Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) and Americold, through a partnership begun in 2023, are “transforming the way temperature sensitive food moves between the U.S. and Mexico,” the Class I railroad reported Feb. 11.
The collaboration, it said, offers temperature-controlled rail service for perishable commodities like produce and protein from Kansas City, Mo., to Mexico (see map above); it provides customers “with direct access to an integrated, end-to-end cold chain network designed for reliability, efficiency, and compliance.”
Americold’s import-export hub in Kansas City, which opened last summer and is co-located with CPKC’s IFG intermodal terminal, serves as a consolidation and launch point. It supports CPKC’s Mexico Midwest Express (MMX), a single-line North American rail service for refrigerated shippers between U.S. Midwest markets and Mexico, which kicked off in 2023, following a proof of concept in 2022 between then Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern, which merged April 14. It also enables more seamless and efficient service for MMX customers, according to Americold.
Key features at the hub include onsite USDA and SENASICA inspection services. “SENASICA, Mexico’s National Service of Health, Food Safety and Quality, oversees agri-food imports, ensuring products entering Mexico meet strict requirements,” CPKC reported. “Completing mandated inspections and certifications in Kansas City bypasses costly bottlenecks at the U.S.-Mexico border. Teams conduct thorough checks, provide necessary documentation, and certify loads, streamlining customs clearance before departure for Mexico-bound product and after arrival for U.S.-bound product.”
This pre-inspection process, CPKC continued, “accelerates delivery timelines and preserves product quality by maintaining the integrity of shipments throughout the journey.” Additionally, the railroad said its “direct, nonstop service leverages seamless rail connections and reduces overall handling, further diminishing chances of spoilage, temperature excursions, or theft.”
“Our collaboration with Americold exemplifies how strategic relationships can redefine cross-border supply chains,” said Jordan Kajfasz, CPKC Vice-President Sales and Marketing Intermodal. “By combining CPKC’s seamless, single-line rail network with Americold’s world-class temperature-controlled facilities, we’re setting a new standard for cold chain efficiency in North America. Together, we’re delivering speed, reliability, and peace of mind to our customers across the continent.”
“This partnership is strengthening the most important part of the food supply chain—reliability for our customers,” said Bryan Verbarendse, President, Americas at Americold. “By combining Americold’s temperature-controlled expertise with CPKC’s single line rail network, we’re creating a faster, more predictable, and more resilient cross border solution. It’s a smarter way to move food, and a meaningful step toward building a North American cold chain that delivers for our customers every day.”
Separately, Union Pacific, CN and GMXT (Grupo Mexico Transportes, comprising Ferromex, Ferrosur and IMEX) in 2023 introduced Mexico-U.S.-Canada “Falcon Premium” interline intermodal service for automotive parts, food, FAK (freight all kinds), home appliances and temperature-controlled products.
Further Reading:
- Americold Celebrates Grand Opening of First Cold Storage Facility at CPKC Terminal
- Watch: CPKC Joins Americold for Port Saint John Facility Groundbreaking
- CPKC, Americold Eye Co-Development in Mexico
- Americold Breaks Ground on First Cold Storage Facility at CPKC Terminal
- Americold Kicks Off Collaboration With CPKC
- CPKC, Americold Partner on Cold Storage Facility Co-Location Initiative
- For New Brunswick, C$82MM in Supply Chain Investment
- For CP, Hapag-Lloyd, Additional Call Into Port Saint John
- CP: “We’re Back” on the Atlantic Ocean
