Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market Forecasts to 2034 - Global Analysis By Service Type (Refrigerated Storage, Refrigerated Transportation, Value-added Services and Last-mile Delivery Services), Temperature Range, Food Category, Delivery Mode, Vehicle Type, End User and By Geography

August 2026 | 200 pages | ID: CF27157B6334EN
Stratistics Market Research Consulting

US$ 4,150.00

E-mail Delivery (PDF)

Download PDF Leaflet

Accepted cards
Wire Transfer
Checkout Later
Need Help? Ask a Question
According to Stratistics MRC, the Global Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market is accounted for $11.2 billion in 2026 and is expected to reach $22.6 billion by 2034 growing at a CAGR of 9.2% during the forecast period. Cold-chain and last-mile food distribution focus on preserving temperature-sensitive goods throughout transit until they reach end users. It combines chilled warehousing, monitored transport systems, and streamlined delivery operations to protect freshness, hygiene, and usability. Rising online food retail, expanding cities, and higher consumer standards are accelerating adoption of digital tracking, smarter routing, and advanced packaging solutions. Effective final delivery reduces losses, limits wastage, and enhances supply reliability, helping companies maintain consistent quality. Such logistics frameworks support compliance requirements and environmental objectives while ensuring dependable access to safe, fresh food products in modern supply networks across regions and varied consumer segments.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), around 526 million tonnes of food (about 12% of global production) are lost annually due to lack of adequate refrigeration and cold-chain infrastructure, highlighting the critical role of temperature-controlled logistics.

Market Dynamics:

Driver:

Rising demand for fresh and perishable food products

Growing consumer inclination toward fresh and less processed perishable foods is significantly boosting the cold-chain and last-mile food logistics market. Increasing urbanization has led to higher demand for consistent access to items like fruits, vegetables, dairy, and meat that require controlled temperature environments. This trend is motivating businesses to adopt advanced cooling technologies, tracking systems, and streamlined distribution networks. The rapid expansion of online grocery services further strengthens the importance of efficient last-mile delivery. Maintaining product quality and safety throughout transportation is essential, driving continuous improvements and broader development of cold-chain systems in global markets.

Restraint:

High infrastructure and operational costs

One of the key limitations in the cold-chain and last-mile food logistics market is the substantial expense involved in building and maintaining infrastructure. Setting up cold storage facilities, refrigerated transport, and digital monitoring technologies demands heavy upfront investment. Continuous costs related to electricity, repairs, and trained workforce further increase financial pressure. Smaller businesses find it difficult to manage these expenditures, restricting their ability to compete effectively. Variability in fuel and energy prices also creates operational uncertainty. Such economic challenges reduce expansion opportunities and delay the implementation of advanced cold-chain systems, especially in cost-sensitive and emerging markets worldwide.

Opportunity:

Adoption of advanced technologies and automation

The growing integration of modern technologies and automation offers substantial growth potential for the cold-chain and last-mile food logistics market. Tools like connected sensors, live temperature tracking, artificial intelligence for route planning, and blockchain systems for tracking goods are improving efficiency and visibility. These advancements minimize losses, enhance delivery precision, and support regulatory compliance. Automation in storage and distribution also reduces reliance on manual labour and lowers the risk of mistakes. With rapid digital transformation, businesses can enhance scalability, manage costs more effectively, and deliver consistent services, strengthening the overall development of advanced cold-chain logistics systems worldwide.

Threat:

Supply chain disruptions and temperature excursions

A major threat to the cold-chain and last-mile food logistics market arises from disruptions in supply chains and fluctuations in temperature control. Issues such as delivery delays, mechanical breakdowns, electricity failures, and transport constraints can interrupt required temperature conditions, causing product damage and losses. Factors like severe weather, political instability, and health crises add further unpredictability. Small temperature variations can impact food quality and compliance standards significantly. Although companies invest in backup systems and tracking technologies, ongoing disruptions still affect operational consistency, making it difficult to maintain dependable and efficient cold-chain logistics performance on a global scale.

Covid-19 Impact:

The COVID-19 outbreak strongly influenced the cold-chain and last-mile food logistics market by boosting demand and revealing system weaknesses. Restrictions on mobility and lockdown measures increased dependence on online food purchases and doorstep delivery, intensifying the need for reliable cold logistics. Businesses enhanced storage facilities, adopted advanced monitoring technologies, and improved distribution efficiency to cope with demand. At the same time, issues such as workforce shortages, transport delays, and supply disruptions affected operations. The situation emphasized the need for robust infrastructure, real-time visibility, and risk management strategies, encouraging sustained investment and modernization of cold-chain logistics across global supply networks.

The refrigerated transportation segment is expected to be the largest during the forecast period

The refrigerated transportation segment is expected to account for the largest market share during the forecast period because of its essential function in preserving controlled temperatures during delivery. It enables efficient distribution of perishable items over extended distances while maintaining product freshness and safety standards. This segment caters to a wide range of food products such as dairy, meat, seafood, and fruits, making it a backbone of cold supply chains. Increasing demand for fast deliveries, expanding global trade, and higher consumption of fresh foods support its leading position. Technological improvements in vehicles and monitoring systems continue to strengthen its operational effectiveness.

The e-commerce grocery platforms segment is expected to have the highest CAGR during the forecast period

Over the forecast period, the e-commerce grocery platforms segment is predicted to witness the highest growth rate as consumers increasingly prefer digital shopping options. Growth in mobile usage, secure payment systems, and the need for doorstep delivery are accelerating this trend. These platforms depend heavily on reliable cold-chain systems to preserve product quality and meet delivery timelines. Investments in localized storage facilities, automated fulfillment, and real-time tracking are enhancing operational efficiency. With rising urbanization and evolving consumer expectations, e-commerce grocery services are rapidly expanding, positioning them as the most dynamic and fastest-growing segment within the cold-chain logistics landscape.

Region with largest share:

During the forecast period, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to hold the largest market share, supported by its large population base and fast-paced urban development. Growing income levels and evolving consumer preferences are increasing the demand for perishable and high-quality food items. Significant investments in refrigerated storage, transport systems, and advanced logistics technologies are enhancing market capacity. The expansion of online grocery services and better distribution networks contribute to its leading position. Furthermore, active participation in global food trade increases the reliance on efficient cold-chain solutions, reinforcing the region’s prominence in the overall market landscape.

Region with highest CAGR:

Over the forecast period, the Rest of the World (RoW) region is anticipated to exhibit the highest CAGR, supported by growing infrastructure investments and increasing demand for temperature-sensitive foods. Urban growth, rising populations, and shifting dietary habits are accelerating the need for advanced cold logistics networks. Authorities are prioritizing food security and waste reduction, promoting the development of storage and transportation systems. Growth in organized retail and online grocery services is also contributing to this trend. With continuous improvements in supply chain capabilities, the region is becoming a key high-growth area for cold-chain logistics development.

Key players in the market

Some of the key players in Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market include Agro Merchants Group, Americold Logistics, Burris Logistics, ColdEX Logistics, Crystal Logistic Cool Chain Ltd, CWT Limited, DHL, GK Cold Chain Solutions, Gubba Cold Storage, Kloosterboer, Lineage Logistics, Mahindra Logistics, NewCold, Nichirei Logistics Group, RK Foodland, Snowman Logistics, TCI Cold Chain and VersaCold Logistics.

Key Developments:

In July 2026, Americold and Feed the Children, a global movement working to end childhood hunger, today recognized 10 years of partnership focused on expanding access to food and essential resources for families experiencing food insecurity across the United States.

In June 2023, Honor Foods, the Burris Logistics foodservice redistribution company, has agreed to purchase Sunny Morning Foods, a foodservice redistributor with dairy expertise located in Fort Lauderdale, FL. This acquisition is another step towards fulfilling our longstanding strategy to build upon our dairy expertise as a way to provide competitive differentiation within the foodservice redistribution channel while satisfying customers’ product needs.

Service Types Covered:
  • Refrigerated Storage
  • Refrigerated Transportation
  • Value-added Services
  • Last-mile Delivery Services
Temperature Ranges Covered:
  • Chilled (0-5°C)
  • Frozen (-18°C and below)
  • Ambient Controlled (5-25°C)
Food Categories Covered:
  • Dairy & Ice Cream
  • Meat, Poultry & Seafood
  • Fruits & Vegetables
  • Bakery & Confectionery
  • Ready-to-Eat Meals
  • Packaged Grocery Items
  • Beverages
Delivery Modes Covered:
  • Home Delivery
  • Store Pickup & Click-and-Collect
  • Third-party Aggregators
Vehicle Types Covered:
  • Two-wheelers
  • Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs)
  • Electric Vehicles (EVs)
  • Drones & Autonomous Delivery Units
End Users Covered:
  • Food Manufacturers
  • Retailers & Supermarkets
  • Foodservice Operators
  • E-commerce Grocery Platforms
  • Households
  • Institutional Buyers
Regions Covered:
  • North America
    • United States
    • Canada
    • Mexico
  • Europe
    • United Kingdom
    • Germany
    • France
    • Italy
    • Spain
    • Netherlands
    • Belgium
    • Sweden
    • Switzerland
    • Poland
    • Rest of Europe
  • Asia Pacific
    • China
    • Japan
    • India
    • South Korea
    • Australia
    • Indonesia
    • Thailand
    • Malaysia
    • Singapore
    • Vietnam
    • Rest of Asia Pacific
  • South America
    • Brazil
    • Argentina
    • Colombia
    • Chile
    • Peru
    • Rest of South America
  • Rest of the World (RoW)
    • Middle East
      • Saudi Arabia
      • United Arab Emirates
      • Qatar
      • Israel
      • Rest of Middle East
    • Africa
      • South Africa
      • Egypt
      • Morocco
      • Rest of Africa
What our report offers:
  • Market share assessments for the regional and country-level segments
  • Strategic recommendations for the new entrants
  • Covers Market data for the years 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028, 2030, 2032 and 2034
  • Market Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations)
  • Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimations
  • Competitive landscaping mapping the key common trends
  • Company profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developments
  • Supply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancements
Free Customization Offerings:

All the customers of this report will be entitled to receive one of the following free customization options:
  • Company Profiling
    • Comprehensive profiling of additional market players (up to 3)
    • SWOT Analysis of key players (up to 3)
  • Regional Segmentation
    • Market estimations, Forecasts and CAGR of any prominent country as per the client's interest (Note: Depends on feasibility check)
  • Competitive Benchmarking
    • Benchmarking of key players based on product portfolio, geographical presence, and strategic alliances
1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1.1 Market Snapshot and Key Highlights
1.2 Growth Drivers, Challenges, and Opportunities
1.3 Competitive Landscape Overview
1.4 Strategic Insights and Recommendations

2 RESEARCH FRAMEWORK

2.1 Study Objectives and Scope
2.2 Stakeholder Analysis
2.3 Research Assumptions and Limitations
2.4 Research Methodology
  2.4.1 Data Collection (Primary and Secondary)
  2.4.2 Data Modeling and Estimation Techniques
  2.4.3 Data Validation and Triangulation
  2.4.4 Analytical and Forecasting Approach

3 MARKET DYNAMICS AND TREND ANALYSIS

3.1 Market Definition and Structure
3.2 Key Market Drivers
3.3 Market Restraints and Challenges
3.4 Growth Opportunities and Investment Hotspots
3.5 Industry Threats and Risk Assessment
3.6 Technology and Innovation Landscape
3.7 Emerging and High-Growth Markets
3.8 Regulatory and Policy Environment
3.9 Impact of COVID-19 and Recovery Outlook

4 COMPETITIVE AND STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT

4.1 Porter's Five Forces Analysis
  4.1.1 Supplier Bargaining Power
  4.1.2 Buyer Bargaining Power
  4.1.3 Threat of Substitutes
  4.1.4 Threat of New Entrants
  4.1.5 Competitive Rivalry
4.2 Market Share Analysis of Key Players
4.3 Product Benchmarking and Performance Comparison

5 GLOBAL COLD-CHAIN & LAST-MILE FOOD LOGISTICS MARKET, BY SERVICE TYPE

5.1 Refrigerated Storage
5.2 Refrigerated Transportation
5.3 Value-added Services
5.4 Last-mile Delivery Services

6 GLOBAL COLD-CHAIN & LAST-MILE FOOD LOGISTICS MARKET, BY TEMPERATURE RANGE

6.1 Chilled (0-5°C)
6.2 Frozen (-18°C and below)
6.3 Ambient Controlled (5-25°C)

7 GLOBAL COLD-CHAIN & LAST-MILE FOOD LOGISTICS MARKET, BY FOOD CATEGORY

7.1 Dairy & Ice Cream
7.2 Meat, Poultry & Seafood
7.3 Fruits & Vegetables
7.4 Bakery & Confectionery
7.5 Ready-to-Eat Meals
7.6 Packaged Grocery Items
7.7 Beverages

8 GLOBAL COLD-CHAIN & LAST-MILE FOOD LOGISTICS MARKET, BY DELIVERY MODE

8.1 Home Delivery
8.2 Store Pickup & Click-and-Collect
8.3 Third-party Aggregators

9 GLOBAL COLD-CHAIN & LAST-MILE FOOD LOGISTICS MARKET, BY VEHICLE TYPE

9.1 Two-wheelers
9.2 Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs)
9.3 Electric Vehicles (EVs)
9.4 Drones & Autonomous Delivery Units

10 GLOBAL COLD-CHAIN & LAST-MILE FOOD LOGISTICS MARKET, BY END USER

10.1 Food Manufacturers
10.2 Retailers & Supermarkets
10.3 Foodservice Operators
10.4 E-commerce Grocery Platforms
10.5 Households
10.6 Institutional Buyers

11 GLOBAL COLD-CHAIN & LAST-MILE FOOD LOGISTICS MARKET, BY GEOGRAPHY

11.1 North America
  11.1.1 United States
  11.1.2 Canada
  11.1.3 Mexico
11.2 Europe
  11.2.1 United Kingdom
  11.2.2 Germany
  11.2.3 France
  11.2.4 Italy
  11.2.5 Spain
  11.2.6 Netherlands
  11.2.7 Belgium
  11.2.8 Sweden
  11.2.9 Switzerland
  11.2.10 Poland
  11.2.11 Rest of Europe
11.3 Asia Pacific
  11.3.1 China
  11.3.2 Japan
  11.3.3 India
  11.3.4 South Korea
  11.3.5 Australia
  11.3.6 Indonesia
  11.3.7 Thailand
  11.3.8 Malaysia
  11.3.9 Singapore
  11.3.10 Vietnam
  11.3.11 Rest of Asia Pacific
11.4 South America
  11.4.1 Brazil
  11.4.2 Argentina
  11.4.3 Colombia
  11.4.4 Chile
  11.4.5 Peru
  11.4.6 Rest of South America
11.5 Rest of the World (RoW)
  11.5.1 Middle East
    11.5.1.1 Saudi Arabia
    11.5.1.2 United Arab Emirates
    11.5.1.3 Qatar
    11.5.1.4 Israel
    11.5.1.5 Rest of Middle East
  11.5.2 Africa
    11.5.2.1 South Africa
    11.5.2.2 Egypt
    11.5.2.3 Morocco
    11.5.2.4 Rest of Africa

12 STRATEGIC MARKET INTELLIGENCE

12.1 Industry Value Network and Supply Chain Assessment
12.2 White-Space and Opportunity Mapping
12.3 Product Evolution and Market Life Cycle Analysis
12.4 Channel, Distributor, and Go-to-Market Assessment

13 INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS AND STRATEGIC INITIATIVES

13.1 Mergers and Acquisitions
13.2 Partnerships, Alliances, and Joint Ventures
13.3 New Product Launches and Certifications
13.4 Capacity Expansion and Investments
13.5 Other Strategic Initiatives

14 COMPANY PROFILES

14.1 Agro Merchants Group
14.2 Americold Logistics
14.3 Burris Logistics
14.4 ColdEX Logistics
14.5 Crystal Logistic Cool Chain Ltd
14.6 CWT Limited
14.7 DHL
14.8 GK Cold Chain Solutions
14.9 Gubba Cold Storage
14.10 Kloosterboer
14.11 Lineage Logistics
14.12 Mahindra Logistics
14.13 NewCold
14.14 Nichirei Logistics Group
14.15 RK Foodland
14.16 Snowman Logistics
14.17 TCI Cold Chain
14.18 VersaCold Logistics

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1 Global Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market Outlook, By Region (2023-2034) ($MN)
Table 2 Global Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market Outlook, By Service Type (2023-2034) ($MN)
Table 3 Global Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market Outlook, By Refrigerated Storage (2023-2034) ($MN)
Table 4 Global Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market Outlook, By Refrigerated Transportation (2023-2034) ($MN)
Table 5 Global Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market Outlook, By Value-added Services (2023-2034) ($MN)
Table 6 Global Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market Outlook, By Last-mile Delivery Services (2023-2034) ($MN)
Table 7 Global Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market Outlook, By Temperature Range (2023-2034) ($MN)
Table 8 Global Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market Outlook, By Chilled (0-5°C) (2023-2034) ($MN)
Table 9 Global Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market Outlook, By Frozen (-18°C and below) (2023-2034) ($MN)
Table 10 Global Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market Outlook, By Ambient Controlled (5-25°C) (2023-2034) ($MN)
Table 11 Global Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market Outlook, By Food Category (2023-2034) ($MN)
Table 12 Global Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market Outlook, By Dairy & Ice Cream (2023-2034) ($MN)
Table 13 Global Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market Outlook, By Meat, Poultry & Seafood (2023-2034) ($MN)
Table 14 Global Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market Outlook, By Fruits & Vegetables (2023-2034) ($MN)
Table 15 Global Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market Outlook, By Bakery & Confectionery (2023-2034) ($MN)
Table 16 Global Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market Outlook, By Ready-to-Eat Meals (2023-2034) ($MN)
Table 17 Global Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market Outlook, By Packaged Grocery Items (2023-2034) ($MN)
Table 18 Global Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market Outlook, By Beverages (2023-2034) ($MN)
Table 19 Global Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market Outlook, By Delivery Mode (2023-2034) ($MN)
Table 20 Global Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market Outlook, By Home Delivery (2023-2034) ($MN)
Table 21 Global Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market Outlook, By Store Pickup & Click-and-Collect (2023-2034) ($MN)
Table 22 Global Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market Outlook, By Third-party Aggregators (2023-2034) ($MN)
Table 23 Global Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market Outlook, By Vehicle Type (2023-2034) ($MN)
Table 24 Global Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market Outlook, By Two-wheelers (2023-2034) ($MN)
Table 25 Global Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market Outlook, By Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) (2023-2034) ($MN)
Table 26 Global Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market Outlook, By Electric Vehicles (EVs) (2023-2034) ($MN)
Table 27 Global Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market Outlook, By Drones & Autonomous Delivery Units (2023-2034) ($MN)
Table 28 Global Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market Outlook, By End User (2023-2034) ($MN)
Table 29 Global Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market Outlook, By Food Manufacturers (2023-2034) ($MN)
Table 30 Global Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market Outlook, By Retailers & Supermarkets (2023-2034) ($MN)
Table 31 Global Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market Outlook, By Foodservice Operators (2023-2034) ($MN)
Table 32 Global Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market Outlook, By E-commerce Grocery Platforms (2023-2034) ($MN)
Table 33 Global Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market Outlook, By Households (2023-2034) ($MN)
Table 34 Global Cold-chain & Last-mile Food Logistics Market Outlook, By Institutional Buyers (2023-2034) ($MN)
Note: Tables for North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and Rest of the World (RoW) Regions are also represented in the same manner as above.


More Publications