COLDRUSH LOGISTICS: Primed for rapid growth

The evolving cold chain transporter has shown much promise in the last eight years. With considerable investment in vehicles, infrastructure and technology, Coldrush Logistics is realising its full potential as a renowned player in the cold chain segment, writes Rajesh Rajgor

- Rajesh Rajgor

The cold chain industry has seen quite a transformation in the last five years. Increasing urbanisation and the growth of organised retail, food servicing and food processing sectors are boosting the growth of the cold chain industry in India. So much so that the portfolio of temperature-controlled refrigerated boxes, storages and deep-freezing transportation for dairy, fruits and vegetables, meat and poultry has impressively expanded in recent years. However, more is less for a market like India that aims at establishing integrated cold chain and preservation facilities across the length and breadth of the country.

A study on the all-India cold chain infrastructure capacity carried out by NABARD Consultancy Service (NABCONS) assessed the requirement at 350 lakh MT capacity of cold storage for perishable fruits and vegetables. Currently, the overall cold storage capacity across the country is 374.25 lakh MT. There’s been a lot of water under the bridge since; much of the desired is realised, but the demand too has risen. Emphasis on healthcare has also played a crucial role in India focusing not only on cold chain transportation but also cold storages. The trend is now shifting towards establishing multipurpose cold storages and providing end-to-end services to control temperature throughout the value chain.