The Economic Times

In 1940, Frederick McKinley Jones patented a refrigerator tough enough for moving trucks; it changed how fresh meat and dairy could travel long distances

In 1940, Frederick McKinley Jones revolutionized the transportation of perishables by patenting a refrigeration unit specifically for trucks. This pivotal invention made it possible to transport food over long distances without decay, laying the groundwork for todays refrigerated trucking industry. As a result, grocery stores could now provide customers with fresh produce sourced from far and wide, drastically reshaping the landscape of food distribution across America.