In this edition: Breaking down top cold chain hubs, developments in the autoimmune drugs, and ramen
|
|
|
|
|
NEWSLETTER SPONSORED BY — DYNAMIC LOGISTIX
|
Facing employee burnout and low on-time delivery scores, Happy Egg needed a shipping solution…fast. Partnering with Dynamic Logistix’s stellar team and powerful technology made Happy Egg even happier.
|
|
|
Hello Source and welcome to the coolest community in freight!
|
|
|
(Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)
|
Port Laredo, Texas, has cemented its top U.S. hub for cold chain logistics across the U.S.-Mexico border. The Port handles more than 1,000 refrigerated truckloads each month. The facility has three separate temperature-controlled inspection bays. The bays facilitate inspection from federal agencies such as U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), or the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), with zero risk of exposure to external temperatures.
Kent Richard, a senior official and logistics expert with Port Laredo, said in a news release, "Maintaining an unbroken cold chain is not a luxury. It’s an economic and public health imperative. We’re talking about fresh produce, pharmaceuticals, seafood, and vaccines. There’s no margin for error."
Positioned at the World Trade Bridge, Port Laredo has served as a major commercial nexus for more than twenty years, facilitating a broad range of temperature‑sensitive commodities. Its expansive influence spans the food, healthcare, chemical, and aerospace sectors, enabling manufacturers and shippers across the Americas to rely on its stable, climate‑secure infrastructure.
Looking ahead, the port’s leadership is keenly focused on adaptation and innovation. Plans to incorporate electric vehicles, autonomous trucking systems, and advanced data monitoring promise to enhance energy efficiency, reduce emissions, and further bolster temperature integrity. By investing in next‑generation technologies, Port Laredo is not only meeting current cold‑chain demands but actively shaping the future of logistics across North America.
|
|
|
AbbVie, a research-based, global biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and selling innovative medicines, is acquiring Capstan Therapeutics, a drug developer that specializes in gene therapy. The acquisition is valued at $2.1 billion. This is the first step in the evolution of immunology and the future of cold-chain biology.
According to the new release, “The acquisition includes Captstan’s CPTX2309 is a potential first-in-class in vivo tLNP anti-CD19 CAR-T therapy candidate, currently in Phase 1, in development for the treatment of B cell-mediated autoimmune diseases. Additionally, AbbVie will acquire Capstan’s proprietary tLNP platform technology designed to deliver RNA payloads, such as mRNA, capable of engineering specific cell types in vivo.”
The excitement of Capstan’s drug essentially reprograms T cells within a patient’s body. The drug aims to more or less reset the immune system, which potentially offers remission to those with certain autoimmune disorders compared to other medicines that provide symptom relief. As these therapies progress through clinical and eventual commercial distribution, similar rigors applied to vaccines will be needed: controlled storage, validated cold-chain protocols, and real-time temperature monitoring to ensure potency and safety.
Roopal Thakkar, AbbVie’s Executive VP and Chief Scientific Officer, emphasized the company’s ambition in a news release: “Scientific innovation is required to address not just the symptoms of autoimmune diseases, but also to resolve and potentially cure the underlying disease. By advancing CPTX2309 and utilizing Capstan’s novel platform technology, AbbVie and Capstan aim to transform the care of those living with autoimmune diseases by developing treatments that have the potential to reset the immune system.”
|
|
|
Nissin Foods, long synonymous with instant ramen and the iconic Cup Noodles, is now venturing into frozen meals with the launch of its new Kanzen Meal line in the U.S. market. Kanzen Meal—“kanzen” meaning “complete” in Japanese—is Nissin’s first single‑serve frozen meal innovation, marking the company’s expansion into the health‑focused frozen foods category.
Kanzen Meal’s launch includes three initial varieties—Fettuccine Alfredo, Spaghetti Bolognese, and Shrimp Teriyaki—each offering up to 23 g of protein, 10 g of fiber, and more than one‑third of the recommended daily values of 27 essential vitamins and minerals, with zero added sugar and calorie counts between 460 and 520.
Robert Little, CEO of Kanzen Meal, highlighted the brand’s competitive positioning, stated in a news release, “Kanzen Meal is well ahead of what other CPG brands have been able to achieve in addressing consumer desire for nutrient dense meals, especially with the increase in GLP‑1 usage, while still delivering taste and convenience”
Each recipe is the product of a blend of precision food science and Japanese culinary expertise, crafted with Michelin‑level chefs to balance taste and nutrient integrity. For example, the Spaghetti Bolognese employs a mix of textured vegetable protein and meat to keep saturated fat low while maintaining a rich texture and satisfying taste.
|
|
|
The Jacksonville, Florida, reefer market is loosening as both reefer outbound tender volumes and reefer outbound tender rejections fall. Reefer volumes have dropped 36.22% week over week. This trend isn’t entirely surprising given the Fourth of July holiday falling on a Friday, which has led to not only carriers taking advantage of the long weekend and slow operations for a while.
In terms of available capacity, it’s becoming more accessible as reeder outbound tender rejections drop 541 basis points w/w. With 4.76% rejections, spot rates aren’t seeing that typical pre-Fourth of July spike that most of the other markets are seeing. Capacity remains readily available, and shippers can expect to maintain strong contract carrier compliance.
Is SONAR for you? Check it out with a demo!
|
|
|
Catch up on Running on Ice on YouTube
|
|
|
Wanna chat in the cooler? Shoot me an email with comments, questions or story ideas at moconnell@freightwaves.com
See you on the internet,
Mary
If this newsletter was forwarded to you, you must be pretty chill. Join the coolest community in freight and subscribe for more at freightwaves.com/running-on-ice. You can also stay up to date with Running on Ice: The Show every Friday at 2 p.m. EST on freightwaves.com.
|
|
|
|
