Rewe delivery service adopts vacuum-insulated boxes to replace dry ice

Rewe's delivery service has begun regular use of a vacuum-insulated cooling box developed with Va-Q-tec at its Cologne fulfilment centre, following a successful pilot. The passive-cooling box, which uses vacuum insulation panels and phase-change-material cooling batteries, lets chilled and frozen goods travel together without refrigerated vehicles or active cooling, and is meant to cut dry-ice use. Rewe plans to roll the technology out to further German delivery centres in 2027.

Why this mattersA large grocery retailer naming a supplier for a format switch away from dry ice signals demand for passive insulated packaging across cold-chain e-commerce.

• Rewe's delivery service started regular use of the VIP cooling box at its Cologne fulfilment centre after a pilot.
• The box was co-developed with Va-Q-tec, using vacuum insulation panels and phase-change-material cooling batteries in the lid.
• It is designed to maintain the cold chain at outdoor temperatures up to +35C without active cooling or refrigerated vehicles.
• Rewe is replacing dry ice with cold packs in chilled and meat sections as a first step.
• Further Rewe delivery service locations in Germany are expected to convert to the technology in 2027.
• Rewe's delivery service operates 16 delivery centres and reaches half of all German households, with 12,000-15,000 products.

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