Recently, a Peruvian agro-industrial exporter faced a serious storage problem due to a lack of containers at the ports. After shipping its products to an agricultural maquiladora plant, it discovered that the site didn’t have enough space to store its cargo while it waited for the next shipment. With time against them and the risk of compromising the quality of their products, the situation became critical. 

That’s when Emergent Cold LatAm became their strategic partner. Thanks to our secure facilities located just 13 kilometers from the port of Callao, we were able to offer adequate storage, ensuring that their products were kept in optimum condition and thus avoiding a break in the cold chain. 

This logistical guarantee allowed the exporter to overcome a time of uncertainty without losing quality in their goods or incurring economic losses. With its cargo safely stored, the exporter was able to regain control of its operation and plan its next shipment with confidence, knowing that it had a strategic supplier looking after its product. 

Why is a reliable supplier vital in shortage scenarios? 

This success story highlights how a cold chain logistics supplier can make a difference in times of uncertainty. Below are some of the main benefits of having a strategic ally such as Emergent Cold LatAm: 

1. Safe and adequate storage: Having facilities close to the port allows for safe temporary storage without compromising the quality of the product. 

2. Quick response capacity and flexibility: Faced with a shortage of containers, a good logistics partner can adapt to the specific needs of the client, as in this case, offering a temporary storage solution at a critical time. 

3. Peace of mind in the face of uncertainty: By reducing risks, the exporter was able to plan their next shipment without the stress of losing their goods. 

Consequences of a broken cold chain 

When the cold chain is interrupted, the losses not only affect the goods, but also the company’s reputation and competitiveness. In sectors that deal with perishable products, such as agro-exporters, loss of quality and noncompliance with food safety regulations can jeopardize important business relationships. 

Conclusion 

This success story demonstrates that, in times of logistical uncertainty, having a reliable and flexible supplier like Emergent Cold LatAm is essential for facing challenges such as container shortages. By providing fast and secure solutions, Emergent Cold LatAm becomes a key partner, helping companies to preserve the quality of their products and remain competitive in the global market. 

Contribution: Karinna Espinoza, Commercial Manager Peru

In the competitive world of food logistics, precision and speed are vital. With perishable products and fluctuating demand, inventory management becomes a fundamental pillar for guaranteeing customer satisfaction and operational success. However, many logistics managers still face obstacles such as a lack of real-time visibility of their inventory, which negatively impacts their daily operations and the company’s results.

Success story: from frustration to peace of mind with Emergent Cold LatAm

One of our clients, a logistics manager at a food company, was continually faced with a major frustration: he had no real-time visibility of his inventory. Every time he needed to know how much merchandise was available in his warehouses, he had to request a report from his logistics operator. This report arrived in a spreadsheet which, by the time he received it, was already out of date.
What was the process? Always the same: he requested the information, waited hours (or even days) for the report and when he received it, the data could already have changed. This complicated sales management, especially if a last-minute sale came up, because there was no certainty that there was enough in stock. The lack of real-time visibility led to dissatisfied customers, lost sales and an operation that operated blindly.
Solution: When this client decided to work with Emergent Cold LatAm, the difference was radical. Our warehouse management system (WMS) allows our clients to view their inventory online, in real time. Now, with a simple click, they have access to the most up-to-date information on their products. This visibility allows them to plan their sales with total confidence, eliminating the risks and frustration associated with a lack of data.
Result: Frustration is a thing of the past and efficiency has become the new norm. You no longer have to wait for reports or risk sales due to a lack of reliable information. Today, the speed and accuracy of our systems support your decisions and allow your business to operate quickly and safely.

Benefits of an online inventory system

1. Reduced waiting times: Online information eliminates the need to request manual reports, speeding up decision-making.
2. Minimization of errors: manual reports are subject to human error. With a real-time inventory system, data is accurate and reliable.
3. Optimized sales and customer satisfaction: Knowing for sure which products are available allows you to better manage demand and avoid failed sales.
4. Strategic planning: Visibility of stock facilitates planning and reduces the risk of overstocking or shortages, critical factors in perishable food logistics.

The Emergent Cold LatAm difference

At Emergent Cold LatAm, we know that the success of our clients depends on their ability to operate efficiently and accurately. Our online inventory system not only makes day-to-day work easier, but also enables the long-term planning that drives growth and customer satisfaction.

Conclusion: Does your company still rely on spreadsheets to manage stock?

Modern logistics requires advanced tools. Online inventory is a competitive advantage that allows food companies to be faster, more efficient and more resilient. If you’re looking to improve your operation and avoid frustration due to lack of visibility, Emergent Cold LatAm has the solution to transform your logistics.

Contribution: Karinna Espinoza, Commercial Manager Peru