ATLANTA, Jan. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Americold announces
that China Merchants Americold (Hong
Kong) Holdings Co., Ltd. (CMAC) and Yum! China signed a Strategic Alliance Framework
Agreement to cooperate on the outsourcing and relocation of
selected logistics centers for Yum! China and the establishment of new logistics
centers in the future. The 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," Neal Rider, President of Americold International
Operations and CEO of CMAC, said in a statement. "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."
About Yum! Brands and Yum! China
Yum! Brands is listed on the NYSE (YUM). It is the world's largest
restaurant company based on number of system units, with nearly
38,000 units in more than 110 countries and territories. Through
the three concepts of KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, Yum! develops,
operates, franchises and licenses a worldwide system of restaurants
which prepare, package and sell a menu of competitively priced food
items.
Based in Shanghai, the
China division of Yum! Brands,
Inc. is recognized for its size, unique strength and importance,
with over 4,000 restaurants under four brands. In 2010, the
China division of Yum! Brands,
Inc. opened more than 500 new restaurants in mainland China. KFC also continues to be the number one
quick-service restaurant brand in mainland China today, with over 3,400 restaurants in
more than 700 cities. Pizza Hut is also the number one casual
dining brand in mainland China
with over 550 Pizza Hut Casual Dining restaurants in over 130
cities.
About CMAC
China Merchants Americold (CMAC) is a joint venture of China
Merchants Holdings International (Hong
Kong) (CMHI) and Americold (USA). CMAC currently operates 9 refrigerated
distribution centers in China, as
well as a nationwide cold chain transportation network. CMAC,
through its operating subsidiaries, KX Logistics (KXL) and China
Merchants International Cold Chain (Shenzhen) (CMIC), is a leading nation-wide
cold chain logistics provider in China, providing domestic and multi-national
customers with professional and best-in-class cold chain
distribution and logistics services.
CMHI, a blue-chip public listed company in Hong Kong Stock
Exchange (Stock code: 0144) and a subsidiary of China Merchants
Group Limited, is the Group's flagship company engaging in ports
and logistics businesses. As the largest public port operator in
China, CMHI has established a
comprehensive network of container ports and bonded logistics zones
along China's coastline, servicing
a large base of customers both in China and overseas.
About Americold
Americold is the global leader in temperature controlled
warehousing and logistics to the food industry, offering the most
comprehensive warehousing, transportation, and logistics solutions
in the world. Based in Atlanta,
Georgia, Americold owns and operates 182
temperature-controlled warehouses, with over 1.1 billion cubic feet
of storage, in the United States,
Australia, New Zealand, China, Argentina, and Canada. Americold's
warehouses are an integral component of the supply chain connecting
food producers, processors, distributors, and retailers to
consumers. Americold serves over 3,000 customers, and employs
12,000 associates worldwide. For more information about
Americold visit www.americold.com.
SOURCE Americold