Rising middle class boosting global cold chain logistics

Cold chain logistics is shaping up to be global. In the current scenario, there is a high demand for health food that is fresh and nutritious. Further, the growth of the middle-class population in developing economies such as China and India have boosted the demand for cold chain logistics.

With an increase in the disposable income worldwide, the demand for high-end products has increased. Consumers are not shying away from spending a bit more for high quality and fresh products. Cold chain logistics plays a very important role in maintaining the quality and the freshness of various types of consumables such as fruits & vegetables and other products.

The demand for fresh food has led to an increase in innovation and techniques to tackle capacity and infrastructure constraints. A recent report published by Allied Market Research discusses the important parameters of the cold chain logistics market such as the market share, size and growth.

Increase in focus on quality and product sensitivity
Over the last decade, the focus in the food industry has shifted to quality, health and integrity. This is the biggest trend that has been observed in the market. The manufacturers operating in the industry are required to win over the trust of the consumers who are seeking an exceptional user experience. This can be a challenging task for the global leaders operating in the cold chain logistics market.

To retain the customers and offer a quality experience, industry players must ensure that there is no change in texture and taste during a shipment that at times strays into temperatures that are not recommended. According to Doug Harrison, president and CEO, VersaCold, the market has witnessed a surge in premium products that have a short shelf life, sensitive to temperature changes and have a high demand.

This increase in demand for premium products, quality and product sensitivity has intensified the focus on consumer experiene. It is essential for warehouses that are operating worldwide across the cold food to maintain five different temperature zones.

The demand for cold chain logistics is high in the developed regions of the world such as the U.S., Canada, Germany, France and the U.K. Established guidelines, government initiative and regulations, and overall progress in technology has created several opportunities in these regions. The Asia-Pacific region has also promised to attract investment from foreign brands as the economy in the region is stable and offers a lot of scope for the growth of cold chain logistics.

The cold chain logistics market is set to show significant growth in the future. The main driving factor includes the need to focus on food quality without compromising with its properties. Further, several technological investments and a modern back-end IT infrastructure will further create several opportunities in the industry. Leading manufacturers have invested in technology that enables the regulating of temperature and tracks the movement of the carrier transporting the products.

Publication date: Fri 31 Mar 2017