Chilled Products Research Articles

Consumer perception and behavior in the retail foodscape–A study of chilled groceries

In order to provide a functional foodscape in the grocery store, chilled products need to be stored in cabinets according to the regulations. Doors on display cabinets are energy-efficient but can also be perceived as a barrier by consumers. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to an understanding of how consumers behave and what they perceive when shopping chilled groceries from cabinets with doors and without doors in the supermarket. Based on a qualitative research approach, combining in-store observations and focus group interviews, and focusing on three environmental variables in the servicescape: ambient conditions, space and functions, and signs, symbols and artifacts, the results indicate that consumers’ behavior and perceptions differ when there are doors or no doors on cabinets. The results further show how doors lead to different forms of approach or avoidance behavior in terms of accessibility and that consumers’ vision, olfaction and tactility all influence consumers’ perceptions of freshness and cleanliness in relation to doors or no doors. Our results also have practical implications for retailers who are designing new stores or considering changes in existing store layouts.

Attitudes of consumers and live-poultry workers to central slaughtering in controlling H7N9: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundGuangdong Province in the Pearl River Delta of Southeast China is among the areas in the country with the highest rates of avian flu cases. In order to control the outbreak of human-infected H7N9 cases, Guangdong launched a new policy on the central slaughtering of live poultry in 2015. This study aims to evaluate attitudes of consumers and live-poultry workers toward the policy. The live-poultry workers consisted of two sub-groups: live-poultry traders and poultry farm workers.MethodsConsumers and live-poultry workers from Guangdong were enrolled by stratified multi-stage random sampling. Online and field surveys were conducted to investigate participants’ attitudes on policy implementation. Questionnaires were developed to quantify participant demographics, to collect information about attitudes toward the policy, and to identify influential factors of policy acceptability. Proportional odds logistics regression was used in the univariate and multivariate analyses. A total of 1449 consumers, 181 live-poultry traders, and 114 poultry farm workers completed the study.ResultsPolicy acceptability percentages among consumers, live-poultry traders, and poultry farm workers were 57.1, 37.9, and 62.6%, respectively. Logistics regression shows that consumers tended not to support the policy if they were males, if they were concerned with the food safety of chilled products, and if they preferred purchasing live poultry. Live-poultry traders tended not to support if they were subsidized by the government, if they were males, if they experienced a drop in trading volume, and if they were unclear whether avian flu was a preventable disease. Finally, poultry farm workers tended not to support if they experienced a drop in trading volume, if they operated a poultry farm on a small to medium scale, and if they experienced inconvenience in their work due to the policy.ConclusionsThe study reveals a substantial refusal or slowness to accept the policy. Failure to accept the policy results from varying reasons. Among consumers, concern about food safety and dietary preference are two major causes of disapproval. Policy acceptability among live-poultry workers diverges within the two sub-groups. While a large percentage of poultry farm workers accept the policy, the drop in trading and an insufficient subsidy hamper acceptance by live-poultry traders. We recommend that policy-makers promote health education and alleviate the policy impact on trading with a reformed subsidy policy to increase acceptability. These findings are crucial for the prevention of human-infected H7N9 cases in Guangdong.

Research of influence of ultrasound treatment in various liquid media on the surface microflora of semifinished meat

In order to prevent microbial spoilage, meat and meat products could be treatedusing different types of processing. However, these methods do not ensures sterilization and can cause decrease of nutrition and biological value of food product. In this regardstudying of the innovative methods, that guaranteeing consumers safe and minimally-processed foods, is particularly relevant. The addition of lactic acid bacteria and ultrasound (US) treatment have great potential in this direction.Thesurfacemicroflorainvestigations of semifinished meat products were carried out in order to state the positive influence on their microbiological stability by US treatment in different types of medium. Experiments included the study of antagonistic activity of bacteria strains of the genus Lactobacillus acidophilus(L. acidophilus) in relation to typical microflora representatives of chilled meat semi-finished products. Basing on these experiments the strain 7m13 of L. acidophilus with the highest inhibitory activity was chosen. The lowest inhibitory activity was found for strain 5e. The parameters of ultrasonic treatment was established as follows: installed capacity of the treatment 350 Wt with the exposure time 2 minutes, avoiding undesired denaturation changes of muscle proteins. The handling of check samples included the following variants: control (without treatment); sample 1 – treatment in distilled water; sample 2 – treatment in milk whey; sample 3 – treatment in fermented milk whey. As the result of experiments it was found, that the strain 7m13 of L.acidophilus showed the highest antagonistic activity against used test cultures of bacteria. The quantitative and qualitative composition of the surface microflora of the check samples is not constant; coccal forms are less sensitive for ultrasound treatment in comparison with bacilli and yeast cells. The minimal surface microbial population was shown using the combination of fermented milk whey and ultrasound treatment.

Characteristics of starch isolated from black beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) stored for 12 months at different moisture contents and temperatures

The present study aims to evaluate the impact of black bean moisture content and storage temperature on the crystallinity, thermal, pasting, and morphological properties of isolated starch. Starch was extracted from black beans stored with 14 and 17% moisture content at 11, 18, 25, and 32°C for 12 months. The results showed that the moisture content and the storage temperature affect the characteristics of the starch. Major changes were observed in starch obtained from beans stored at 17% moisture content and 32°C, exhibiting increased swelling power, peak and breakdown viscosities, and decreased solubility, relative crystallinity, enthalpy of gelatinization (ΔH), and final and setback viscosities. The main changes occurring in starch granules during storage of black beans appear to be located in the crystalline domains of the granules. The low final and setback viscosities determined in the starch from beans stored at 17% moisture content and 32°C suggest that this material can serve as a potential ingredient to be used in frozen and chilled products, where stability at low temperatures is desired.

In vitro production of diarrhoeal enterotoxin by Bacilus cereus isolates from milk and dairy products

Bacilius cereus is a great safety concern for dairy industry as it is associated with incidences of food poisoning by producing enterotoxins. In the present study, growth temperature profile and enterotoxin production potental of 144 strains of Bacalus cereus isolated from milk and dairy products were investigated. Out of them, 107 (74.36) were able to grow at s7 oC. Presence of such a large number of psychrotolerant/psychotrophic strains in dairy environment is of major concern mainly because of their potential for growth, spoilage and ton production in chilled products. Out of 144 isolates, 134 (93%) exhibited haemalysis. While 98% of the solates from milk and 899% from. cheese were positive for diarhoeal enterotoxin, all the isolates from milk powder, ice cream, paneer and butter were positive. The prevalence of potent producers of enterotoxin among dairy isolates pases a high health risk.

Quality enhancement of the abundant under‐valued crustacean, lobster krill (Munida spp.), during its chilled storage

SummaryLobster krill (Munida genus) represents an under‐valued crustacean frequently caught on European fishing banks. In this work, its sensory, microbiological and biochemical qualities were evaluated during chilled storage. Additionally, the effects of a prestorage antimelanosic treatment consisting of soaking in sodium metabisulphite (SMB) solutions at two different concentrations (0.25% and 0.75%) were also studied. SMB prestorage treatment provided lobster specimens that still exhibited acceptable sensory quality after 10 days of storage, while control specimens were unacceptable at that time. SMB treatment also resulted in a significant (P < 0.05) inhibition of microbial growth, mainly of Enterobacteriaceae, psychrotrophes and proteolytic bacteria. Low lipid oxidation levels were observed for all batches; however, a significantly higher (P < 0.05) retention of polyunsaturated fatty acids was found in SMB‐treated lobster, especially in the 0.75% SMB batch. The results presented here open the way to the potential commercialisation of currently under‐utilised lobster krill as a chilled product.

Cold chain of chilled food in France

This paper presents the results of a cold chain field study in France in 2013 carried out in the framework of a European project named Frisbee. A comparison with the results obtained in a previous field study in France in 2002 was presented. These two studies enabled us to have a real picture of the cold chain because temperature monitoring was carried out in a manner not visible to operators and consumers. These studies concern the cold chain of chilled products from the production plant to storage in a domestic refrigerator.The Frisbee field study confirms the results observed in previous work that the most sensitive links are transportation after purchase and particularly storage in a household refrigerator. Despite the regulation imposed by the French authorities since 2002 to indicate the cold zone in refrigerators where sensitive products should be placed, the preservation of products at home is still problematic.

Evaluation of the Thermo Scientific™ SureTect™ Listeria monocytogenes Assay

The Thermo Scientific SureTect Listeria monocytogenes Assay is a new real-time PCR assay for the detection of Listeria monocytogenes in food and environmental samples. This assay was validated using the AOAC Research Institute (AOAC-RI) Performance Tested Methods program in comparison to the reference method detailed in International Organization for Standardization 11290-1:1996, including Amendment 1:2004 with the following foods and food contact surfaces: smoked salmon, processed cheese, fresh bagged spinach, fresh cantaloupe, cooked prawns (chilled product), cooked sliced turkey meat (chilled product), ice cream, pork frankfurters, salami, ground raw beef meat (12% fat), plastic, and stainless steel. All matrixes were tested by Thermo Fisher Scientific, Microbiology Division, Basingstoke, UK. In addition, three matrixes (pork frankfurters, bagged lettuce, and stainless steel) were analyzed independently as part of the AOAC-RI controlled laboratory study by the University of Guelph, Canada. Using probability of detection (POD) statistical analysis, a significant difference was demonstrated between the candidate and reference methods for salami, cooked sliced turkey and ice cream in favor of the SureTect assay. For all other matrixes, no significant difference by POD was seen between the two methods during the study. Inclusivity and exclusivity testing was also conducted with 53 and 30 isolates, respectively, which demonstrated that the SureTect assay was able to detect all serotypes of L. monocytogenes. None of the exclusivity isolates analyzed were detected by the SureTect assay. Ruggedness testing was conducted to evaluate the performance of the assay with specific method deviations outside the recommended parameters open to variation, i.e., enrichment time and temperature and lysis temperature, which demonstrated that the assay gave reliable performance. Accelerated stability testing was also conducted, validating the assay shelf life.

Shelf life extension of whole Norway lobster Nephrops norvegicus using modified atmosphere packaging

Once a nuisance by-catch, today the Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) is a valuable UK fisheries commodity. Unfortunately, the species is very susceptible to quality deterioration post harvest as it quickly develops black spots and also spoils rapidly due to bacterial growth. Treatment with chemicals can stop the blackening and carefully monitored cold storage can result in a sensory shelf life of up to 6.5days. The high susceptibility to spoilage greatly restricts the extent to which N. norvegicus can be distributed to retailers and displayed for sale. The application of modified atmosphere (MA) could be extremely beneficial, allowing the chilled product to stay fresh for a long period of time, thus ensuring higher sales. In the present study, we identified a gas mix for the MA packaging (MAP) of whole N. norvegicus lobster into 200g retail packs. Our results show that a shelf life extension to 13days can be achieved when retail packs are stored in MAP at 1°C. Effectiveness of the MAP was evaluated by using a newly developed QIM for MA-packaged whole N. norvegicus and also by analyzing bacterial plate counts. Changes in the microflora and effects of different storage temperatures on the quality of the MA packs are also presented. The main specific spoilage organism (SSO) of modified atmosphere packaged Norway lobster is Photobacterium phosphoreum.

Effects of hot boning and moisture enhancement on the eating quality of cull cow beef

The effects of chilling method and moisture enhancement were examined for improving eating quality of semimembranosus (SM) and longissimus lumborum (LL) from 62 cull beef cows. Chilling method included hot boning muscles after 45 to 60min postmortem or conventional chilling for 24h. Moisture enhancement included 1) a non-injected control (CONT) or injection processing (10% of product weight) using 2) Sodium Tripolyphosphate/salt (Na/STP), 3) Sodium Citrate (NaCIT), 4) Calcium Ascorbate (CaASC), or 5) Citrus Juices (CITRUS). Chilling method by moisture enhancement treatment interactions (P<0.09) were due to decreased hue, chroma and sarcomere length values in hot boned vs. conventionally chilled product (SM and LL) for CaASC vs. other moisture enhancement treatments. Chilling method by moisture enhancement treatment interactions (P<0.05) were due to decreased shear force and increased tenderness in conventionally chilled vs. hot boned LL using CaASC vs. Na/STP. Moisture enhancement can improve tenderness of cull cow beef depending on combinations of chilling method and moisture enhancement treatments used.

The effect of holding live sea urchins (Evechinus chloroticus) in air prior to gonad removal on gonad adenine nucleotide profiles during storage at 4 °C

Sea urchin gonads are usually sold as a fresh chilled product. Thus, to evaluate the effect of live urchin’s post-harvest conditions on gonad shelf-life, gonads were extracted either immediately after harvesting or after holding urchins in air at either 4 or 15°C for 144 and 72h, respectively. Gonads were subsequently washed in brine and stored at 4°C for 10days prior to adenine nucleotide (nmol/gw/w) profile determination. A decline in ATP (control: 376.16; urchins held in air: 231.58 and 245.16) and build-up of its degradation products, mainly inosine (control: 13.25; urchins held in air: 82.87 and 52.95), was observed in gonads recovered from urchins held in air. A faster increase in ATP degradation products was detected during storage of gonads recovered from urchins held in air, with final K-values (%) of 59.34 and 48.18 being significantly higher than K-values obtained from the controls (29.69, p<0.05), suggesting that post-harvest handling can negatively impact on gonad shelf-life.

The initial freezing point temperature of beef rises with the rise in pH: A short communication

This study tested the hypothesis that the initial freezing point temperature of meat is affected by pH. Sixty four bovine M. longissimus thoracis et lumborum were classified into two ultimate pH groups: low (<5.8) and high pH (>6.2) and their cooling and freezing point temperatures were determined. The initial freezing temperatures for beef ranged from −0.9 to −1.5°C (∆=0.6°C) with the higher and lower temperatures associated with high and low ultimate pH respectively. There was a significant correlation (r=+0.73, P<0.01) between beef pH and freezing point temperature in the present study. The outcome of this study has implications for the meat industry where evidence of freezing (ice formation) in a shipment as a result of high pH meat could result in a container load of valuable chilled product being downgraded to a lower value frozen product.

Microbial Activity Inhibition in Chilled Mackerel (Scomber Scombrus) by Employment of an Organic Acid‐Icing System

The present study concerns Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) traded as a chilled product. The study was aimed to investigate the effect of including a mixture of organic acids (citric, ascorbic, and lactic) in the icing medium employed during the fish chilled storage. To this end and according to preliminary trials results, an aqueous solution including 0.050% (w/v) of each acid was employed as icing medium; its effect on the microbial activity development in mackerel muscle was monitored for up to 13 d of chilled storage and compared to a counterpart-fish batch kept under traditional water ice considered as control. Results indicated a lower bacterial growth in mackerel muscle subjected to storage in the organic acid-icing system by comparison with control fish. Thus, statistically-significant (P < 0.05) differences between both batches for all 6 microbial groups investigated (aerobes, anaerobes, psychrotrophes, Enterobacteriaceae, lipolytics, and proteolytics) and for 2 chemical indices related to microbial activity development (total volatile bases and trimethylamine) were obtained. The surface wash caused by the melting of the ice during storage and the subsequent antimicrobial effect of such acids on skin microflora of the fish can be invoked as the main reasons for the limited bacterial growth found in the corresponding mackerel muscle.

Supply Chain Planning for Super Chilled Food Products

This paper studies a production and distribution system for food products, which are super chilled during production and then distributed in the conventional cold chain. Super chilling implies a partial freezing, which stabilizes the product temperature below 0°C during the subsequent partial thawing during the distribution. In this paper we identify the important planning decisions in relation to production and distribution. Then, a decision support model based on mixed-integer linear programming is developed for these planning tasks, which are especially focusing on packaging options and delivery intervals. An integral part of the approach is a model of the thermodynamic behavior of the food products that is used to describe the thawing process. An illustrative case study shows how the resulting models can be used to support supply chain planning for super chilled food products and how the detailed modeling of product changes allows for a significant decrease in distribution efforts even with the use of conservative shelf life estimates.

Oxygen scavenging films for food application

The presence of oxygen causes deterioration of oxygen-sensitive foodstuffs. This leads to a deterioration of quality characteristics like colour, freshness and organoleptic properties. Due to the strong influence of temperature and exposure to light (photo-induced oxidation processes) this effect especially appears in transparent packaged chilled products (like sausages). Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the oxygen content in the headspace of the package. One possibility is the use of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). But even at optimised processes the residual oxygen-concentration is up to 0.5 – 2%. To reduce this destructive oxygen, the additional use of oxygen scavengers becomes more and more attractive. Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging worked together with industrial partners on an improvement of the kinetics of oxygen scavengers. In the AiF-funded project “Optimisation of transparent packaging materials with iron-based oxygen-scavengers for chilled products” (Nr. 15555N) the kinetics of oxygen-scavengers should be improved. Background of this was that the systems that are already available at the market do not work fast enough at low temperatures (5°C). Therefore the aim of the project was to incorporate the oxygen scavenger into the packaging material and thus achieving better quality preservation and longer shelf-life of the chilled food. It could be shown that integrating the masterbatch SHELFPLUS® 2500 (SP2500) in a polymer (EVA) with high oxygen permeability resulted in higher oxygen consumption. Comparisons of the oxygen consumption of sausage and film showed that the use of the multilayer film PE/AL(SP2500; EVA) in combination with the food (exposed to light) resulted eight days earlier in a total consumption of the oxygen than storing the sausage without active film. This leads to a certain protection of the sausage.

Superchilling Concepts Enabling Safe, High Quality and Long Term Storage of Foods

Superchilling is a concept where the temperature is reduced 1-2°C below the initial freezing point of the product. This results in a so-called ‘shell freezing’, where a thin layer of ice is produced on the product surface during processing. The small amount of ice formed within the product serves as a heat sink, eliminating the need for ice during storage and transport. As an illustration, chilled haddock fillets have approximately 30% higher environmental impact potential than superchilled fillets due to the need for ice during storage and transport. During storage, the ice distribution equalizes and the product obtains a uniform temperature and the product appears as fresh. Consumer market analysis gives superchilled products as good as or better quality score compared with chilled products. xperiments on different superchilled and chilled food products shows a prolonged shelf life for all superchilled products compared to chilled products. For superchilled salmon and chicken fillets, the shelf life is 50% longer compared to chilled reference products based on total count of microorganism and a quality limit of 107 CFU/g. Superchilled experiments have shown that the method is robust and appropriate for implementation to the industry, owing to the fact that ice fractions can very between 5-20% without being of major importance to the product quality. Superchilling enable safe, high quality and long term storage of foods. The main advantage is the approximate doubling of shelf life for superchilled products compared to chilled products, high product quality, higher yield and the potential for reduced environmental impacts (approximately 30%) when changing from chilled to superchilled value chains.

Assessment of technical and environmental performances of wheat‐based foams in thermal packaging applications

AbstractThis paper presents an assessment of the technical and environmental performance of a wheat‐based foam (WBF) and bio‐composite for shipping chilled products. The thermal conductivity of the WBF was found to be higher than that of polyurethane foams commonly used in high‐value insulation packaging, but close to that of low‐density (expanded polystyrene) EPS foams and significantly lower than that of polyethylene (PE) foams, which are typically used in thermal packaging of foods. The insulation performance of a simple cool box constructed from both the WBF and EPS sandwich panels without the use of any refrigerant was studied experimentally. The comparison demonstrated that the performance of the WBF cool box was comparable to that of the EPS counterpart. Two industrial case studies were conducted on WBF cool boxes with refrigerants in comparison with PE or EPS counterparts. The WBF cool boxes had comparable thermal performance to the EPS and PE counterparts on the basis of identical foam thickness. The performance of the WBF cool boxes was also simulated with finite element (FE) modelling. Good agreement was achieved between experimental data and the FE prediction. The model was then used to assist cool box design. WBF cool boxes made from renewable raw materials are inherently biodegradable and may be used as an alternative to those based on polymer foams in thermal packaging applications. Life‐cycle assessment (LCA) was used to investigate environmental profiles of cool boxes made with WBF, EPS and PE foams. The WBF cool boxes offer substantially lower global warming and abiotic depletion potentials than equivalent cool boxes made from petrochemical foams. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Contamination levels of Clostridium estertheticum spores that result in gaseous spoilage of vacuum-packaged chilled beef and lamb meat

To determine the contamination levels of Cl. estertheticum spores that result in gaseous spoilage of vacuum-packaged chilled meats, beef and lamb, stored at two different temperatures, -1.5 and 2 degrees C. The study consisted of two separate trials using the same processing parameters applied to beef and lamb at two different storage temperatures and six different inoculation concentrations of Cl. estertheticum. A threshold for pack blowing of c. 1 spore per vacuum pack was seen with both beef and lamb stored at -1.5 and 2 degrees C. These results highlight the detrimental effect that increasing Cl. estertheticum spore inoculum concentration has on the onset of blown pack spoilage for both meat species stored at -1.5 and 2 degrees C. This study demonstrates that storage temperature is an extremely important parameter influencing the onset of blown pack spoilage and that storing meat at -1.5 degrees C significantly delays the onset of blown pack spoilage in comparison with storage at 2 degrees C. The results of this study indicate that 1 Cl. estertheticum spore may present a risk of spoilage, and thus hygienic carcass dressing is critical to keep contamination to a minimum and maximize storage life of the vacuum-packed chilled product.

The effect of freezing compared with chilling on selected physico-chemical and sensory properties of sous vide cooked carrots

Sous vide is increasingly used to process convenience foods including ready-meals as it is reputed to give superior quality because of the mild process and the absence of oxygen in the pack. The potential for temperature abuse is greater for sous vide ready-meals than for sous vide catered items as the distribution and retailing chain for the former is usually longer. Freezing sous vide foods is, therefore, a potentially safer alternative to sous vide processed foods followed by chilling. The objective of the current study was to investigate production of sous vide frozen sliced (discs) carrots, with similar quality to sous vide chilled product. Sensory trials were used to determine the acceptable shear texture range (1.0–2.8 kN) for steamed carrots and this was the target texture in the processing trials. A Barriquand Steriflow retort was used for sous vide processing and the optimized conditions using carrot discs were: low temperature blanch (50 °C/30 min; firms product); blanch (90 °C/3 min; inactivates enzymes); sous vide cook (90 °C to core P9010 values > 4 min and < 6 min); blast freeze (− 35 °C/2 h); and store (− 25 °C). Carrot discs prepared from untreated raw carrots had a firmer texture than those prepared from either blanched or blanched and frozen material. Freezing post-sous vide cooking softened texture in comparison with chilling, but freezing rate (nitrogen; blast; cabinet methods) and frozen storage (9 months) had a minimal effect on product texture and quality. Scanning electron microscopy showed no significant structural differences between sous vide frozen and chilled carrots of similar shear values. Paired comparison sensory testing of sous vide frozen and chilled sliced carrots indicated a significant preference for the latter at the 20-day storage date. Industrial relevance: The trials dealt with the effects of freezing on the quality of sous vide processed carrots. This is of relevance to companies who wish to produce texturally acceptable sous vide frozen or chilled components as part of ready-meals.

Case study of processing firm‐distributor firm outsourcing alliance

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to review and discuss a distribution outsourcing alliance between a small‐to‐medium scale food processor and a national distributor of frozen and chilled food products. The paper discusses the influence of market dynamics, core and differentiated competencies and strategic intents on alliance formation and operations in the small‐to‐medium scale food enterprise sector.Design/methodology/approachThe dyadic relationship of a small‐to‐medium scale food processor and its distributor is investigated through reviewing past studies of processor‐distributor alliances, conducting in‐depth face‐to‐face interviews with senior managers in both firms, and reviewing documents and correspondence between the firms.FindingsThe partners do not complement their core and differentiate competencies to achieve greater customer value creation through a joint enterprise business model. The alliance focuses pre‐eminently on short‐term sales development and cost savings targets. Non‐achievement of these targets adversely influences partners' trust and commitment to the alliance. A significant strength of the alliance is its capacity to identify customer needs and use this knowledge to speedily develop and introduce new products. In its present form this alliance is unsustainable. The partners should adopt a new philosophy and vision to pursue an alliance that will use their core and differentiated competencies more effectively.Research limitations/implicationsTo generalise the findings and inform theory building, the research has to be replicated in other businesses and market environments. The findings are specific to the market environment and strategies of a single small‐to‐medium scale food processor and a single national distributor of frozen and chilled foods. Multi‐case studies in multi‐contexts (capturing varying sizes of business, industry sectors, target market segments, competitive environments and market environments) have to be completed to enable generalisation and theory building.Practical implicationsThis paper demonstrates the disadvantages of pursuing distribution outsourcing alliances with a short‐term and enterprise level perspective. The case study provides real life evidence of the benefits of pursuing distribution outsourcing alliances based on a joint enterprise philosophy.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to knowledge on distribution outsourcing alliances, a topic that several recent studies have identified as not having been explored in great detail in extant supply chain studies.