Jan 11, 2012 10:51 AM

Americold announced that China Merchants Americold (CMAC) Hong Kong Holdings Co Ltd (CMHI) and Yum! China signed a strategic alliance framework agreement to cooperate on outsourcing and relocating selected logistics centers for Yum! China and establishing new logistics centers in the future.

Initial projects under the cooperation framework encompass the relocation and outsourcing of Yum! China’s Beijing and Harbin Logistics Centers long-term service contract.

“The cooperation between Yum! China and CMAC is a strategic milestone in the development of outsourcing and third-party logistics in China,” said Neal Rider, president of Americold international operations and chief executive officer of CMAC. “Yum! China has been fast-growing, and our cooperation will allow Yum! to support the growth in its restaurant units with a flexible distribution infrastructure while ensuring service reliability, product and temperature integrity, and competitive cost. Yum! operates the largest integrated temperature-controlled distribution network in China today, and we are honored that they have chosen us to be their long-term strategic partner.”

Yum! Brands has nearly 38,000 units in more than 110 nations and territories. Through the three concepts of KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell, Yum! develops, operates, franchises, and licenses a worldwide system of restaurants that prepare, package, and sell a menu of competitively priced food items.

Based in Shanghai, the China division of Yum! Brands operates more than 4,000 restaurants under four brands. In 2010, the China division of Yum! Brands opened more than 500 new restaurants in mainland China. KFC also continues to be the number one quick-service restaurant brand in mainland China, with more than 3,400 restaurants in more than 700 cities. Pizza Hut is also the number one casual dining brand in mainland China with 550-plus Pizza Hut restaurants in more than 130 cities.

CMAC is a joint venture of CMHI and Americold (USA). It operates nine refrigerated distribution centers in China, as well as a nationwide cold chain transportation network.

Based in Atlanta GA, Americold owns and operates 182 temperature-controlled warehouses, with more than 1.1 billion cubic feet of storage, in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, China, Argentina, and Canada. It serves 3,000-plus customers and employs 12,000 associates worldwide.

For more information, visit www.americold.com.