Closed-loop　supply　chain　(CLSC)　is　of　utmost　importance　to　sustainable　development　and　has　received　increasing　attention　in　recent　decades.　However,　food　CLSC　with　returnable　transport　items　(RTIs)　has　been　rarely　studied　although　its　growing　applications　in　practice.　This　paper　aims　to　investigate　a　multi-period　CLSC　planning　problem　that　coordinates　the　flows　of　perishable　food　products　and　RTIs　considering　food　quality.　The　objective　is　to　maximise　the　total　profit　of　the　holistic　supply　chain　over　a　finite　planning　horizon.　To　this　end,　a　novel　mixed　integer　linear　programming　model　is　first　formulated.　As　the　problem　is　proven　NP-hard,　an　improved　kernel　search-based　heuristic　is　then　developed.　A　real　case　study　deriving　from　a　food　manufacturer　in　China　shows　the　applicability　of　the　proposed　model　and　method.　The　results　indicate　that　the　manufacturer’s　profit　can　be　improved　by　more　than　10%　with　our　method.　Numerical　experiments　on　randomly　generated　instances　demonstrate　that　the　proposed　heuristic　can　yield　high-quality　solutions　with　much　less　computation　time　compared　with　the　commercial　solver　CPLEX　and　an　existing　heuristic.　©　2019,　©　2019　Informa　UK　Limited,　trading　as　Taylor　&　Francis　Group.