Industry research
Cold Chain Logistics
Scope
US
Companies
54
Key takeaways
What is the scope of this industry report?
The US cold chain logistics industry comprises businesses that provide temperature-controlled transportation, storage and supply chain services for food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, life sciences and other temperature-sensitive products. In this context, the competitive landscape spans integrated businesses offering multiple supply chain functions, asset-based refrigerated carriers focused on transportation, as well as cold storage and warehousing operators focused on temperature-controlled storage and handling.
Accordingly, we segmented the market by service offering into:
Integrated cold chain logistics,
Refrigerated transportation,
Cold storage & warehousing.
What does the cold chain logistics landscape look like in the US?
The US cold chain logistics industry is dominated by Lineage and Americold, which hold leading positions across market segments, while competition remains broad across a highly fragmented operator base. Players differentiate through network density, geographic coverage, infrastructure connectivity, fleet and facility scale, cross-border capabilities and specialized end-market expertise. Acquisitions, facility and fleet expansion and strategic partnerships remain important strategies for strengthening market presence and extending access to key customer markets and trade corridors. Technology and automation also serve as competitive differentiators, improving visibility, inventory accuracy, throughput and labor productivity across cold chain operations. Competitive pressure extends beyond pure-play cold chain providers, with retailers (e.g. Walmart; US), foodservice distributors (e.g. Sysco; US) and e-commerce platforms (e.g. Amazon; US) maintaining in-house temperature-controlled capabilities. Diversified logistics providers also enter the cold chain through acquisitions, with DHL Group’s (DE) acquisition of CRYOPDP expanding its temperature-controlled pharmaceutical logistics capabilities.
What does the cold chain logistics market landscape look like in the US?
Herein, interest mainly stems from:
Growth in online grocery and food e-commerce, supporting demand for temperature-controlled fulfilment and distribution,
Rising US imports of fresh fruits and vegetables, increasing utilization across refrigerated storage and transportation,
Adoption of warehouse automation, AI and telematics, improving facility utilization, labor productivity and operating efficiency.
Deterring factors for investment include:
Oversupply of refrigerated warehouse capacity, pressuring occupancy and pricing,
Skilled labor shortages across refrigeration technicians, cold-facility workers and commercial drivers, leading to capacity constraints and higher operating costs,
Tariff-driven inflation in steel, aluminum and truck components, driver higher equipment and construction costs.
What are the key ESG considerations in the US's cold chain logistics industry?
ESG topics in the US cold chain logistics industry primarily revolve around environmental and social risks. Environmental concerns center on the high energy intensity of continuous refrigeration across warehouses and reefer fleets, refrigerant leakage from cooling systems, diesel emissions from transport refrigeration units, as well as food waste associated with temperature-control failures. To mitigate these impacts, players deploy on-site solar, advanced refrigeration controls, low-charge ammonia systems, solar-powered auxiliary power units, energy-efficient refrigeration equipment, aerodynamic improvements and real-time inventory and weather-based packaging optimization. Social considerations primarily relate to worker and driver safety, as cold chain employees face risks from cold exposure, slippery surfaces and physically demanding warehouse activities, while drivers face roadway safety risks under time-sensitive delivery requirements and physical strain from long driving hours. To address these risks, companies strengthen safety training and hazard-management practices, implement integrated safety controls and deploy in-cab video and driver-monitoring technologies to identify and mitigate unsafe driving behavior.
Company benchmarking
Market growth
According to Statista (April 2025), the global cold chain logistics market was valued at ~$363.8bn in 2024 and is expected to exceed ~$1.2tn by 2033 (+14.2% CAGR 2024-2033)
The US refrigerated transportation market was valued at ~$12.0bn in 2024 and is anticipated to reach ~$21.7bn by 2029 (+12.5% CAGR 2024-2029; Technavio, December 2025)
Positive drivers
Sustained growth in online grocery and food e-commerce will increase demand for temperature-controlled fulfillment, last-mile delivery and regional distribution. To illustrate, online grocery sales contributed ~75% of total grocery dollar growth in 2025 and are projected to grow at an ~11.6% CAGR through 2028. Online grocery is expected to account for ~25.5% of total grocery spending by 2028, up from ~20% in 2025 (Supermarket News, April 2026; Progressive Grocer, April 2026)
Growing US imports of fresh fruits and vegetables will continue to support higher utilization of refrigerated transportation, cold storage and temperature-controlled distribution, as imported perishables supplement domestic production and extend year-round availability. Notably, US fresh fruit and vegetable imports were valued at ~$32.1bn in 2025 and are forecast to grow at ~3.4% annually through 2035, with imports already accounting for ~59% of fresh fruit and ~35% of fresh vegetable availability (USDA, February 2026; USDA, January 2025)
Technological advancements in warehouse automation, AI and telematics support cold storage growth by improving facility utilization, reducing labor requirements and lowering operating costs. To illustrate, ~46% of fleets use AI-enabled video telematics, with users reporting ~12-19% reductions in fuel costs, ~19% fewer accidents and ~11% lower insurance premiums within the first year of implementation (Supply Chain Xchange, April 2026; Navionyx, April 2026)
Negative drivers
Speculative overbuilding of US refrigerated warehouse capacity is expected to keep the cold storage segment oversupplied, pressuring occupancy and pricing across logistics corridors. To illustrate, US public refrigerated warehouse supply grew ~14.5% between 2021-2025, outpacing demand growth of just ~5% by ~9.5pp and pushing cold storage vacancy to ~7% by year-end 2025, the highest level in >20 years (Bisnow, March 2026; FreightWaves, February 2026)
Skilled labor shortages across refrigeration technicians, cold-facility workers and commercial drivers will constrain capacity and increase operating costs, as retirements and tighter driver eligibility requirements limit the available labor pool. For example, the HVAC industry faces a shortage of ~110k technicians nationally, with ~40.1k annual openings for heating, air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics projected through 2034. Meanwhile, FMCSA’s non-domiciled CDL rule limits eligibility to H-2A, H-2B and E-2 visa holders, with those failing federal English-language-proficiency requirements subject to out-of-service orders (FMCSA, April 2026; FMCSA, March 2026; ServiceTitan, January 2026; US Bureau of Labor Statistics , August 2025)
Tariff-driven inflation in steel, aluminum and truck components will raise capital intensity across cold chain logistics by increasing fleet replacement, warehouse construction and storage infrastructure costs. To illustrate, Class 8 truck production costs rose ~24% in 2025, while Section 232 tariffs added ~4-8% to warehouse construction costs and new pallet racking prices increased by ~15-22% between 2024-2025 (A&A Surplus, July 2026; National Steel Buildings, June 2026; Transport Topics, October 2025)
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