Fresh Produce
Fruit and vegetables from farms and packhouses to market.
Learn more on the Fresh Produce Logistics pageCold Chain Services
Shared refrigerated loads, matched for compatibility.
Smaller chilled or frozen consignments combined into one refrigerated load when their temperatures and handling needs are compatible.
Groupage works only when the products agree.
Sharing a refrigerated trailer can make sense for consignments too small to fill one. But every product on board has to be safe at the same set point, and none can damage another.
We check each consignment against the others before it is accepted onto a shared load: temperature, odour, ethylene, packaging and delivery order.
How compatibility is checked.
A shared load runs at one temperature, so every product on it has to accept that temperature and its neighbours.
One temperature range
Only products that can travel at the same set point are grouped together.
Ethylene kept apart
Fruit that gives off ethylene, such as apples, pears and tomatoes, is not loaded with produce that ethylene damages, such as leafy greens.
No taint or contamination
Products that give off strong odours, such as seafood, are not loaded with goods that could absorb them.
Packed to share space
Each consignment is palletised and wrapped to travel alongside others without damage.
Cargo that often travels as groupage.
Flowers & Plants
Cut flowers and plants kept cool from grower to market.
Learn more on the Flowers & Plants Logistics page
Temperature-Sensitive Beverages
Chilled beverages and nutrition products.
Learn more on the Temperature-Sensitive Beverages Logistics pageRelated cold chain services.
Cold Chain Cross-Docking
Transferring temperature-sensitive goods between vehicles or facilities.
Learn more on the Cold Chain Cross-Docking page
Cold Chain Packing & Handling
Specialised packing, palletisation, loading and temperature-protected handling.
Learn more on the Cold Chain Packing & Handling page
Refrigerated Road Transport
Chilled, frozen and temperature-controlled freight movements.
Learn more on the Refrigerated Road Transport pageFrequently asked questions
What is groupage?
Combining several smaller consignments, often from different shippers, into one load. It is also called consolidation or less-than-truckload (LTL) freight.
Which products can share a refrigerated load?
Products that can travel at the same temperature, that do not give off ethylene or odours harmful to each other, and whose packaging can share space safely.
Why can fruit and vegetables not always travel together?
Some fruit, such as apples, pears and tomatoes, give off ethylene gas, which speeds ripening and can damage ethylene-sensitive produce such as leafy greens. These are kept apart.
Can chilled and frozen goods be grouped together?
Not in the same compartment. A shared load runs at one set point, so chilled and frozen consignments travel separately.
How should my consignment be packed for groupage?
Palletised and wrapped, with clear labels showing the product, temperature range and delivery point, so it can travel alongside other consignments.
What do you need to quote a groupage consignment?
The product, carrying temperature, packaging, pallet count and weight, collection and delivery points, and the required date.
Have a consignment too small for a full load?
Send the product, carrying temperature, packaging, pallet count, and the collection and delivery points.