The cold chain of golden apple snail: A case study

Abstract

Cold chain management is a necessary part of reducing food loss and maintaining food safety in production, storage, and distribution activities along a supply chain. However, the adoption of cold chain logistics by Thailand’s agricultural and food sectors remains underdeveloped. The golden apple snail supply chain is an important part of the economy in Northeast Thailand, however, it is facing losses due to food waste. Consequently, this study aims to analyse supply chain operations and propose guidelines that help reduce food loss towards building an unbroken cold chain. A case analysis at Baan Huakwa, Kalasin, one of the main golden apple snail storage facilities, was selected as a starting point for the snowball sampling technique used in this cold chain study. Following an assessment of current cold chain management practices at the facility, a supply chain operations reference model and value chain were used to systematically suggest possible improvements. The study found that this specific cold chain breaks during transport from the snail farmers to the storage/packaging facility. It also found that a lack of control over the environment and a lack of product forecasting sometimes lead to snail shortages or oversupply. Furthermore, the length of delivery and amount of time stored at improper temperatures with the use of only an ice cooler and pickup tarpaulin can result in spoilage. The option of investing in temperature-controlled trucks is considered. This study provides key recommendations for relevant stakeholders to enable them to implement the changes necessary to improve the existing cold chain system. This study can be further applied as a reference for perishable food supply chains.