GCCF Wraps Up a Successful Emerging Markets Program in Southeast Asia

GCCF Technical Experts pose for a photo with participants at the Vietnam Cold Chain Management training in December.

In December 2023, GCCF completed the final phase of the four-year Emerging Markets Program in Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Tamara Palefsky (United States Cold Storage), Robert Hernandez (United States Cold Storage), and Bob Tippmann (QuickFreeze) traveled with Madison Jaco to Southeast Asia to provide in-person training and consultations on cold chain management. More than 140 participants attended across the three trainings, 40% of which were women in the cold chain. Additional virtual training on refrigeration systems, energy management, and sanitary transportation, led by Bob Tippmann and Don Durm (PLM Fleet), has been made available to all participants via GCCF’s Cold Chain eCampus.

GCCF began this U.S. Department of Agriculture-funded project in 2019 with cold chain assessments in the three target countries. After an 18-month pause due to COVID-19, all three assessments were completed in March 2022. In the following phases of the project, GCCF led a Cold Chain Study Tour to Indonesia with the support of the Cold Chain Association of the Philippines, the Indonesian Cold Chain Association, and past GCCF Chairman Greg Laurin (Conestoga Cold Storage) during May 2023. In August 2023, Adam Thocher and Madison Jaco traveled to Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam to meet with local cold chain and logistics associations to identify opportunities to develop and strengthen their cold chain programs.

Beyond this project, the foundation will continue to support active cold chain projects in Bangladesh and Cambodia, collaborate with affiliate associations in Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines, and pursue additional funding for cold chain development throughout Asia.