Running on Ice: Walk-in cold storage market grows its footprint

In this edition: Breaking down the new Polar King report, the pharmaceutical alliance that’s shaking up the industry and Kodiak brings sandwiches to the freezer aisle.

In this edition: Breaking down the new Polar King report, the pharmaceutical alliance that’s shaking up the industry and Kodiak brings sandwiches to the freezer aisle. (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

Key Takeaways:

  • The mobile/rental cold storage market is rapidly expanding, projected to exceed $5 billion by 2034 and currently representing 15% of the total walk-in cooler and freezer market by value.
  • Growth is driven by increased demand for flexible cold storage due to factors like evolving food and beverage trends, stricter food safety regulations, expansion in life sciences and pharmaceuticals, and disaster preparedness needs.
  • Temporary cold storage solutions are increasingly seen as essential infrastructure, not just temporary fixes, offering scalability and adaptability to changing demands.
  • This market shift is impacting various sectors, including food service, life sciences, event management, and emergency response, prompting businesses to adopt flexible refrigeration strategies.

Polar Leasing, a provider of rental walk-in refrigeration solutions, has released a report on one of the cold chain’s fastest-growing segments: mobile and rental walk-in cold storage. The report, “Emerging Trends Shaping the Walk-In Cold Storage Mobile/Rental Sector,” offers insight into how temporary refrigeration is gaining traction across sectors from food service to emergency response.

According to the report, the mobile/rental cold storage market now accounts for approximately 15% of the total walk-in cooler and freezer market by value — a figure projected to exceed $5 billion by 2034.

Key growth drivers identified in the report include:

  • Evolving food and beverage demands: A boom in ready-to-eat meals, fresh food delivery and seasonal surges is prompting food service providers to seek flexible, short-term cold storage options.
  • Stricter food safety regulations: Compliance pressures are increasing demand for reliable, hygienic, easily deployable refrigeration solutions.
  • Life sciences and pharma expansion: The growth of biologics, compounded medications and specialty supplements is spurring demand for temporary, temperature-controlled environments.
  • Disaster preparedness and events: Emergency response teams and large-scale event organizers rely on mobile cold storage to maintain perishables and critical supplies.

The report points to a broader industry shift: Temporary, mobile cold storage solutions are becoming essential infrastructure, not just stopgaps. As demand fluctuates and new regulatory or operational pressures emerge, supply chain professionals are increasingly turning to flexible refrigeration strategies that can be deployed quickly, scaled as needed, and integrated into both routine and emergency operations.

“This report was designed to serve as a comprehensive resource for decision-makers across industries, including foodservice, life sciences, event management, and emergency response,” said Jimmy Kollmer, national cold chain manager at Polar Leasing Co, in a news release. “Our goal is to provide expert guidance to help businesses match their specific short-term refrigeration needs with the most effective and reliable cold storage solutions.”

Find the full report here.

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Mary O'Connell

Former pricing analyst, supply chain planner, and broker/dispatcher turned creator of the newsletter and podcast Check Call. Which gives insights into the world around 3PLs and Freight brokers. She will talk your ear off about anything and everything if you let her. Expertise in operations, LTL pricing and procurement, flatbed operations, dry van, tracking and tracing, reality tv shows and how to turn a stranger into your new best friend.