Amazon Fresh struggles with delivery problems

Author: Osman Cetinkaya
Date: 04.07.2018

Delivery in Berlin not possible

Amazon’s food delivery service Amazon Fresh is currently struggling with delivery problems. Due to the scarcity of CO2, the stock of dry ice is low. Dry ice is needed to transport temperature-sensitive products because DHL does not have refrigerated vehicles. As a result, no frozen products can currently be delivered in Berlin.

But the frozen products make up a significant amount of the product range, which is why Amazon Fresh is now facing a major problem. Frozen pizzas, tarts, pre-baked buns and ice cream are currently not available from Amazon Fresh. “We are sorry. At the moment there are no frozen products”, so the website of the supplier. “We are working on a solution and ask for patience.”

According to the journal Gasworld, the carbon dioxide bottleneck exists throughout Europe. The bottleneck is the “biggest supply crisis in the European carbon dioxide industry in decades”. The shortage was triggered by routine maintenance at ammonia plants and unexpected production stops at bioethanol and other chemical manufacturing facilities. All producers of liquid CO2 are affected, including Praxair, Messer, Linde and Air Liquide.

Ammonia is mainly used for the production of fertilizers. There is strong demand from August to March. After that, production is shut down and important maintenance is performed. At that time, demand for CO2, which was most commonly sourced from ammonia plants, increased. One of the reasons for this is the increased production of carbonated soft drinks.