5 Minutes with Cold Chain Federation Member TRUE
True has been a Cold Chain Federation member since 2023. Andy Powell and Chelsee Worth are available to discuss any aspect of Sustainability and Energy strategies.
Q. Who is the main person for members to contact?
Andy Powell and Chelsee Worth are available to discuss any aspect of Sustainability and Energy strategies.
Q. What do they do and contact details?
Andy Powell is the Business Development Director and can be contacted via Email: [email protected] Tel: 01483 492 600
Chelsee Worth is the Strategic Partnerships Manager and can be contacted via Email: [email protected] Tel: 01483 492 600
Q. Why is it important to be a part of the Cold Chain Federation?
Powering Resilience: Why Cold Stores as Energy Assets Will Define the Future
With the Cold Chain Federation’s efforts to be included as UK national critical infrastructure, a profound shift is underway in how its members must view their energy strategy – not just as a cost to control, but as an asset to unlock.
The Cold Store as a Battery
In the age of electrification and grid volatility, a temperature-controlled warehouse can offer more than just food security. When integrated into the energy market, it can become a powerful tool for Demand Side Response (DSR). Cold stores have a unique operational flexibility – briefly adjusting temperature set points without compromising product integrity – to help balance supply and demand on the grid.
By pre-cooling before peak demand periods or temporarily reducing power usage during grid strain, cold stores can earn revenue, reduce energy costs, and improve resilience. In essence, these warehouses can act like a giant battery – absorbing excess power when it’s cheap or green, and giving it back through load reduction when the grid needs relief.
But here lies the challenge: How do you coordinate, monetise, and de-risk such a strategy in a complex, volatile energy market?
Q. What are True’s aspirations for the industry?
True: Turning Insight into Action
True is designed to answer that question. Combining real-time procurement data, carbon metrics and commercial insight, it gives cold chain businesses the clarity to act decisively.
Instead of navigating opaque DSR schemes or energy contracts in isolation, True users can simulate the financial and carbon impact of participation, benchmark supplier offers, and model return on investment – before committing a single kilowatt.
As Peter Vaughan of Oakland International put it, “True brings together a lot of disparate strands that you can apply to a sustainability investment. Calculating costs, carbon benefits, or payback are things that can get people scratching their heads but with True you can get that calculation in a matter of seconds.”
And this agility is vital. Being designated as national critical infrastructure doesn’t just mean new responsibilities – it also unlocks opportunities. From favourable access to funding, to accelerated connection to DSR markets, the sector is poised to lead Britain’s Net Zero transition. But only if it has the tools and insight to act quickly.
From Cold to Bold
True’s integrated approach helps cold chain businesses look beyond cost-cutting, towards strategic energy investment. Whether it’s using the Open Performance Fund to beat the market, or deploying intelligent risk strategies to manage price spikes, True empowers cold stores to shift from passive consumers to active grid players.
As Jonathan Neame, CEO of Shepherd Neame, said: “The fund has saved us material sums… giving the business sufficient stability to be able to think beyond volatility in the market for the long term.”
The cold chain has always been a backbone of food security. With True, it can now be a keystone of energy security too.
Find out more or to contact True go to their website here.
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