Temperature controlled supply chain and logistics specialist JS Davidson has reported an uptick in demand for its services since the free trade agreements with Australia and New Zealand came into effect.

John Davidson, Managing Director of the Peterborough-based firm, said the company had negotiated contracts with a number of leading suppliers of chilled meats importing from the two countries since the agreements came into force at the end of May last year.

Under the agreement producers of more than 99 per cent of goods coming from Australia and New Zealand into the UK are no longer subject to tariffs.

The agreements also have brought benefits for companies such as JS Davidson, including greater market access opportunities and improved chances to sell services overseas.

John Davidson said: “Over the past few months demand for our services for chilled meats has risen quite substantially and we are working with some prestigious companies.

“We expect the rising trend to continue over time as more free trade agreements are signed.”

Following its rebranding in 2022, JS Davidson has continued to go from strength to strength, recently extending its range of services to include offering an end-to-end solution which has been a contributory factor in the company’s recent growth.

The company, which has two sites across Peterborough and Bourne, is now offering a range of distribution, co-packing, blast freezing and tempering, ambient, chilled and frozen storage and supply chain solution services.

John Davidson continued: “Whist our background has predominantly focused on cold storage, our offering today is considerably more far reaching in line with the market’s every increasing requirements. Our range of services now portrays our true offering, which is essentially a supply chain solutions provider for both existing and new customers.

“It is an offering which is proving to be attractive to our customers both in the UK and overseas and one which will provide a springboard for future growth.”

Peterborough-based JS Davidson has expanded its business with the acquisition of the cold storage arm of GXO Logistics UK.

The temperature-controlled solutions specialist has taken over the Spalding warehouse, complete with 6,500 of frozen pallet spaces and 15 members of staff being TUPE’d across to JS Davidson.

It is an exciting move for JS Davidson and one which will provide a platform for further growth forming part of JS Davidson’s plans to double the size of the business within the next four years.  Plans are also in place to expand its Peterborough site.

The new acquisition, which sits on a 3.5 acre site, will be known as Spalding Cold Store Ltd – part of the JS Davidson family.

Taking over the site in mid May, the award-winning JS Davidson team have already hit the ground running and have assisted in securing a BRCGS AA accreditation demonstrating best practice in ensuring the quality and safety of food products remains optimal during both storage and distribution process.

The announcement follows a period of substantial investment over the past 18 months by the fast-expanding business which has seen the acquisition of a Portable Hybrid Blast Freeze / tempering unit as well as new vehicles, forklifts, WMS, GEA refrigerated compressor and air-cooled cooling tower totalling in excess of £1 million.

The new developments are all designed to increase productivity, drive greater efficiencies, reduce carbon footprint and provide added value to JS Davidson’s ever-increasing customer base.  

Spalding Cold Store customers too will benefit from JS Davidson’s extensive one-stop solution offering which includes distribution, ambient, chilled and frozen storage and supply chain solution services.

John Davidson, Managing Director of JS Davidson, said: “Spalding Cold Store” is an incredibly exciting new development for the business.  It is a sizeable site and one which we are confident will provide a host of opportunities. 

“There is already an excellent team in place coupled with an impressive customer base providing a fantastic opportunity for JS Davidson as we continue to grow the business.”

Temperature-controlled and supply chain solutions specialist JS Davidson has expanded its offering to include a comprehensive range of freight services.

Providing services that span air, sea, road, and rail freight in addition to the company’s frozen, chilled and ambient offering, JS Davidson is now equipped to coordinate shipments to ensure timely arrivals and product integrity while also taking care of customs clearance and documentation requirements.

Traditionally focused on temperature-controlled storage and distribution, JS Davidson has also recently expanded its services to include distribution, co-packing, and storage in response to customer demand.

Its recent addition of freight services has now further extended the company’s offering to include shipping, storage through to final delivery.

This latest addition to its suite of services comes at a time where customers are actively seeking integrated cold chain logistics solutions in order to reduce the complexity of managing multiple providers and ensure the integrity of their goods across the entire supply chain.

With demand for frozen products increasing year on year, largely driven by the cost-of-living crisis and consumers becoming more attuned to the effect of food wastage, the requirement for cold chain logistics services has equally grown exponentially.

Over the past decade alone the retail sales value of frozen food has spiked by 50 per cent, with much of this growth occurring within the past five years. 

Such is the extent of the demand that JS Davidson earlier this year took over GXO’s cold store arm in  Spalding warehouse complete with 6500 frozen pallet spaces.

Boasting a wide portfolio of customers, with many being based across the UK, Europe and beyond, JS Davidson’s new offering enables them to ensure that integrity of its customers products is upheld from the point of departure through to arrival at its cold stores.

According to John Davidson, Managing Director at JS Davidson, providing customers with a one-stop-shop logistics offering will not only streamline processes but gives customers peace of mind by ensuring their products are shipped, handled, stored and distributed at the right temperature throughout their journey – helping to save on time, cost and the potential for wastage.

John commented: “The decision to incorporate freight solutions into our growing suite of solutions has largely been driven by shifting customer attitudes, and an increasing requirement for guaranteeing product integrity across the logistics process. 

“By bringing everything under one roof we’re not only reducing the hassle of dealing with multiple providers, which undoubtedly must be a frustrating and time-consuming task, but we can also give assurances that their temperature sensitive shipments are being managed with total care and precision.

“Ultimately, this integrated approach enables customers both existing and new to focus on what they know best – their day-to-day operations – while giving them the confidence that their logistics needs are being expertly managed by a provider they know and trust.”

John continued: “By having one point of contact, we can also reduce the risk of miscommunication and ease the complexities associated with coordinating logistics between various third-party providers.

“Maintaining control and visibility over the cold chain process is essential. So, by offering a one stop solution, we can also ensure that if or when problems arise along the logistics process, that they will be dealt with efficiently and quickly because we’ll be there every step of the way.”

JS DAVIDSON EARMARKS FROZEN FOOD TO CHALLENGE CHILLED AS SHOPPERS LOOK TO CUT FOOD COSTS AND REDUCE WASTE

The landscape of frozen food is changing, with the cost-of-living crisis accelerating a shift in consumer buying habits.

Once seen as a budget-friendly but potentially lower-quality alternative to fresh produce, the frozen food industry is now enjoying a mass resurgence, with the British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF) revealing that two in five shoppers are purchasing more frozen food than they did just a year ago.

Data from market research giants Kantar, has also highlighted that in the 52 weeks running up to March 2024, retail sales in the frozen food market sat at £8.5 billion, nearly a 12 per cent increase on the year prior.

According to John Davidson, Managing Director of temperature-controlled specialists JS Davidson, the preconception that the freezer has become an afterthought of the kitchen, housing nothing more than a box of fish fingers, a bag of peas, or last month’s forgotten leftovers, is significantly wide of the mark.

Instead, John affirms that in the face of this new wave of interest, both frozen food manufacturers and temperature-controlled storage specialists such as JS Davidson are witnessing significant market growth in response to market demand.

John commented: “It’s no secret that the cost-of-living crisis has led to a sizeable dent in the average household’s budget. To tackle this issue, there’s been a growing shift in consumers veering away from fresh produce, and instead favouring more cost-effective frozen food products.

“What’s interesting is that while inflation has gradually eased this year, there’s been a conscious realisation among British buyers that there isn’t really a need to revert back to their old shopping habits. From what we’re hearing from our customers, is that consumers have become more aware about food waste, which aligns with wanting to cut their weekly food costs and make more value-for-money choices when they’re at the supermarket.

“This position isn’t just isolated to shoppers either. If you look at it through the lens of the manufacturer, frozen food is much more cost effective in production and distribution as its extended shelf life provides much greater flexibility across the supply chain against its fresh counterparts – which need to be distributed and sold quickly to avoid spoiling.”

Frozen food has certainly long been a staple part of the shopping list in many households due to its convenience, cost-effectiveness, and ability to reduce food waste. However, despite this, the nutritional value of frozen food has been a topic of debate.

This preconception however is far from the truth, says John Davidson. Advances in freezing technology and food preservation have significantly improved the nutritional value of frozen foods, with modern freezing methods helping to lock-in the nutrients, flavour and texture.

“Recent studies and advancements in food technology all point towards the fact that frozen food can retain much of its nutritional value, challenging the idea that it is inherently less healthy than fresh options”, John added.

“While cost has primarily accelerated this switch to frozen, quality and taste still remain high on the agenda for consumers, so manufacturers have invested a significant amount in ensuring their products meet current demand and expectations of UK shoppers – who are increasingly seeking value without compromising on taste and health.

“These are undoubtedly exciting times and as a business we are well placed to meet the rising demand.  We are continuing to invest in new processes to enhance efficiency and productivity whilst never losing sight of ensuring we continue to operate in a sustainable manner.”

The team at Peterborough-based JS Davidson have helped brighten up the summer for hundreds of children and young people under the care of Little Miracles charity.

Since before the summer holidays the transport firm has supplied and transported 60 boxes a day of KellyDeli ice creams for the children and their families to enjoy during planned activities.

And with the help of JS Davidson customers the company also donated £700 to the charity, to pay for a special cinema screening of Inside Out 2, exclusive to Little Miracles families.

Louise Evans, Head of Income Generation at Little Miracles, said the ice creams have been well received during the hot weather.

Speaking about the donation from JS Davidson she added: “The families had the cinema to themselves so they didn’t have to worry about their children in terms of noise during the film. They could just be themselves and have fun!

“Also usually in a cinema trip children in wheelchairs have a designated area away from their families, but by having the screening to ourselves it allowed us to sit the families together – even if their child was in a wheelchair – which was excellent as we want our families and children to have nice experiences together and make lots of memories – it’s the ethos of Little Miracles.”

The support from JS Davidson over the summer has benefited up to 3,000 children and their families who use Little Miracles’ Peterborough centre.

Other activities during the holidays included visits to theme parks, and visits to Little Miracles’ centres from the circus, bubble artists and bouncy castle experiences and even from snakes and dinosaurs!

John Davidson, Managing Director of JS Davidson, said: “We have built an excellent relationship with Little Miracles since the first lockdown over four years ago and we are delighted to continue supporting the team who work tirelessly to help not just the children and young people in their care but also their families.

“We were delighted to support them once again this summer by funding the cinema screening, helping to provide special experiences for our parents and children and helping them to create everlasting memories.”

Louise thanked John Davidson and his team for their ongoing support adding: “The support that JS Davidson has given to the families we support of children with disabilities and life-limiting conditions goes from strength to strength. Not only do they provide invaluable financial support, but we always feel able to ask for help if we need it, from extra storage in their warehouse to running out of A4 paper! We are so grateful to everyone in the team and are really proud to work so closely with such a fantastic organisation.”

Founded in 2010, Little Miracles offers a range of services including activities, training, counselling, advice and safe spaces for families from its 18 branches spanning the whole of East Anglia.

Temperature-controlled storage and distribution specialist JS Davidson has once again secured a coveted AA BRCGS Grade for Storage and Distribution following a recent audit.

A globally recognised standard, the BRCGS Standard for Storage and Distribution sets the benchmark for best practice, encouraging continuous improvement through comprehensive, risk-based product safety management systems.

It also ensures that products maintain quality and safety during storage and distribution across the entire supply chain.

The AA Grade comes at a poignant time for the business, which is currently experiencing significant growth in line with increased demand for chilled and frozen products.

Such is the extent of its growth that earlier this year JS Davidson acquired the GXO Logistics UK, Spalding Warehouse which includes 6,500 frozen pallet spaces, 15 members of staff and also enjoys BRCGS AA grading.

This strategic acquisition also follows a major investment programme, which was made to future proof the business and equip it to handle growing demand for temperature-controlled storage and distribution.

This latest milestone enables the Peterborough-based business to once again tangibly demonstrate its readiness to accommodate expanding market needs without compromising on the rigorous standards that its customers rely on.

John Davidson, Managing Director at JS Davidson commented: “Achieving the AA BRCGS Grade for the three years running is a real testament to our team’s dedication to maintaining the highest standards in safety and quality. It’s a proud moment for the company.

“We strive to ensure that we instil excellence in every aspect of our operation, and we have put a great deal of time and resource into ensuring that we exceed industry standards and deliver excellence at every stage.

“For us, it’s not simply just about ticking a box and meeting the necessary regulatory requirements because it’s what we have to do, it’s about instilling confidence in our customers that their products are in safe hands from the moment they arrive to the point they leave.”

As the UN Global Food Waste Index highlights an alarming rise in food waste globally, JS Davidson is taking proactive steps to address this crisis with its cutting-edge blast freezing unit. Designed to extend the shelf life of perishable goods, the technology offers a sustainable solution for food producers and retailers.

According to the UN report, over 30% of global food production is wasted annually, contributing to severe environmental, economic, and humanitarian challenges. The rapid spoilage of perishable foods remains one of the leading contributors, particularly in regions where storage infrastructure struggles to keep pace with demand.

The hybrid blast freezing unit tackles this issue by employing advanced freezing technology that rapidly reduces the temperature of food products. This process locks in freshness, flavour, and nutritional value while significantly slowing the natural degradation of food. Compared to traditional freezing methods, blast freezing ensures products maintain their quality for longer, allowing producers and retailers to reduce waste and consumers to enjoy extended use.

Blast freezing is the process of pushing cold air at a high velocity across a food product to enable the freezing process as quickly as possible providing a greater capability of processing orders quicker and more efficiently.   This in turn reduces waste and ensures products stored remain of premium quality.

A tried and tested process, the benefits of blast freezers are many as they not only speed up the freezing process minimising the formation of ice crystals within food, as well as slowing down enzyme production preserving flavour and crucially extending product life.

The high air velocity at a temperature of -35^o kills harmful bacteria in foods like meat, poultry, fruit and fish. 

Furthermore, the new hybrid blast unit has the capability of blast freezing, blast chilling and tempering all within the same mobile unit and will enable JS Davidson to drive greater efficiencies throughout its temperature-controlled operation.

With a capacity of up to 30 UK pallets, JS Davidson’s new hybrid blast unit is suitable for both freezing and defrosting under a controlled environment as well as bringing food products back up to temperature in rapid succession.

A leading force within the temperature-controlled storage and distribution marketplace, JS Davidson has continued to develop and expand its offering to meet market demand and now provides a complete end to end solution to its customers to include co-packing, distribution and storage facilities.

“At JS Davidson, we are committed to an ongoing programme of investment in the latest technology for the benefit of our customers,” said John Davidson, Managing Director, JS Davidson. “Our hybrid blast freezing unit enables food manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers to not only optimise their resources but also make a real difference in the fight against food waste. By enabling longer storage times without compromising on quality, we are helping businesses save money and reduce their environmental footprint.”

The technology is already making significant inroads in helping JS Davidson customers to meet sustainability goals and address the escalating food waste crisis.

Furthermore, by offering up to 53 percent reduction in GWP compared to other refrigerants, the hybrid blast freezing unit also provides a low emission, and low-operational cost option for both rapidly freezing and tempering products as well as ultimately reducing methane emissions generated by delaying organic food waste.

Spalding Cold Store, part of the JS Davidson family, has recently achieved AA BRCGS certification in Storage and Distribution following a recent audit at its premises in Spalding, Lincolnshire.

The cold store’s latest AA rating enables it to once again showcase its capability in maintaining exceptional standards in food safety, hygiene, and operational excellence.

BRCGS Global Standard Storage and Distribution in particular recognises adherence to best practices in the handling, storage, and distribution of food and non-food products, giving customers the comfort of knowing that Spalding Cold Store operates to the highest industry standards and goes the extra mile to ensure product integrity.

For the Lincolnshire-based cold storage company, this accreditation is yet another positive milestone in the business’ recent history, with the certification coming a little under a year since it was acquired by Peterborough-based temperature control solutions specialist JS Davidson.

This marks the second consecutive BRCGS AA certification the company has secured since being acquired in May 2024.

The company was purchased as a part of a broader plan to double the size of JS Davidson within a four-year period.

Featuring 6,500 frozen pallet spaces, the site now plays a fundamental role in supporting scalable storage solutions tailored to the demands of its growing customer base.

John Davidson, Managing Director at JS Davidson and Spalding Cold Store commented: “The BRCGS certification is fundamental to everything that we do here. Not only does it enable us to serve our customers compliantly, giving them the comfort of knowing that reassurance that we follow best practice when it comes to the storage and distribution of their goods, but it also reinforces our own internal commitment to maintaining the highest operational standards possible.

“Quite simply, we couldn’t do what we do without it, so to be awarded an AA rating for the second time in a row under the JS Davidson banner is a significant milestone for us as a business. It’s a testament to the hard work, dedication, and high standards upheld by the entire team at Spalding Cold Store so thanks must go out to them and their role in helping us maintain the level of service that we pride ourselves on.

“It’s been a fantastic and exciting first year since the acquisition of the cold store business from GXO almost 12 months ago and we are very much looking forward to building on the foundations we’ve already put in place in the pursuit of further milestones such as this.”

Leading temperature-controlled solutions specialist JS Davidson has extended its range of services in order to deliver an all-encompassing one-stop-shop solution for its ever-growing customer base.

JS Davidson, which has two sites across Peterborough and Bourne, has expanded its offering in line with the company having recently rebranded from Chiltern Cold Storage to JS Davidson earlier this year.

The move to JS Davidson was made to not only reflect this new chapter, but also to highlight its growing status within its marketplace as a one-stop shop provider of distribution, ambient, chilled and frozen storage and supply chain solution services.

By listening to the needs of customers both existing and new to create a flexible and comprehensive offering, along with streamlining its operation through substantial, nvestment into key areas, the fast-expanding business has already reaped the rewards under the new era – having added a flurry of new customers to its customer portfolio over the past 12 months.

To mark the occasion, JS Davidson has also invested into a new-look website which will showcase the company’s latest range of services that have each been designed with the customer solely in mind.

John Davidson, Managing Director at JS Davidson commented: “We are delighted to have expanded our range of services for the benefit of our much-valued customers, which will now feature distribution, ambient, chilled and frozen storage and supply chain solution services.

“While our background has predominantly focused on cold storage, the company has since evolved, and our offering today is considerably more far reaching.”