Date: 21 May 2025
Peter Green Chilled, a distributor to the major supermarkets of the UK, is the latest victim in a long string of cyber attacks on the UK retail sector.
The Somerset-based logistics firm specialises in temperature-controlled food distribution. The company is under a ransomware attack that has disrupted its operations and raised concerns over the UK's food supply chain. In this article, we explore everything known so far about this major incident in the UK's food supply chain space.
What is Peter Green Chilled?
Established in 1963, Peter Green Chilled provides chilled, frozen, and ambient logistics services across the UK and Europe. The company operates a BRC AA-grade warehousing facility and offers services such as blast freezing, tempering, and customs clearance.
With a workforce of approximately 51–200 employees, it serves major retailers including Tesco, Sainsbury's, Aldi, M&S, Waitrose, Asda, Ocado, Co-op, and Morrisons.
Peter Green Chilled Cyber Attack: What We Know So Far
On the evening of Wednesday, May 15, 2025, Peter Green Chilled experienced a ransomware attack that compromised its computer systems. In response, the company halted order processing on Thursday, May 16.
Transport activities continued unaffected. Clients were informed of the incident and provided with regular updates and workarounds to maintain deliveries.
Impact on Supply Chain
The attack has had significant repercussions for suppliers relying on Peter Green Chilled's services.
One of the company’s customers, Black Farmer founder Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, told The BBC, he had "something like ten pallets worth of meat products" with Peter Green Chilled. He said if those products don't get to the retailers in time they will have to be "thrown in the bin". "There's no information. Everything along the chain has to be stopped, and then there are thousands of pounds worth of product that are just wasting away."
Such disruptions highlight the vulnerability of just-in-time supply chains to cyber threats.
Lee Driver, vice president of managed security services at Ekco summed it up perfectly while speaking to itpro.com, “Like retail, the food supply chain is a sprawling ecosystem of suppliers, logistics providers, and digital infrastructure. Once attackers find a way in, they can move laterally at speed - crippling systems that underpin everything from production to delivery."
Who are the Perpetrators of the Peter Green Chilled Attack?
As of now, no specific ransomware group has claimed responsibility for the attack on Peter Green Chilled. However, the incident follows a series of cyber attacks targeting the UK's retail sector, including recent breaches at Marks & Spencer and the Co-op. This suggests a possible trend of coordinated assaults on critical supply chain infrastructure .
Broader Implications of the Cyber Incident
Cybersecurity experts warn that attacks on logistics and warehousing sectors can have cascading effects on the food supply chain. The short shelf life of the products that the company handles increases the pressure to pay the ransom - though it's not known whether Peter Green has done so. The tactic mirrors the strategy used by attackers when targeting the healthcare and manufacturing sectors, focusing on operational disruption rather than data theft.
The perishable nature of Peter Green's products intensifies the pressure to concede to ransom demands. However, there is no indication yet that any payment has been made. This approach is similar to strategies employed by cybercriminals targeting healthcare and manufacturing, prioritising operational impairment over data exfiltration.
Professor Oli Buckley from Loughborough University emphasized that even minor disruptions can lead to significant waste and shortages, underscoring the need for robust cybersecurity measures across all facets of the supply chain. “It’s a stark reminder that in our interconnected world, a hacker’s keyboard can disrupt the journey from farm to fork. While companies shore up their cyber defences, perhaps it’s time we all took a moment to appreciate the complex choreography behind our groceries — and the invisible battles fought each day to keep them on our shelves,” he said in an interview.
David Mound, senior penetration tester at third-party risk management platform SecurityScorecard, said to IT Pro, “Attackers are no longer just targeting data; they’re targeting urgency. In environments where product expiration and just-in-time delivery are business-critical, threat actors understand that every hour offline amplifies the pressure to pay."
Final Word: Discover How CM-Alliance Can Help Your Business Avoid Such Attacks
The Peter Green Chilled incident serves as a stark reminder of the critical importance of cybersecurity in maintaining the integrity of essential services and the potential real-world consequences of digital threats. This incident should be a wake-up call for every organisation operating in time-sensitive, high-stakes environments.
From frozen food logistics to healthcare and manufacturing, attackers are now weaponising urgency and disruption rather than merely stealing data. In such a landscape, reactive cybersecurity is no longer enough.
Cyber Management Alliance helps businesses like yours stay ahead of the threat curve. With our proven expertise in:
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Don’t wait for a breach to expose your weakest link. Book a call with us today to discover how we can help you build true cyber resilience and protect your business from becoming the next cautionary tale.
