Move to –15°C Coalition Welcomes New Members as Global Movement to Increase Frozen Food Temperatures Gains Pace

• On World Refrigeration Day, the Move to -15°C coalition reaffirms its commitment to accelerating sustainable transformation across the frozen food supply chain. 

• Eighteen months since launch, the coalition has grown five-fold to 55 members, with new joiners from across the cold chain including IKEA, the University of Oxford’s Energy and Power Group and Aviko. 

• This high-profile membership met last week in London to share latest research and agree collective strategy. 

• The initiative has been recognised with 20 international awards for its climate ambition and cross-sector collaboration. 

London, 26 June 2025 – Eighteen months from launch, an expanded Move to -15°C Coalition convened in London to reaffirm its mission: to explore and enable a temperature shift in frozen food logistics from -18°C to -15°C - a scientifically-backed move that could cut global emissions by 17.7 million metric tonnes of CO₂ annually, without compromising food safety or quality, is the equivalent of the annual emission of 3.8 million cars. 

Since its public launch at COP28, the coalition has expanded from 11 founding members to 55 organisations united by a shared goal: to reduce emissions, cut energy use, and future-proof the frozen food supply chain. Its membership now spans every link of the cold chain, from food producers and storage specialists to logistics firms, technology providers and retailers. 

This cross-sector collaboration remains central to the coalition’s strategy, allowing members to exchange insights, co-develop pilots and share best practice. Recent additions to the coalition include IKEA, a global home furnishings leader with a significant food retail footprint, along with Arbi Dario S.p.A., Samworth Brothers, Titan Containers, ZIM, Aviko, Apetito, Greenyard Frozen, Thistle Seafoods, Prodalim, Farmfrites, Denholm Group, Pacific International Lines, Atalanta Corporation, Vestey Holdings, and the University of Oxford’s Energy and Power Group. 

The coalition’s work is grounded in robust research, including the Three Degrees of Change report and an 18-month trial by Nomad Foods and Campden BRI. These studies suggest that increasing the frozen food temperature set point from -18°C to -15°C does not compromise food safety or quality across a range of products, with microbial activity remaining inactive below -12°C and no significant impact observed on taste, texture, or nutrition. These findings point to an opportunity and the coalition is now focused on understanding how this translates across today’s complex, real-world supply chains. To support this next phase, the Move to -15°C is partnering with FROSTEQ, a research project led by Wageningen Food & Biobased Research. FROSTEQ is designed to identify and address practical challenges in changing the frozen food temperature standard, helping pave the way for a smooth and sustainable industry transition. 

In parallel with longer-term efforts to enable a shift to -15°C, the coalition is also collaborating on near-term wins that can be implemented today. Members are identifying areas where temperature optimisation is already possible within current operations and regulatory boundaries, for example, moving from -22°C to -18°C in certain segments of the cold chain. These incremental changes reinforce the principle that every degree counts, and that meaningful emissions and energy savings can be achieved now. By working together to test, measure and share results from these early interventions, coalition members are building a shared foundation of insight and action that supports the broader ambition for systemic change. 

Thomas Eskesen, Chair of the Move to -15°C Coalition, commented: 

“World Refrigeration Day is a moment to reflect on the value refrigeration brings to society. We are challenging ourselves to make it more efficient, equitable and climate-aligned. The case for change remains clear, including finding efficiencies within today's regulations. The Move to -15°C coalition will continue to lead by example, grounded in evidence and strengthened by global collaboration.” 

The initiative has to date been recognised with 20 international awards, celebrating the coalition’s creativity, collaboration and climate ambition. The growing list of accolades reflects global recognition for the coalition’s role in mobilising industry-wide action on a simple yet powerful idea: that moving from -18°C to -15°C can deliver measurable environmental benefits without compromising food safety. We are proud to stand alongside industry leaders turning ambition into action.