Food Cold Chain Global Market Report 2025

The food cold chain market size has grown rapid in recent years. It will grow from $196.35 billion in 2024 to $215.95 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to increasing demand for perishable food exports, rising consumption of frozen and processed food products, growing urbanization and shifting dietary preferences, expansion of organized retail and e-commerce channels, and increasing government focus on minimizing food waste.

The food cold chain market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $312.5 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.7%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to rising demand for pharmaceutical temperature-controlled logistics, increasing adoption of energy-efficient refrigeration systems, expanding distribution networks in emerging economies, growing consumer preference for fresh and organic produce, and increasing focus on supply chain digitization and monitoring efficiency. Key trends in the forecast period include innovation in packaging and insulation materials, development of Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled temperature tracking, increasing research and development in energy optimization, wider adoption of automation and robotics in warehouses, and advancement in sustainable and eco-friendly cooling solutions.

The growing preference for online grocery shopping is expected to propel the expansion of the food cold chain market. This shopping method involves purchasing perishable and ambient food items through websites or mobile applications for delivery or click-and-collect fulfillment. The move towards online grocery shopping is primarily driven by the time-saving convenience of doorstep delivery. This consumer shift generates a requirement for food cold chain systems, as maintaining consistent temperature control is key to preserving the freshness and safety of perishable products such as fruits, vegetables, dairy, and meat during storage, transport, and delivery. For example, in August 2025, according to the Singapore Department of Statistics, a government data portal in Singapore, the online share of supermarket and hypermarket sales increased during 2023 from 11.3 percent in January to 13.4 percent in February and 13.6 percent in March, illustrating a rise in electronic grocery engagement within the category. Consequently, the increasing preference for online grocery shopping is fueling the growth of the food cold chain market.

Key companies operating in the food cold chain market are concentrating on developing cold chain infrastructure to improve efficiency, decrease transit time, and guarantee the temperature controlled handling of perishable goods across the entire supply chain. Cold chain infrastructure is the organized system of temperature regulated storage facilities, transport equipment, and monitoring technologies that ensure perishable goods remain safe and fresh from production to final delivery. For instance, in July 2025, Maersk A S, a logistics company based in Denmark, launched its Integrated Packing and Cold Storage Hub in Olmos, Peru. The Olmos site functions as an advanced fruit logistics hub created to optimize the export operations of the region. It merges core logistics activities such as processing, cold storage, and depot warehousing within the global supply chain network of Maersk. The hub also provides additional services, including container depot management, inland refrigerated transport, and on site customs processing, to ensure a fully integrated and efficient customer experience.

In November 2023, Newcold B V, a cold chain logistics company based in the Netherlands, acquired E Karras Refrigerated Transport Pty Ltd for an undisclosed amount. Through this acquisition, Newcold B V intends to strengthen its integrated service offerings in Australia by merging its advanced warehousing capabilities with the expertise of Karras in refrigerated transport and logistics. E Karras Refrigerated Transport Pty Ltd is an Australia based provider of critical cold chain solutions for food and beverage products.

Major players in the food cold chain market are DHL Supply Chain, DSV A/S, XPO Logistics Inc., Nichirei Logistics Group, Americold Logistics LLC, NewCold Advanced Cold Logistics, ColdEX Logistics Pvt. Ltd., Celcius Logistics Pvt. Ltd., Crystal Logistic Cool Chain Ltd., Rinac Pvt. Ltd., Interstate Cold Storage, Siddhi Cold Chain Pvt. Ltd., ColdStar Logistics Pvt. Ltd., ALC Cold Chain Logistics Pvt. Ltd., WareIQ Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Indicold Private Ltd., Reefer Express Pvt. Ltd., Arihant Cold Storage Pvt. Ltd., Godamwale Cold Storage Pvt. Ltd., and Kaveri Cold Chain Logistics Pvt. Ltd.

North America was the largest region in the food cold chain market in 2024. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in food cold chain report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa. The countries covered in the food cold chain market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report’s Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.

The accelerated imposition of U.S. tariffs and the emerging trade conflicts in spring 2025 are significantly influencing the food and beverage sector by raising the costs for imported ingredients including olive oil, cheese, and tropical fruits, forcing food brands to reformulate products or accept lower margins. Beverage makers face similar pressures, with aluminum can tariffs increasing packaging expenses. Retaliatory tariffs on U.S. agricultural exports (e.g., soybeans, pork) have also disrupted farm-to-processing supply chains. Companies are reformulating recipes, sourcing locally where possible, and hedging commodity purchases to manage volatility.

The food cold chain market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides food cold chain market statistics, including food cold chain industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a food cold chain market share, detailed food cold chain market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the food cold chain industry. This food cold chain market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.

The food cold chain is a temperature-controlled logistics system that ensures perishable food items remain safe and fresh from production to the consumer. It maintains consistent low temperatures during handling, storage, and transportation to prevent spoilage, bacterial growth, and quality degradation.

The key types of food cold chains include refrigerated transportation, cold storage, ice cream logistics, and temperature-controlled warehousing. Refrigerated transportation refers to the movement of perishable foods in insulated vehicles or containers equipped with mechanical refrigeration or equivalent systems to maintain required temperatures throughout the journey. It employs various technologies such as blast freezing, vapor compression, programmable logic controllers (PLC), evaporative cooling, cryogenic systems, and others. Distribution is carried out through direct sales, distributors and wholesalers, online channels, and third-party logistics providers (3PL). It is applied for fruits and vegetables, dairy and frozen desserts, fish, meat, and seafood, bakery and confectionery, and others, serving end-users including the food and beverage industry, pharmaceutical companies, retail chains, food processing companies, and restaurants and catering services.

The food cold chain market consists of revenues earned by entities by providing services such as inventory management, quality inspection, cross-docking operations, and product labeling. The market value includes the value of related goods sold by the service provider or included within the service offering. The food cold chain market also includes sales of refrigerated storage units, insulated containers, cold storage racks, thermal packaging materials, and refrigerated display cabinets. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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