Quick commerce and deep-freeze: how can -18°C be maintained on ultra-fast deliveries?

The rise of express home delivery of groceries has transformed consumption habits in urban areas. Ordering online and receiving products in less than thirty minutes has become a standard for many city dwellers.

However, while the logistics of dry or chilled products require rigorous organisation, the delivery of frozen goods represents the ultimate challenge of the last mile. Indeed, maintaining a strictly negative temperature of -18°C from the micro‑warehouse right up to the doorstep leaves no room for improvisation.

What is quick commerce and what is at stake?

Quick commerce, or rapid commerce, is based on the promise of ultra-fast delivery, often achieved in a record time of 15 to 30 minutes. To pull off this feat, operators rely on “dark stores”, fixed micro‑warehouses optimised for the immediate processing of online orders and located at the heart of city centres.

In this just‑in‑time model, speed of execution is crucial. As soon as an order is validated on a mobile application, pickers assemble the bag in a matter of minutes before handing it over to a delivery rider on a cargo bike or electric scooter. The major challenge lies in managing the negative cold chain.

Unlike traditional logistics, transport here is carried out without an active refrigeration unit running during the journey, which exposes sensitive goods such as ice cream or frozen products to an immediate risk of thawing.

Storage in dark stores: how do you prepare the delivery of frozen products?

The success of an express delivery begins well before the rider sets off. The first critical point is at the moment of storage and product selection in the dark store. To guarantee compliance with health standards, frozen foods (vegetables, pizzas, meat or fish) must be kept permanently in high‑performance refrigerated units.

Then, during order preparation, every second counts. The exposure of frozen products to the ambient temperature of the hub must be reduced to the strict minimum to avoid the start of any break in the cold chain. Operators must therefore arrange their facilities so that frozen food cabinets are placed at the end of the picking route, just before packing into the delivery bag.

The challenge of the express last mile: maintaining -18°C in motion

Once the parcel has been prepared, urban transport is the riskiest stage. To keep frozen products at -18°C without using a heavy vehicle, professionals in the sector use insulated boxes with reinforced insulation.

Moreover, the repeated opening of doors or lids during successive deliveries causes repeated thermal excursions. Delivery riders must therefore follow strict protocols, such as keeping the box closed until the exact moment the bag is handed over to the customer.

Ensuring traceability of deep-freeze conditions: the contribution of technology

Faced with regulatory requirements and consumer expectations regarding the quality of their food, logistics platforms must provide concrete proof that temperature control is being properly managed.

This is where modern telematics solutions come into play. Thanks to the installation of certified, connected temperature probes inside the boxes or transport compartments, operators can monitor the evolution of cold in real time.

In the event of a malfunction or abnormal rise in temperature, an alert is immediately sent to a management platform. This complete digital traceability secures the online ordering process and ensures total transparency from the warehouse through to the final consumer.

You manage an urban delivery service and would like to optimise the management of your cold chain? Discover our refrigeration equipment solutions and our connected tools designed to meet the requirements of quick commerce.