Episode 577: Smarter, faster, & safer frozen fulfillment with ColdTrack
Broadcasting from inside ColdTrack’s Edison, NJ, freezer, this episode of The New Warehouse Podcast dives into the intricate details of cold chain fulfillment. Chilling with Kevin is Luke Vaccaro, Chief Operating Officer of ColdTrack. ColdTrack provides cold chain fulfillment, specializing in direct-to-consumer (DTC) frozen and refrigerated shipping. If you’ve ever wondered how frozen food shows up perfectly packed on your doorstep, this episode delivers the answers.
Inside Cold Track’s Frozen Fulfillment Strategy
Operating in sub-zero conditions is no easy feat, but ColdTrack embraces the challenge with dry ice science and time and transit(TNT) optimization. Serving mostly DTC food and pet food brands, ColdTrack built its network for precision. A pivotal component is ColdTrack’s proprietary software platform, ColdTrack Live.
What started as a vendor relationship with Hungryroot, where Luke once served as an operations leader, has evolved into a high-performing logistics network delivering frozen goods across the country in under 48 hours. Vaccaro shares, “The ability to ensure the cold chain is maintained from receipt of goods all the way to the customer’s doorstep… to do it consistently at a very high quality level at a competitive cost is not easy.”
ColdTrack manages frozen, refrigerated, and even ambient storage with careful control over lot tracking, FEFO (First Expired, First Out) inventory, and pick accuracy. What sets them apart is their integrated software stack, including WMS and shipping platforms that minimize human error while maximizing traceability. Vaccaro explains, “We are identifying the lots, separating lots into separate pallets… There’s a lot of automated logic behind the scenes.”
That detail-oriented mindset extends to each order, from intake to outbound shipping, optimizing every step for temperature-sensitive performance.
Smart Tech, Safer Deliveries
ColdTrack’s ColdTrack Live platform is more than just a WMS—it’s an optimization engine designed to solve perishable shipping. It calculates box size, liner thickness, and dry ice volume based on product, destination temperature, and transit time. “We can go out and call on an API, figure out the temperature of the destination zip real-time, and adjust the amount of ice we put in.”
With over 99.1% of the U.S. reachable within 48 hours, their three-site footprint (New Jersey, Northern California, Indianapolis) leverages frozen line hauls and regional injections to reduce handoffs and control outcomes. “You’re able to fill those trucks up… and the economics sort of make sense.”
ColdTrack also enables intelligent carrier selection based on timing, inventory, and cost factors. Their dry ice procedures include safety barriers, real-time monitoring, and just-in-time inventory usage to ensure safe handling and optimal preservation during transit.
Helping DTC Brands Win with Retention
While acquiring customers is expensive, retaining them hinges on flawless delivery. ColdTrack positions itself as a critical retention tool for food and pet brands. “If they get their box on time, if it’s fresh, it’s not spoiled, they have a much higher propensity to reorder with you.”
Luke emphasizes that many DTC brands struggle to manage the semi-fixed costs of frozen fulfillment—especially for smaller orders. ColdTrack’s optimization tools help maximize order value and minimize cost per shipment. Their onboarding process is consultative, factoring in the unique packaging, SKUs, and customer expectations for each brand. Their next-gen release, Optimization 2.0, aims to automate even more decision-making logic.
With ongoing investments in automation and a growing product suite (including self-serve shipping tools), ColdTrack continues to make frozen fulfillment smarter, faster, and safer.
Key Takeaways on Frozen Fulfillment
- ColdTrack reaches 99.1% of the U.S. in 48 hours through a three-site footprint and frozen line hauls.
- ColdTrack Live calculates optimal box, liner, and dry ice amounts using real-time destination data.
- Frozen shipping economics favor scale, and ColdTrack enables cost control through software.
- Upcoming tools like Optimization 2.0 and DIY shipping solutions expand ColdTrack’s offerings for brands at all stages.
