United States Cold Chain Market Report and Forecast 2026–2034

Study Period

2020-2034

Market (2025)

USD 105.43 billion

Market (2034)

USD 394.77 billion

CAGR

15.8

Major Markets Players

DHL USA, FedEx, UPS, XPO Logistics, Kuehne + Nagel USA and Others

United States Cold Chain Market Insights & Analysis

The United States Cold Chain Market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 15.80% during the forecast period 2026–2034. The market was valued at USD 105.43 billion in 2025 and is expected to reach USD 394.77 billion by 2034. This exceptional growth is driven by booming online grocery, pharmaceutical distribution, vaccine logistics, biologics, fresh food exports, and rising demand for temperature-controlled e-commerce fulfillment.

The U.S. has one of the most advanced cold chain ecosystems in the world, with strong investments in refrigerated warehouses, cold storage distribution centers, and temperature-controlled transport fleets. Rising consumption of frozen foods, biologic drugs, and personalized medicines is accelerating the need for precise and reliable cold logistics.

In addition, the expansion of grocery e-commerce, meal kit delivery, and pharmaceutical home delivery is pushing logistics providers to rapidly upgrade their cold storage and last-mile cold chain capabilities.

United States Cold Chain Market Dynamics

Key Driver: Explosion of Pharma, Grocery & Vaccine Cold Logistics

Rising biologics, gene therapies, vaccine programs, and fresh food e-commerce have made cold chain logistics mission-critical in the United States. Pharmaceutical manufacturers, grocery retailers, and healthcare providers are demanding high-precision, compliant cold logistics services.

Industry Trend: Automation, AI & Ultra-Cold Storage

Cold chain operators are investing in robotic cold warehouses, ultra-low temperature freezers (-80°C), blockchain-based traceability, and IoT temperature sensors to meet pharmaceutical and biotech standards.

Major Challenge: High Energy & Compliance Costs

Cold storage facilities require massive energy consumption and strict regulatory compliance, increasing operating costs.

Opportunity: Biologics, Gene Therapy & Online Grocery

Breakthroughs in biotech, personalized medicine, and direct-to-consumer grocery delivery create enormous growth potential for advanced cold chain networks.

United States Cold Chain Market Segment-wise Analysis

By Service Type:

• Transportation & Freight Forwarding
• Warehousing & Storage
• Refrigerated Storage
• Inventory Management
• Temperature Monitoring & Value-Added Services

Refrigerated storage and cold transportation generate the largest revenue share.

By Temperature Type:

• Frozen
• Chilled
• Ambient

Frozen and chilled logistics dominate due to food, vaccines, and biologics.

By End-Use Industry:

• Pharmaceuticals & Healthcare
• Food & Beverage
• Agriculture
• Retail & E-commerce
• Others

Pharmaceuticals and online grocery are the fastest-growing demand segments.

By Mode of Transportation:

• Roadways
• Railways
• Airways
• Sea Transport

Road and air cold logistics dominate due to speed and compliance needs.

Why Choose This Report?

• Deep dive into the world’s largest cold chain market.
• Segmentation by service, temperature range, industry, and region.
• Forecasts from 2020 to 2034.
• Analysis of pharma, food, and e-commerce cold logistics.
• Company-level competitive insights.
• Strategic support for investment and expansion decisions.