Oakland International has been named Cold Storage Operator of the Year 2026 at the Cold Chain Sustainability Awards. The win celebrates the business’s long‑established commitment to embedding sustainability at its heart and its continued leadership in defining what a low‑carbon cold chain should be.

A family‑run company with deep farming roots, Oakland International set an ambitious net zero target for 2040 and has been measuring its full Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions since 2021. Despite rapid growth, the business has driven carbon intensity down by nearly 20%, from 348 to 291 tCO₂e per £m revenue, showing that smarter growth can also be cleaner growth.

Oakland International Sustainability Officer Elinor Smith said: “Winning this award is an incredible moment for our whole team. Sustainability has never been an add‑on at Oakland, it’s how we operate, and has been for years. Every employee, site, customer, charity and partner play a part in our journey, and we’re truly grateful for their commitment. This recognition belongs to all of them.”

Oakland International continues to demonstrate measurable impact across its network. Through a full switch to certified renewable electricity and major solar investment across Redditch, Corby and Bardon, the company has cut Scope 2 emissions by 98%, with solar arrays now generating 2.24MWp, enough to power around 450 homes. Its 2025 Knottingley depot has become a model for energy‑efficient cold storage, featuring A‑rated insulation, smart temperature controls and low‑energy refrigeration.

The fleet is undergoing the same transformation, with Eco‑Drive technology on 88% of trucks saving around 200,000 litres of diesel a year by powering refrigeration units electrically. Four new 150kW eHGV chargers at Redditch mark the start of a national charging network, supporting partnerships such as zero‑emission last‑mile deliveries into London with HIVED.

Oakland is also advancing circular economy solutions. Its reusable OakRA packaging system is reducing single‑use cardboard at scale, and from 2026, a closed‑loop food‑waste‑to‑energy scheme will convert returned food scraps into renewable energy. The company’s high‑care processing facility, created to support The Felix Project and FareShare, has already transformed surplus produce into 200,000 meals, avoiding 250 tonnes of CO₂e. In 2025, 72.9 million surplus meals were redistributed through FareShare, preventing around 59,000 tonnes of CO₂e.

Elinor added: “This award reflects the culture our teams live by every day. From our Green Champions programme and employee‑led recycling zones to multilingual workplace support, EV salary sacrifice schemes and the work of the Oakland Foundation supporting 5,000 disadvantaged children last year, sustainability is becoming part of who we are.”

Oakland continues to work closely with industry partners to reduce emissions at source, minimise void space, prevent damage‑related food waste and drive best practice across the sector. Its B Corp certification and long‑standing partnership with SDG Ltd ensure independent verification and transparent reporting.

Winning the Cold Storage Operator of the Year 2026 award marks a proud milestone for the business, celebrating years of investment, innovation and collaboration. For Oakland, it serves as both recognition and motivation, proof that its long‑term commitment to delivering cleaner operations, smarter logistics and stronger communities is building a cold chain ready for a net zero future.

A Certified B Corporation, Oakland International is a specialist in multi‑temperature supply chain solutions, providing storage, distribution, contract packing, consolidation and direct‑to‑consumer delivery across the UK and Ireland. The company leads the market in tackling food waste through its award‑winning distress load management service.