Collaborative planning - managing the upswing
As global trade patterns shift and widen, perishable supply chains are ever more dependent on logistics expertise and the performance of transport networks. Driven by increasing world demand and improved living standards - especially in emerging economies - a whole range of commodities and markets are presenting new challenges and opportunities for perishable logistics managers and their service providers.

Evolving retail patterns, sustainable sourcing, rising consumer expectations and new policy regimes for food safety, carbon and waste management are all converging to change how the perishables industry does business worldwide. Cool Logistics is the event where the entire cold chain community meets to tackle the issues from production to retail and all the vital logistics in between.

Collaboration, the main theme of this year's conference, marks an aspirational process. As cargo owners, logistics and transport providers acknowledge the need for more joined-up planning and information sharing, Cool Logistics 2011 continues the debate on how to improve end-to-end cold chain performance on land, at sea and in the air.

Combining market, trade development, operational and technical issues, Cool Logistics is still the only forum to provide first mile to last mile insight for international perishable logistics professionals.