By Eamonn Ryan
This series is based on a joint GCCA–IFC webinar on the topic Cold Chain Insights in Emerging Markets, moderated by Amanda Brondy (GCCA), with contributions from Harsh Gupta, Cold Chain Lead, IFC; Rusmir Music, Global Cooling Lead, IFC; Selcuk Tanatar, TechEmerge Lead, IFC; Sunil Nair, Cooling Markets Lead India, GCCA; and Adam Thocher, Senior VP of Global Programs, GCCA.
This is part one of an eight-part series with this first part covering the topic: Cold chains are no longer optional logistics assets but foundational infrastructure for food security, economic growth, and climate resilience in emerging markets.
Cold chains have traditionally been viewed as a specialised component of food logistics – important, but secondary to transport networks, energy systems or market access. During the GCCA–IFC webinar, panellists challenged this perception, arguing that cold chains should instead be understood as critical economic infrastructure, particularly in emerging markets where climate pressures and food losses are intensifying.
In many developing regions, the absence of reliable cold storage and refrigerated transport leads to severe post-harvest losses. Farmers are often forced to sell produce immediately after harvest, when prices are lowest, because they lack the means to store goods safely. This dynamic reduces incomes, discourages investment in productivity and undermines food availability in urban centres. Panellists emphasised that these losses are not marginal; in some markets, 30–50% of perishable food is lost before reaching consumers.
Climate change further elevates the importance of cold chains. Rising average temperatures, longer heatwaves and higher humidity levels accelerate spoilage and increase food safety risks. Cooling is increasingly required not only for frozen goods, but also for fresh produce, dairy, meat, pharmaceuticals and even basic food staples that previously moved without temperature control. As Rusmir Music noted, cooling is becoming “ever-present but hidden” – essential to operations, yet often overlooked in planning and investment decisions.
The panel stressed that cold chains are not limited to large industrial warehouses. They form an ecosystem that includes farm-gate cooling, aggregation centers, refrigerated transport, urban distribution hubs, retail freezers and last-mile solutions such as solar-powered cold boxes. Weakness at any point in this chain compromises the entire system.
Importantly, cold chains also represent a major economic opportunity. Urbanisation, changing diets and growing middle classes are driving demand for higher-quality, safer and more diverse food products. Countries that invest early in cold chain infrastructure position themselves to meet domestic demand, reduce imports and access export markets with strict quality requirements.
The key message from the panel was clear: cold chains should be planned, financed and regulated with the same seriousness as roads, ports and power grids. Treating them as essential infrastructure is a prerequisite for building resilient, inclusive and climate-adapted food systems.