FreshLinc
FreshLinc is a family-owned UK temperature-controlled logistics operator providing chilled, frozen, and ambient storage, transport, and value-added supply chain services to retailers, food manufacturers, growers, and importers across the UK, Ireland, and Europe, operating 500,000+ sq ft of warehouse space and 725+ employees across five subsidiary brands.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersSpalding, United Kingdom
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What FreshLinc does
FreshLinc is a privately-held, family-owned UK temperature-controlled logistics and supply chain operator headquartered in Spalding, Lincolnshire, founded in 1996. The company provides end-to-end cold chain services — chilled, frozen, and ambient storage, transport, and value-added handling — to retailers, food manufacturers, growers, and importers across the UK, Ireland, and mainland Europe (notably the Netherlands and Spain). Its core infrastructure comprises over 500,000 sq ft of warehouse space, a modern fleet with telematics, and 725+ employees distributed across seven UK sites including a 13-acre purpose-built HQ at Wardentree Park and a 33-acre horticultural site operated by FloraLinc.
The group operates through five wholly-owned subsidiaries: DirectLinc (container and specialist port/rail transport), FreshLinc Bulk / FLB (agricultural bulk haulage, TASCC and FIAS accredited), FLX Logistics (asset-light ambient transport management with a 1,200+ vehicle partner network), Product Recovery Services / PRS (ISO9001-certified crisis and rework services for fresh produce), and FloraLinc (horticultural distribution). Revenue is generated via transaction-fee haulage contracts, recurring warehousing and storage engagements, and professional services for value-added activities such as case/pallet picking, cross-docking, labelling, and devanning. The proprietary Optima Warehouse Management System provides 100% stock visibility, complemented by UCAS-calibrated temperature sensors, fleet telematics, and an Aquarius-powered Driver POD & Defect App on iOS and Android.
Commercially, FreshLinc pursues a sales-led GTM via direct enterprise relationships, with named sales contacts (Lance Bettinson, Lee Juniper) and dedicated leads for each subsidiary. The business holds BRCGS certification for storage and distribution, BREEAM 'Excellent' on its new Peterborough facility, and is a member of UKWA, RHA, and LogisticsUK. The company is privately held with no external institutional investor disclosed, and the most recent material strategic action on record is the 2017 acquisition of FLB, complemented by ongoing facility expansion.
FreshLinc firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- FreshLinc
- Legal name
- FreshLinc Ltd.
- Website
- https://freshlinc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- FreshLinc is a family-owned UK temperature-controlled logistics operator providing chilled, frozen, and ambient storage, transport, and value-added supply chain services to retailers, food manufacturers, growers, and importers across the UK, Ireland, and Europe, operating 500,000+ sq ft of warehouse space and 725+ employees across five subsidiary brands.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
FreshLinc industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cold Chain Logistics
- NAICS
- Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage (49312)
- SIC
- Public Warehousing & Storage (4220)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Frozen Goods Transport (Deep-Frozen) (TLADAHAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Refrigerated (Chilled) Freight Forwarding (TLACAMAA), Temperature-Controlled Cross-Dock / Blast Freezing & Tempering Facilities (TLALACAI), Cold-Chain Packaging & Pack-Out Services (Gel Packs, Dry Ice, Insulated Shippers) (TLAIAGAK)
Keywords
Where FreshLinc is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Spalding
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices8 records
Markets served
FreshLinc business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Temperature Controlled Distribution: Full and part load temperature controlled transport services across UK, Ireland, and Europe. Includes chill, frozen, and ambient cargo handling with time-sensitive solutions.
- Warehousing & Storage: Over 500,000 square foot of chilled, ambient, and frozen storage facilities. Services include case/pallet picking, cross-docking, devanning, and value-added services.
- Value Added Services: Order management, pallet/case picking, labelling, transhipping, decanting, label creation/application, and container devanning.
- Group Division Services: Revenue from subsidiaries: DirectLinc (container transport), FLB (bulk agricultural), FLX Logistics (ambient), PRS (product recovery), FloraLinc (horticultural distribution).
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
FreshLinc product offering
Product offeringCore offering
FreshLinc provides end-to-end temperature-controlled logistics, including full and part-load distribution of chilled, frozen, and ambient cargo, plus over 500,000 square feet of warehousing and value-added services such as pallet picking, cross-docking, labelling, and devanning. The group also operates specialised subsidiary brands covering container transport (DirectLinc), bulk agricultural haulage (FLB), ambient transport management (FLX Logistics), product recovery (PRS), and horticultural distribution (FloraLinc) across the UK and Europe.
Product overview
FreshLinc is a multi-divisional logistics company offering temperature-controlled storage and distribution services across the UK and Europe. The core offering consists of FreshLinc's own Temperature Controlled Distribution and Warehousing services, supplemented by six subsidiary brands: DirectLinc (container and specialist transport), FLB (bulk agricultural logistics), FLX Logistics (ambient transport management), Product Recovery Services (food crisis management), FloraLinc (horticultural distribution), and a Driver POD & Defect App for delivery tracking. The group operates a modern fleet with telematics and integrated IT systems to provide end-to-end supply chain management.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- DirectLinc: Market leading logistics provider offering national container and specialist transport service covering all main ports and rail terminals.
- FreshLinc Bulk (FLB)
- FLX Logistics
- Product Recovery Services (PRS)
- FloraLinc
Products and services
- FreshLinc Temperature Controlled Distribution Full and part load temperature controlled transport services for fresh, chilled, frozen, and ambient cargo across the UK, Ireland, and Europe, targeted at retailers, food manufacturers, growers, and importers.
- FreshLinc Warehousing and Storage
- DirectLinc Container and Specialist Transport
- FreshLinc Bulk (FLB) Agricultural Bulk Transport
- FLX Logistics Ambient Transport Management
- Product Recovery Services (PRS)
- FloraLinc Horticultural Distribution
- Driver POD & Defect Mobile Application
Quantifiable outcome
- Full visibility of stock throughout facility and distribution via Optima WMS
Companies that use FreshLinc
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
FreshLinc technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
FreshLinc partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- DirectLinccoreMarket leading logistics provider offering national container and specialist transport service covering all main ports and rail terminals. State of the art gen set equipped fleet for fresh, ambient and frozen containers. Part of FreshLinc Group.
- FLB (FreshLinc Bulk)coreBulk services for Grain, sugar beet and cereal. Merged into FreshLinc group in 2017, rebranded in 2018. TASCC and FIAS accredited, operates modern fleet of Bulk Tippers and curtain siders.
- FLX LogisticscoreLeading ambient logistics management company providing cost effective transport solutions throughout UK and Mainland Europe. Operating national network of over 1,200 vehicles and partners.
- PRS (Product Recovery Services)minorLocated in South Holland district of Lincolnshire, temperature controlled establishment with ISO9001 certification. Specialises in crisis services for fresh produce, food and food related items with ability to screen and rework products rapidly.
- FloraLinccoreOne of the leading specialists in horticultural distribution with transport solutions throughout UK, Ireland and mainland Europe. Operating from 33-acre site in Spalding and secondary site in Stratford-upon-Avon. Fleet fitted with telematics, live CCTV, and DVS compliance.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights4 records
FreshLinc competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Culina Group: Culina is the UK's largest temperature-controlled logistics provider, operating chilled and ambient distribution plus warehousing for grocery retailers, manufacturers and growers. Direct overlap with FreshLinc on multi-temperature UK distribution, store-to-door fulfilment, and customer segment (UK grocers).
- Fowler Welch (Boughey Distribution): Fowler Welch operates a chilled and ambient distribution network serving UK grocery retailers and food manufacturers, with strong import flows via UK ports. It directly parallels FreshLinc's core temperature-controlled distribution and warehousing proposition, with very similar customer types and scale.
- Wincanton: Wincanton is a leading UK contract logistics specialist operating across grocery retail, consumer, and e-fulfilment, including temperature-controlled capabilities. Comparable to FreshLinc in B2B contract logistics, multi-site UK operations, and direct retail grocery customer base; recently taken private by GXO.
- Eddie Stobart Logistics: Eddie Stobart is a UK and Ireland multi-modal logistics provider with significant ambient and temperature-controlled capacity serving grocery and manufacturing clients. Overlaps with FreshLinc in temperature-controlled distribution across the UK and Ireland with similar retail customer base.
- Bidfood (Bidvest Foodservice UK): Bidfood is the UK's leading food service distributor with temperature-controlled multi-temperature logistics serving caterers and food service operators. Overlaps with FreshLinc on temperature-controlled UK distribution and warehousing for food sector customers, though focused on out-of-home rather than retail grocery.
- Brakes Group (Sysco): Brakes Group is a leading UK food service distribution company, part of Sysco, operating multi-temperature logistics and warehousing for the out-of-home food sector. Comparable to FreshLinc on temperature-controlled UK distribution, value-added services (picking, cross-docking), and grocery-adjacent food sector customers.
Broad incumbents
- DHL Supply Chain: DHL Supply Chain is the global contract logistics market leader, with significant UK and European temperature-controlled and grocery logistics operations. Serves similar grocery, food manufacturing, and retail customers via a much wider portfolio of services and geographies than FreshLinc.
- GXO Logistics: GXO is the largest pure-play contract logistics operator globally with UK grocery and temperature-controlled operations, including the recent Wincanton acquisition. Overlaps with FreshLinc on contract logistics and retail grocery customers but at vastly greater scale and across many end-markets.
- Kuehne+Nagel: Kuehne+Nagel is a top-tier global freight forwarder with a dedicated temperature-controlled and perishables logistics offering serving European retailers and food producers. Comparable to FreshLinc on temperature-controlled freight services across Europe, but at much higher scale and as a forwarder rather than asset-based carrier.
Regional players
- DFDS: DFDS operates ferry and logistics services across Northern Europe with temperature-controlled and refrigerated transport/logistics capacity. Comparable to FreshLinc on chill/frozen distribution across North Sea routes (Holland-UK) and similar European food/grocery customers, though primarily focused on ferry-based solutions.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
FreshLinc social profiles
Digital presenceFreshLinc compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
FreshLinc financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
FreshLinc leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
FreshLinc subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries5 records
FreshLinc funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
FreshLinc M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about FreshLinc
What does FreshLinc do?
FreshLinc provides end-to-end temperature-controlled logistics, including full and part-load distribution of chilled, frozen, and ambient cargo, plus over 500,000 square feet of warehousing and value-added services such as pallet picking, cross-docking, labelling, and devanning. The group also operates specialised subsidiary brands covering container transport (DirectLinc), bulk agricultural haulage (FLB), ambient transport management (FLX Logistics), product recovery (PRS), and horticultural distribution (FloraLinc) across the UK and Europe.
Is FreshLinc a public or private company?
FreshLinc is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was FreshLinc founded?
FreshLinc was founded in 1996. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is FreshLinc based?
FreshLinc is headquartered in Spalding, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does FreshLinc make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Temperature Controlled Distribution is the primary driver. The others are warehousing & Storage, value Added Services and group Division Services.
Who are FreshLinc's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Culina Group, Fowler Welch (Boughey Distribution), Wincanton, Eddie Stobart Logistics, Bidfood (Bidvest Foodservice UK) and Brakes Group (Sysco). Broad incumbents are DHL Supply Chain, GXO Logistics and Kuehne+Nagel. DFDS is listed as a regional player.
Does FreshLinc have an API?
No public API is recorded for FreshLinc.
What industry is FreshLinc in?
FreshLinc's product category is Cold Chain Logistics. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLADAHAF, Frozen Goods Transport (Deep-Frozen), with a secondary code of TLACAMAA, Refrigerated (Chilled) Freight Forwarding. Its NAICS code is 49312 and its SIC code is 4220.