Lineage Logistics offering fresh storage solution for Europe

Lineage Logistics LLC, a temperature-controlled industrial real estate investment trust and logistics solutions provider, has launched its Lineage Fresh service in Europe.

Lineage Fresh was established in November 2022 in the U.S., according to a news release. The service provides fresh storage solutions for major importers, grocers and producers of fresh fruit and produce, the company said.

“Lineage Fresh brings state-of-the-art fresh capacity and product expertise to our expanding European network, and connects the growing fresh produce market with customers across Europe and the world,” Edwin Wentink, vice president of  business development for Europe, said in the release. “Lineage Fresh capitalizes on the investments we have made in Kloosterboer Group’s legacy of fresh product expertise and its class leading facilities in Rotterdam and Vlissingen, along with a growing footprint in Southern Europe. We are excited to highlight this new solution as part of our participation in Fruit Logistica in Berlin this year.”

The new value-added services and specialized capabilities of Lineage Fresh include repack and bagging services, reconditioning, restacking, restyling, container plugs, multi-temperature zones for produce, cold treatment, fumigation, container drayage, juice processing and blending, and the integration of customs’ bonded facilities, the release said.

Over the past two years in Europe, Lineage has focused on value-added services needed to handle fresh fruits and vegetables, namely fresh food storage, repacking, bagging and transportation, the release said. 

Related: Lineage to open Port of Savannah facility

The company started the Lineage Fresh venture in June 2021 with the acquisition of Kloosterboer Group, which continues to bring a large, long-standing fresh operation to the Lineage network, with fresh facilities in both Rotterdam and Vlissingen, the release said.

In December 2021, Lineage acquired Sun Valley Cold Storage and its facility in Swedesboro, N.J., expanding its presence in the U.S. tri-state area, where 80% of U.S. produce enters the country, according to the release. Sun Valley Cold Storage served the fresh produce market for more than 15 years with a team of experienced professionals dedicated to handling fresh fruits and vegetables. Lineage is in the process of expanding this facility with 5,000 additional pallets coming online in the first quarter of 2023, leveraging the capacity and expertise of the former Sun Valley and Kloosterboer operations to enhance Lineage’s fresh network globally.

Lineage is also building a refrigerated storage facility at Georgia's Port of Savannah, expected to open in February 2023, completely dedicated to fresh produce, the release said. Savannah is the fastest-growing port and largest single-container terminal in North America, and the new facility will help cut through port congestion to ensure fewer obstacles in maintaining the freshness of the produce, the release said.