Multi-objective design of multi-modal fresh food distribution networks

This paper presents a methodology to jointly minimise the operating cost, the carbon footprint and the delivery time in the design of multi-modal fresh food distribution networks. A tri-objective linear programming model optimises such criteria overcoming the widely adopted methodologies focused on the network cost minimisation, only. A practical selection rule supports the final network structure definition, leading to an effective trade-off among the three objective functions. The market demand supply, the producer capacity limits and the food quality decrease during shipment, i.e., perishability, limit the feasibility region. The paper applies the proposed model to an industrial case study dealing with the distribution of fruits and vegetables from a set of Italian producers to multiple European retailers through a multi-modal (truck, train and air) distribution network. The case study key results suggest the possibility to reduce the CO2 emissions without relevant cost increase.