As the fruit season in the southern hemisphere advances, the demand for temperature and humidity monitoring products used in long-distance cold chain transportation has reached its peak. "Disposable USB temperature data loggers remain the first choice for most customers. Compared to the same period last year, order volumes have increased by 20%-30%, with the primary users located in Latin America and Europe. Additionally, demand from individual customers has grown significantly," explained Tina Sun from Fresh-Key (Shanghai) Information Technology Co., Ltd.
"The surge in demand is closely tied to the sharp increase in Chilean cherry production this season and exporters' continued optimism about the Chinese market." The export volume of Chilean cherries during the 2024/25 production season is projected to rise by 50% compared to the previous season, with sea-borne shipments accounting for a significant portion of this growth. Consequently, the demand for temperature data loggers has risen. "We've also seen an increase in the number of Peruvian blueberry brands entering the market. Besides cherries, temperature data loggers are frequently used for the long-distance transportation of blueberries and grapes. Moreover, the recent opening of a two-way direct shipping route from Peru's Chancay Port to Shanghai has significantly shortened travel times, which I believe will further drive demand for temperature data loggers," Tina added.
Speaking about the company's products, Tina emphasized the importance of thorough testing to ensure the reliability of data loggers: "Our USB data logger has been in development for 10 years and has been verified in real-world applications for 7–8 years. After extensive testing, the product can operate for up to 120 days and has a shelf life of two years. Because the product solution has undergone rigorous validation, we won't compromise its design simply to reduce costs, especially since low-voltage-resistant materials are inherently more expensive. This product offers extremely low power consumption and excels in performance and durability."
Surface-Mount Assembly and Testing Facility for Temperature and Humidity Data Loggers
In addition, Tina addressed common user errors with USB data loggers. "Some users may repeatedly press the power button when the logger is first activated. To prevent this, we've added a feature that prevents the device from being turned off or restarted within the first hour of activation. Also, it's important not to remove the plastic packaging from the logger, as it provides waterproof protection. Users should only remove the packaging once the fruits have arrived and the data needs to be read."
Fresh-Key has observed significant growth in orders from the Chinese market. "While most of our users are based overseas, demand from the Chinese market is steadily increasing. For example, cold chain exports of apples and pears have contributed to a 40%–50% rise in orders this year," Tina noted.
Brix meter
Fresh-Key specializes in cold chain IoT monitoring solutions for post-harvest transportation of fresh produce. Their main product lines include disposable USB temperature data loggers and 4G real-time temperature and humidity monitoring devices. In response to customer needs, Fresh-Key has also introduced new products: "We've recently launched Brix meters to measure the sugar content of fruits, further expanding our offerings to meet evolving customer demands."