Starting from Wugu Industrial Park, Roundday Logistics has spent over 30 years continuously refining its operations to build Taiwan’s first fresh food smart logistics park, establishing itself as a leader in cold chain logistics. Chairman Chen Hsu-Chu noted that as leading clients gradually developed their own in-house logistics systems, the role of third-party logistics providers began to diminish. In response, Roundday entered its next phase of transformation—expanding into fresh produce pre-processing to create higher value-added services. This strategic shift has been well received by the food service industry and has even attracted international clients from Japan.

Chairman Chen Hsu-Chu shared that the company’s origins trace back to FRESH & FREQ CO., LTD., founded by his father and recognized as Taiwan’s first cold storage facility to adopt a pallet-based management system. After joining the business, Chen even obtained a commercial truck license to personally handle north–south deliveries, ensuring products were delivered on time. Following the establishment of Roundday Logistics in 1993, the company expanded its transportation capabilities by setting up FRESH & FULL Cold Chain Distribution Center in Taichung Industrial Park. In 1999, in alignment with national policy, a managed warehouse was established in Kaohsiung. Through these strategic expansions, the group gradually built and integrated its nationwide cold chain network. Today, Roundday operates 13 cold chain distribution centers and a fleet of over 500 refrigerated vehicles.

In response to major clients—including hypermarkets, convenience stores, and e-commerce platforms—building their own in-house cold chain logistics systems, demand for third-party logistics has declined significantly. Recognizing this shift, Chairman Chen Hsu-Chu led the company’s transformation. In collaboration with the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), Roundday established Fresh & Fast Cold Chain Technology Co., Ltd. to advance logistics technologies and integrate smart management into its operations. Building on its strong nationwide cold storage network, the company also made significant investments to develop a fresh food smart logistics park—identifying fresh produce as a key strategic entry point for future growth.

“We have strong ambitions for the future and see great potential in this direction,” said Chairman Chen Hsu-Chu. In 2020, Roundday invested nearly NT$1.8 billion to develop the Dalin Fresh Food Smart Logistics Park, which officially commenced operations last year. Chen noted that through post-harvest processing, agricultural products can be standardized and tailored to meet diverse customer needs—from preservation and ripening to cutting and further processing—all within a fully temperature-controlled environment. This enables products to be delivered directly to customers in ready-to-use specifications, making the service highly valued by the food service industry. Ingredients can be used immediately upon arrival, and vacuum processing further extends shelf life. Today, Japanese companies have even begun proactively approaching Roundday for processing partnerships.

Three years ago, Roundday Group established its fresh produce business unit and launched the FOOD-X brand to directly serve market demand. In the post-pandemic era, as consumers place greater emphasis on food origin and global momentum grows around sustainability concepts such as “farm to table,” the brand is committed to optimizing produce preservation, improving ingredient utilization, and reducing supply chain losses to enable more efficient production planning. At the same time, it aims to enhance the economic circulation of agricultural products while minimizing unnecessary transportation and carbon emissions—bringing its ESG vision into practice.

For example, one of FOOD-X’s contract farming partners, SunSing Garden, transitioned from cultivating Oncidium orchids to growing temperate leafy greens. Through technology-driven management, the farm is able to supply produce year-round, with full traceability and relatively stable pricing. FOOD-X also emphasizes proactive supply chain management. By anticipating potential issues at the production stage, the team can inform clients in advance and enable timely adjustments.

To date, FOOD-X has served over 200 food service brands and more than 600 outlets. Looking ahead, the brand aims to deliver high-quality fresh produce that can be enjoyed by both restaurants and households alike. This year, FOOD-X has further expanded into nutrition-focused offerings with the launch of its Green Smoothie series.

Made from 100% natural fruits and vegetables, the products are designed to provide a convenient way to intake essential dietary fiber and vitamins in just one minute. The series currently features four flavor recipes and can be easily prepared using a blender or smoothie maker. Consumers can also customize their drinks by adding fruits, nuts, or honey, making it an ideal choice for today’s fast-paced lifestyle.

Reprinted from CNEWS.

Photo credit: Roundday Logistics Co., Ltd.