Cold Chain Logistics Market Set to Reach Valuation of US$ 1,455.8 Billion by 2033 | Astute Analytica
Global cold chain logistics sector is undergoing a dynamic expansion, fueled by soaring consumer demand for perishables and pharmaceuticals. This growth is concurrently pushing massive investment into modernizing aging infrastructure with automation and sustainable technologies.
Chicago, Nov. 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The global cold chain logistics market was valued at US$ 371.4 million in 2024 and is expected to reach US$ 1455.8 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 16.39% over the forecast period of 2025–2033.
The biopharmaceutical sector is a primary engine of growth for temperature-controlled logistics. In 2024, the U.S. FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) approved 50 new molecular entities. Of these approvals, 18 were new biologic entities requiring specialized handling and transport. A significant 81% of these new biologics were antibody-based drugs, products that frequently depend on an uninterrupted cold chain. Furthermore, the FDA designated 22 of the new drugs approved in 2024 as “first-in-class,” many with complex temperature stability requirements that challenge existing supply chains. These developments are directly impacting the global cold chain logistics market.
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Consequently, the air freight sector reflects this specialized demand. Worldwide air transport of temperature-controlled pharmaceutical products grew by a tonnage of 2% in 2024. Regional data underscores this trend, with the Middle East & South Asia recording an 8% increase in outbound pharma air cargo weight in 2024. Similarly, outbound volumes from North America rose by 4% in 2024 and accelerated significantly in the first three months of 2025, with outbound tonnage increasing 16% year-over-year. Specialized hubs are also seeing growth; Vienna Airport’s Pharma Handling Center processed 4,238 tons of these sensitive goods in 2024 alone.
Key Findings in Cold Chain Logistics Market
| Market Forecast (2033) | US$ 1,455.8 billion |
| CAGR | 16.39% |
| Largest Region (2024) | Asia Pacific (35%) |
| By Technology | Evaporative Cooling Technology (28%) |
| By Temperature Type | Frozen (63%) |
| By Solutions | Cold Chain Warehouse/Storage Solution (55.60%) |
| By Industry | Food And Beverage Industry (59.60%) |
| Top Drivers |
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| Top Trends |
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| Top Challenges |
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Online Grocery Adoption Redefines Last-Mile Consumer Expectations in cold Chain Logistics Market
The digital shift in consumer shopping habits is a monumental force. By mid-2025, an estimated 81 million U.S. households are expected to buy their groceries online, creating massive last-mile delivery needs. The number of individual Americans shopping for groceries online is projected to climb from 138.3 million in 2024 to 148.4 million in 2025. This sustained growth is a cornerstone of the modern cold chain logistics market. Consistent high demand is now the new normal for temperature-controlled delivery services.
Sales figures provide a stark illustration of this new reality. U.S. online grocery sales reached an unprecedented peak of US$ 12.5 billion in the single month of September 2025. Impressively, this figure represents a US$ 3 billion increase over September 2024 sales. The market’s momentum is undeniable, with sales hitting US$ 10 billion in July 2025 and US$ 9.7 billion in March 2025. Moreover, March 2025 marked the eighth consecutive month where sales exceeded US$ 9.5 billion, while in November 2024, 77.8 million U.S. households participated in online grocery shopping.
Global Quick Commerce Creates New Hyper-Localized Logistics Challenges
The rise of quick commerce places immense pressure on hyper-localized cold chains but favoring the cold chain logistics market growth. Globally, an estimated 1.4 billion consumers are using online grocery services monthly in 2024, setting a broad stage for rapid delivery models. Within this group, a substantial 600 million people worldwide will use quick commerce services for essentials in 2024. The growth trajectory for this sub-sector is steep, with the number of global quick commerce users expected to reach 900 million by 2029.
In the United States, the quick commerce user base is already significant and growing. In 2024, 56.1 million people in the U.S. are using these rapid delivery services. The expansion of this model, exemplified by Amazon’s launch of 15-minute deliveries in India in December 2024, intensifies the need for distributed micro-fulfillment centers with sophisticated refrigeration. The cold chain logistics market must adapt to service these on-demand expectations for perishable goods, a trend validated by a 25% rise in such deliveries in India during the 2024 Diwali season compared to 2023.
Critical Cold Storage Infrastructure Expands Amidst Tightening Vacancy Rates
The demand is fueling a wave of new construction in the cold storage sector. In the U.S., five speculative cold storage (SCS) projects were completed in 2024, adding 1.1 million square feet of crucial space. The pipeline remains robust across the cold chain logistics market, with another 2.2 million square feet of speculative cold storage space expected to be completed in the U.S. during 2025. As of early 2024, 15 specialized spec cold buildings were under construction or about to begin, which will add a total of 3.4 million square feet of new capacity to the market.
Meanwhile, global capacity is also expanding, especially in key growth markets. As of August 2024, India has 8,698 cold storage facilities with a total capacity of 39.6 million metric tons. An increase from the 8,653 facilities and 39.42 million tonnes of capacity recorded in January 2024. In the mature U.S. market, vacancy remains extremely low, with the national rate at just 4.4% in the first quarter of 2024. The situation is even tighter in major hubs; the Chicago cold storage market recorded a vacancy rate of only 0.8% in the first half of 2024, signaling intense competition for space.
Refrigerated Transport Fleets Transition Toward Sustainable Energy Solutions
A significant shift towards sustainability is underway in refrigerated transportation. In the first eight months of 2024, a total of 7,506 new energy refrigerated trucks were sold in China. A large portion of these, 5,479 units, were pure electric refrigerated trucks, highlighting a definitive move away from fossil fuels. The momentum continued through the year, with 1,769 new energy refrigerated trucks sold in August 2024 alone. The cold chain logistics market is clearly embracing greener fleet options.
This trend is also accelerating in North America cold chain logistics market. In 2024, over 15,316 new medium and heavy-duty electric vehicles, which include refrigerated models, were deployed in the U.S. as of mid-November. The adoption rate is increasing as 127 new fleets announced their first deployments of these vehicles in 2024, bringing the total number of U.S. fleets with such EV deployments to 331. Major distributors like Sysco are leading the charge, planning to bring its total number of electric vehicles to over 130 by the end of June 2024, up from nearly 120 EVs operated globally as of May 2024.
Automation and IoT Integration Revolutionize Warehouse Operational Efficiency
Technology is transforming the modern refrigerated warehouse. Projections for 2025 estimate there will be 4.28 million warehouse robots deployed globally, automating key tasks from picking to palletizing. Consequently, an estimated 50,000 fully robotic warehouses are expected to be operational by 2025, a massive leap from the 4,000 such facilities that were in operation in 2018. Automation is essential for meeting the speed and accuracy demands of the modern cold chain logistics market.
Advanced tracking and monitoring technologies are also becoming standard. For instance, FedEx’s SenseAware Mobile system now provides multiple tracking scans from origin to destination, offering clients unprecedented real-time visibility into their shipments’ journey. Inside the warehouse, facilities like FedEx’s new Mumbai Life Science Center, which opened in 2024, feature a centralized monitoring system to ensure temperature and humidity integrity at all times. These integrated technologies are crucial for maintaining product viability and ensuring regulatory compliance.
Sustainability Investments and Innovations Attract Significant Capital Influx
A focus on environmental responsibility is driving innovation and investment. Clean-tech startup Sunswap secured over €20 million in a 2024 funding round to deploy its zero-emission transport refrigeration technology. A crucial investment in the cold chain logistics market, it will support further customer trials and help ramp up production of its “Endurance” transport refrigeration unit. In another key development, a clean technology startup in India secured 153 million rupees in 2024 to develop its own advanced electric refrigeration systems, signaling global interest in green solutions.
Beyond vehicle technology, packaging innovation is also a key area of focus. FedEx introduced a new Cold Shipping packaging solution that maintains a strict 2–8°C environment for up to 96 hours, offering enhanced protection for sensitive products. A notable feature is that the packaging is lighter and more compact than many traditional gel-pack systems, which effectively reduces both shipping weight and waste. Such advancements are vital for creating a more efficient and sustainable cold chain logistics market.
Emerging Markets Become Strategic Hubs for Global Cold Chain Growth
Global logistics giants are making substantial investments in high-growth regions. DHL has allocated 25% of its new €2 billion investment specifically for the Asia-Pacific region, a clear indicator of its strategic importance. Another 25% of the same DHL investment is targeted for the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region, demonstrating a balanced global growth strategy. This capital injection is set to dramatically enhance infrastructure and service capabilities in these key areas.
India, in particular, stands out as a focal point for development. The government is actively working on approximately 400 cold chain projects, backed by a total investment valued at Rs 117 billion. As of February 2024, India’s Ministry of Food Processing Industries had already approved 372 of these crucial projects, underscoring the national commitment to strengthening its cold chain infrastructure. These efforts are critical for supporting the nation’s burgeoning pharmaceutical and food sectors and represent a major opportunity within the global cold chain logistics market.
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Strategic Investments and Compliance Reshape The Competitive Landscape
The competitive environment of the cold chain logistics market is being actively shaped by mergers, acquisitions, and major strategic investments. In 2024, a total of 18 acquisitions took place in the Cold Chain Logistics sector, with another 6 acquisitions recorded as of September 2025. Funding activity is also robust; in the first eight months of 2024, North American cold chain companies raised US$ 3.7 million in equity, while notable VC firm Y Combinator participated in 802 deals in 2024, including logistics startups. Furthermore, a single deal on June 27, 2024, saw startup Coldcart raise US$ 6,546,893 in a seed round.
Major players are investing heavily to capture cold chain logistics marke share. DHL Group announced a strategic investment of €2 billion to be spent over five years to enhance healthcare logistics, with 50% (US$ 1.1 billion) allocated to the Americas. The company operated nearly 600 life sciences and healthcare sites across 130 countries as of early 2025. FedEx launched its Mumbai Life Science Center in February 2024, designed to meet strict GMP, GCP, and GDP standards, and introduced two new packaging options in 2024: the va-Q-one and Bio Cool. DHL is also establishing new GDP-certified Pharma Hubs as part of its 2025 strategy.
Global Cold Chain Logistics Market Major Players:
- Frialsa Frigorificos SA
- Comfrio Solucoes Logisticas
- Friozem Armazens Frigorificos Ltda
- Superfrio Armazens Gerais Ltda
- Americold Logistics
- Brasfrigo
- Arfrio Armazens Gerais Frigorificos
- Ransa Comercial SA
- Localfrio
- Qualianz
- Burris Logistics
- Other Prominent Players
Key Market Segmentation:
By Technology
- Vapor Compression
- Blast Freezing
- Evaporative Cooling
- Programmable Logic Controller
- Cryogenic Systems
- Other Technologies
By Temperature Type
- Chilled
- Frozen
By Solution
- Cold Chain Warehouse/storage
- Cold Chain Transport
- Automated Material Handling
By Industry
- Food and Beverages
- Fruit and Vegetable
- Meat and Seafood
- Dairy and Frozen Dessert
- Bakery and Confectionery
- Ready-to-eat Meal
- Chemical
- Pharmaceuticals
- Medical
- Others
By Region
- North America
- Europe
- Asia Pacific
- Middle East & Africa (MEA)
- South America
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