Del Monte upgrades trucking, logistics operations

Tricont Logistics, the logistics arm of Fresh Del Monte Produce, plans to add 30 of its temperature-controlled storage facilities to the Flowspace network of more than 100 fulfillment centers through a new partnership with the software provider.

The Flowspace platform and distribution network powers e-commerce logistics.

Del Monte’s Tricont Logistics and Tricont Trucking, the produce distributor’s third-party trucking company, will use the Flowspace’s OmniFlow software to streamline the growth of Tricont, which services all types of customers, primarily urgent, complex supply chains. The partnership will allow the produce giant to continue leveraging its assets and growing its third-party business, while also expanding capacity for consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands requiring temperature-controlled facilities within Flowspace’s existing network, the companies said.

E-commerce presents a “significant” opportunity for CPG brands, with food and beverage growing more quickly than any other e-commerce category, per Insider Intelligence. Yet this growth potential is hampered by the scarcity of fulfillment partners capable of offering the temperature-controlled facilities and specialized services—including lot tracking, SKU-level reporting, and customizable picking logic—needed for many CPG products. Together, Tricont and Flowspace will offer these brands the full-service fulfillment solution needed to power digital commerce growth and ensure efficient delivery to their customers. 

“Flowspace software streamlines the end-to-end fulfillment operation, improving visibility and orchestration for merchants and fulfillment operators alike,” Frank Garcia, Flowspace SVP of operations, said in a news release. “Together with Tricont, we are reshaping the logistics landscape for CPG companies, setting a new standard for excellence in fulfillment.”

While Del Monte is known for providing fresh produce, its other business lines are “powerhouses” on their own, particularly its logistics network. The company owns Network Shipping, a third-party shipping network that transports goods across the world, as well as Tricont Trucking and Tricont Logistics, which utilize the company’s ships, ports, trucks, and temperature-controlled warehouses located throughout 34 facilities in North America. Del Monte’s logistics arm continues to grow as the company identifies new ways to optimize its assets and generate additional streams of income.

“We’re excited to partner with Flowspace as a way to further optimize the use of our temperature-controlled storage facilities for third parties,” said Ziad Nabulsi, Fresh Del Monte’s SVP of North America operations. “We believe Flowspace’s technology designed to facilitate e-commerce and retail fulfillment will help us continue expanding our Tricont Logistics business to be able to offer our best-in-class logistics services to more customers.”