REWE E-Grocery cuts dry ice use with va-Q-tec vacuum-insulated delivery boxes
REWE E-Grocery has started regular use of va-Q-tec's vacuum-insulated transport boxes at its Cologne fulfilment centre after an operational trial, reducing its use of dry ice for chilled and frozen home deliveries. The boxes combine vacuum insulation panels with a phase-change cooling element in the lid and hold the cold chain at ambient temperatures up to +35C without refrigerated vehicles. Further German locations are due to switch in 2027.
Why this mattersGermany's largest online grocery delivery service cutting dry ice with passive insulated boxes shows chilled last-mile delivery can run without refrigerated vehicles, a model other grocers can adopt.
- REWE E-Grocery, Germany's largest online grocery delivery service, begins regular use of va-Q-tec VIP boxes at its Cologne fulfilment centre.
- The boxes combine vacuum insulation panels with a phase-change material cooling element in the lid.
- The system maintains cold-chain temperatures up to ambient +35C without actively refrigerated delivery vehicles.
- REWE operates 16 fulfilment centres and about 2,200 Click & Collect stores across Germany.
- Additional German REWE E-Grocery locations are scheduled to adopt the technology in 2027.
- The technology was validated through an operational field trial at the Cologne fulfilment centre before rollout.
- Dry ice in the chilled and meat segments is being replaced first by the cooling packs
- REWE Lieferservice's 16 dispatch centres reach half of German households and carry 12,000 to 15,000 products