Fresh produce and food displayed on a market table with vibrant colours
Produce Desk · Cold Chain Specialist

Cold Chain Freight.
Every Degree.
Every Mile.

From a grower field in Sonora to a Midwest distribution centre in 38 hours — pulp temp verified, FSMA documented, chain of custody unbroken.

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18,000
Reefer FCL / yr
99.9%
Cold-chain integrity
24/7
Produce desk coverage
4
Mexico border crossings
Why Perishables Are Different

Cold Chain Logistics for Food & Perishables: Every Degree Counts

18,000Reefer loads per year
99.9%Cold-chain integrity rate
34°F–2°Temp variance tolerance
24/7Produce desk coverage
Perishable shippers live and die by temperature. A two-hour cold-chain break on a load of strawberries can cause total loss on a $60,000 trailer. A frozen-seafood load that defrosts in transit becomes a regulatory event, not just a claim. Successful food logistics requires pre-cooled trailers, continuous data-logger monitoring, pulp-temperature checks at origin and destination, FSMA-compliant written carrier agreements and a logistics partner who understands grower windows, USDA inspection timelines and the difference between a 34°F reefer set point and what the commodity actually needs.
A colourful spread of fresh fruits and vegetables including tomatoes, citrus, berries and leafy greens
Grade-verified produce: pulp temp logged at origin and destination
The Cold Chain Spectrum

From the freezer to the field —
we hold temperature across every zone.

−20°F
Deep Frozen
  • IQF seafood & shrimp
  • Frozen meat & poultry
  • Ice cream & novelties
  • Frozen vegetables & fruit
Continuous freeze certified · −10°F to 0°F LTL available
34–38°F
Chilled / Fresh
  • Fresh berries & grapes
  • Leafy greens & herbs
  • Cut flowers & live plants
  • Fresh fish & proteins
Pulp-temp verified at origin & destination · USDA / CFIA compliant
55–65°F
Cool Ambient
  • Bananas & tropical fruits
  • Potatoes & onions
  • Chocolate & confections
  • Canned & shelf-stable food
Multi-temp trailers available · food-grade enclosed capacity
Deep-frozen cold-storage racks with pallets of frozen food in a large refrigerated warehouse
Deep-frozen storage · −20°F certified
Supermarket refrigerated and frozen display cases stocked with fresh and frozen food products
Retail display-ready delivery · multi-temp capable
The Hard Part

Five challenges that spoil
generalist freight brokers.

Cold-Chain Breaks & Temperature Excursions

Temperature excursions can occur at loading (pre-cool failure), in transit (reefer unit malfunction or door breach) or at receiver (dock delay). Even a 60-minute excursion on certain proteins or berries is grounds for rejection. Without a continuous data logger on every load and a real-time alert when the set point drifts, shippers discover the problem only at delivery — too late to intervene.

Pulp Temperature vs. Air Temperature Mismatches

Reefer trailers are rated on air temperature, but USDA and most retail receivers require pulp-temperature checks on arrival — the internal temperature of the commodity itself. A trailer that reads 34°F on the air probe can still carry product at 42°F pulp if loading was rushed or the product wasn’t pre-cooled. This distinction is critical and frequently misunderstood by non-specialized brokers.

Tight Grower Windows & Seasonal Capacity Surges

Produce shipping is intensely seasonal. California grape season, Florida citrus, and Sonoran Mexican produce all create demand spikes that compress available reefer capacity into narrow windows. Shippers who don’t have committed reefer contracts going into peak season find themselves paying 40–80% spot premiums and taking whatever equipment is available, which is sometimes under-maintained.

FSMA Written Carrier Agreements & Documentation

FDA’s FSMA Sanitary Transportation Rule (21 CFR Part 1, Subpart O) requires shippers and receivers to have written agreements with carriers who transport food requiring temperature control. These agreements must address pre-cooling, temperature set points, trailer wash requirements and temperature monitoring. Missing or incomplete agreements expose shippers to FDA inspection findings and retailer audit failures.

Cross-Border Produce Complexity (Mexico & Canada)

Mexico-sourced produce must clear US CBP, USDA APHIS inspection (for phytosanitary pests), and often FDA FSMA coverage before release. Transfer-carrier coordination at Nogales, Laredo or McAllen adds dwell risk — every hour at the border crossing is time the reefer must maintain set point with the trailer door potentially being opened for inspection.

How We Operate

Five capabilities. One cold-chain desk.

  1. 01

    Pre-Cool Verification & Trailer Wash Confirmation

    Before loading, Qeep confirms that the assigned trailer has been pre-cooled to the required set point (not just turned on) and that a trailer-wash certificate is on file if required by the shipper or FDA regulations. We document this confirmation in the load file, giving shippers the written record FSMA agreements require.

  2. 02

    Continuous Temperature Data Logging

    Every reefer load in the Qeep network carries a data logger that records temperature at minimum every 15 minutes. Temperature data is available in our portal and delivered as a PDF report with each proof of delivery. Loads on pharma-grade or ultra-sensitive produce lanes use IoT sensors with real-time cellular alerts if the set point drifts more than 2°F.

  3. 03

    Pulp Temperature Checks at Origin & Destination

    Our produce desk requires pulp-temperature readings at loading, documented by the driver and confirmed against the shipper’s specification. At delivery, we request pulp readings from the receiver and include them in the delivery record. Any pulp reading that falls outside specification triggers an immediate claims and inspection protocol before the driver releases the load.

  4. 04

    USDA, CFIA & PACA Compliance Management

    Qeep holds a PACA (Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act) licence and our produce desk has direct experience with USDA Agricultural Marketing Service grading standards and CFIA import conditions for Canadian destinations. We prepare all APHIS phytosanitary documentation for Mexico-origin produce and coordinate USDA fast-track inspection appointments at major DCs.

  5. 05

    Dedicated Produce Dispatcher & 24/7 Coverage

    Perishable loads don’t wait for business hours. Our produce desk operates around the clock with dispatchers who know the difference between a ‘hold’ at a USDA inspection station and a full rejection, and who have carrier relationships deep enough to get a backup reefer to a stranded load within hours. One phone call to one person — not a call centre.

Compliance & Regulations

The rules that govern
food & perishable freight.

FSMA Sanitary Transportation Rule (21 CFR Part 1, Subpart O)

FDA’s rule requires shippers, loaders, carriers and receivers of human and animal food to follow practices that prevent food from becoming unsafe during transport. For temperature-controlled loads, shippers must have written agreements with carriers covering set points, pre-cool requirements, trailer wash and temperature monitoring. Qeep provides compliant written carrier agreements as part of every food-grade lane setup.

USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Grading & Inspection

USDA inspectors at terminal markets and DC receiving docks grade produce against official U.S. Grade Standards for condition, pulp temperature and pest presence. A USDA rejection at destination for condition attributable to transit temperature is a recoverable claim only if the shipper has documented pre-load pulp temp, continuous in-transit temp data, and a timely notice of rejection.

PACA (Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act)

PACA is federal law governing fair trading in fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables. PACA-licensed brokers and dealers must pay for produce promptly (within 10 days for undisputed loads) and handle disputes through USDA’s formal complaint process. Shippers gain financial protection against non-payment when their buyer is also PACA-licensed. Qeep holds an active PACA licence.

CFIA Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR)

Importers bringing fresh produce into Canada must hold a Safe Food for Canadians licence and comply with CFIA import conditions including phytosanitary certificates, country-of-origin labelling and specific commodity requirements (e.g., pre-clearance for certain stone fruits from Mexico). Qeep’s cross-border team coordinates CFIA import documentation for all Canada-bound perishable loads.

FDA Food Safety Modernization Act — Foreign Supplier Verification (FSVP)

US importers of food products (including produce from Mexico) must verify that foreign suppliers produce food in a manner that meets US safety standards. While FSVP is a shipper obligation, it directly affects transit documentation: Qeep ensures carrier records, temperature data and country-of-origin documents are maintained in a format that satisfies FSVP importer recordkeeping requirements.

USDA APHIS Phytosanitary Import Conditions

Certain fresh fruits and vegetables from Mexico require USDA APHIS inspection for quarantine pests (e.g., Mediterranean fruit fly) before US entry is permitted. This can add 2–6 hours of dwell at border inspection stations. Qeep coordinates pre-arranged APHIS inspection appointments at Nogales, Laredo and McAllen ports of entry to minimize reefer dwell during inspections.

A farmer holding a crate of fresh lettuce at a grower loading dock ready for transport
Grower dock · FSMA pre-cool verified at origin
American conventional semi-truck pulling a refrigerated reefer trailer on a US highway
Reefer FTL · continuous data logger on every load
Recommended Modes

The freight modes perishable shippers depend on.

Produce

Specialized produce trucking with USDA/CFIA compliance and protocols that keep cold chain unbroken.

Learn more →

Temperature Controlled

Reefer FTL and LTL with continuous temperature logging — frozen, chilled, ambient or multi-temp.

Learn more →

Mexico Cross-Border

End-to-end Mexico solutions — pickup, transfer, customs, and US delivery on one bill of lading.

Learn more →
Common Questions

Questions perishable shippers ask us.

What is pulp temperature, and why does it matter more than air temperature?
Pulp temperature is the internal temperature of the commodity itself — measured by inserting a probe into the product, not the trailer air. A reefer trailer can read 34°F on its air thermostat while the product’s pulp sits at 42°F if the cargo was loaded warm or the product was stacked against the trailer walls blocking airflow. Most retail receivers and USDA inspectors grade on pulp temperature, so a ‘perfect’ air reading means nothing if the pulp is out of spec.
What FSMA documentation does Qeep provide for food loads?
For every temperature-controlled food shipment, Qeep provides a written carrier agreement addressing set point, pre-cool requirements and temperature monitoring (satisfying 21 CFR Part 1, Subpart O); a trailer wash certificate (where required); a continuous temperature data-logger report; and a proof of delivery with pulp readings when the receiver provides them. These documents are retained in our system for the FDA-required two-year period.
Can you handle produce cross-border from Mexico?
Yes. Our Mexico produce desk coordinates transfer carriers at Nogales, Laredo, El Paso and McAllen. We arrange US-side dray, manage USDA APHIS phytosanitary inspection appointments to minimize reefer dwell at the border, and prepare FDA Prior Notice submissions for applicable commodities. Pre-cool is confirmed on the US-side reefer before the Mexican transfer load is broken.
Do you move frozen LTL as well as full truckloads?
Yes. Qeep ships frozen LTL across the US and Canada through our national LTL carrier network, using carriers with dedicated frozen-capable trailers rather than temperature-controlled dry vans. We confirm continuous freeze (−10°F to 0°F) on all frozen LTL lanes and provide temperature-record documentation at delivery. Minimum shipment sizes and transit times vary by lane.
What happens if a load is rejected at destination for temperature?
Our protocol is: the driver does not release the load and immediately contacts the Qeep produce desk. We obtain a USDA inspection (where feasible) within the statutory timeframe to document product condition. Simultaneously we coordinate re-consignment or salvage disposal if the product is unsalvageable. We then compile the carrier’s temperature data, pre-load pulp readings and any pre-existing condition evidence to support a cargo claim. Shippers have a dedicated claims liaison from the moment of rejection.
Are your reefer trailers multi-temp capable?
Yes. We have access to multi-temp trailers with a bulkhead that divides the trailer into two independently controlled zones — for example, 34°F for fresh produce in the nose and 28°F for frozen product in the rear. Multi-temp is especially useful for retailers consolidating fresh and frozen categories on a single shipment. Availability varies by lane; contact our team to confirm multi-temp capacity on your specific origin-destination pair.
Related Industries

Adjacent verticals we serve.

Agriculture & Grain freight logistics
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Agriculture & Grain

Grain, seed, feed and ag-equipment — bulk hopper, end-dump, and seasonal harvest capacity.

Beverage & Alcohol freight logistics
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Beverage & Alcohol

TTB-licensed alcohol transport, bonded warehousing, weight-heavy beverage freight.

Healthcare & Pharma freight logistics
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Healthcare & Pharma

GDP-certified cold chain, controlled substances, clinical-trial kits and medical device logistics.

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