By Eamonn Ryan
The cold chain is entering a new era – one defined not by constraint, but by innovation. From smarter technologies to more efficient systems, the future offers a powerful opportunity to reduce waste, cut emissions and build a more food-secure world.
Worldwide, 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from food loss and waste.
A significant portion of that loss happens during transport. So how can innovative climate tech help reduce both food waste and carbon emissions? By creating a smarter and more efficient cold chain.
Future-proofing the retail cold chain
Urbanisation and population growth implies a steady increase in global demand for food in retail outlets. Essential to this trend is the retail cold chain as the foundation of sustainability, efficiency and consumer trust. Industry expert and founder of the Southern African Refrigerated Distribution Association (SARDA) John Ackermann, outlines a vision for how the sector will likely evolve – one defined less by expansion of scarce resources, such as water and electricity, and more by smarter use of what already exists.
At the heart of this evolution is a simple but pressing reality: the world’s growing population is outpacing the natural resources available to produce food.
According to Ackermann, the most effective response is to reduce wastage across the cold chain. This positions technology as a key enabler – not just for operational efficiency, but for global food security.
A central theme is the concept of the ‘seamless cold chain’ – which currently is not as seamless as many presume it to be. “It requires maintaining consistent product temperatures from the point of origin – whether that’s a farm, fishery or processing plant – all the way through to retail outlet and ultimately the consumer. When there are breaks in this chain, product quality and shelf life are compromised, and energy consumption increases are needed to restore the product temperature. Products that warm during transit need to be re- cooled, which creates unnecessary and avoidable inefficiencies,” says Ackermann.
He invokes retail cold chain trends which are already evident, growing and ultimately becoming ubiquitous. For instance, beyond technology, stricter protocols and practices will play a vital role. One key principle is that products at post-harvest should already be at the correct temperature before entering the cold chain, rather than being cooled during it. This shift in discipline reduces energy demand and supports overall system efficiency.
Ackermann points to the growing adoption of doors on refrigerated cabinets, replacing traditional open units.
“These systems improve temperature stability, extend shelf life and significantly reduce energy use. At the same time, the role of advanced monitoring systems is becoming increasingly important. Rather than simply reacting to equipment failures, retailers are shifting toward predictive maintenance, using systems that can identify performance decline before they escalate.”
Furthermore, he notes, temperature control is becoming more sophisticated. “Traditional single-point sensing is giving way to more comprehensive approaches, with multiple sensors and improved airflow design helping to ensure uniform temperature distribution across storage spaces. Emerging technologies such as infrared sensing are set to further enhance monitoring accuracy while simplifying measurement processes.”
Another area of rapid development is micro logistics, driven by the surge in online grocery shopping. Ensuring that perishable goods remain within safe temperature ranges during last-mile delivery is a growing challenge. Ackermann emphasises the need for temperature-controlled solutions – even at the level of small delivery vehicles with insulated containers – to maintain product integrity from store to doorstep.
Underlying all these developments is a heightened focus on food safety and
consumer expectations. “Rising awareness of health risks, from foodborne illness to product recalls, means consumers are demanding greater transparency, longer shelf life and absolute confidence in product quality.”
In this context, the future retail cold chain is not defined by any single breakthrough or technology, but by the integration of smarter technologies, tighter controls and a shared commitment to efficiency. As Ackermann suggests, success will depend on how effectively the industry can align these elements to deliver a truly seamless, energy- efficient and waste-conscious system.
Decarbonising cold chains
When the world talks about carbon emissions, the focus often falls on smokestacks and tailpipes. Yet as much as 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions are linked to food loss and waste. Behind that statistic lies a profound ethical contradiction: millions go hungry while vast quantities of food spoil before reaching a plate.
In a recent Healthy Spaces podcast hosted by Trane Technologies’ Dominique Silva, two industry leaders unpacked
how innovation in transport refrigeration is tackling both emissions and food insecurity. While Claudio Zanframundo, president of Thermo King EMEA, outlined the technological frontier, it was South Africa’s own Renier du Preez, CEO of Digistics and GCCA Africa Advisory Council member, who grounded the conversation in African realities.
Zanframundo emphasised that food loss is not simply an environmental issue but an ethical one. Around 10% of edible food waste occurs during distribution, and when up to half of fruit and vegetables in some regions are wasted, emissions effectively double as replacement volumes must be grown and transported. For him, the cold chain is central to reversing this waste.
Thermo King’s response has been technological innovation. Its AxlePower system, developed with axle manufacturer BPW, captures kinetic energy generated during braking and stores it in battery- to-power trailer refrigeration units. Instead of burning diesel to keep cargo cold, the system effectively harvests energy that would otherwise be lost.
After extensive testing across EMEA – including demanding African routes – the technology has recovered more than 30MW of energy from over half a million kilometres of travel. For long-haul operations, that translates into lower emissions, reduced diesel consumption and improved total cost of ownership.
Electrification is another pillar of decarbonisation. Thermo King’s E-Series refrigeration units are designed specifically for battery electric vehicles, offering significant weight reduction and improved efficiency. Lower weight means lower energy consumption, longer range and reduced lifecycle emissions. Digital tracking further strengthens the cold chain by providing real-time temperature monitoring and enabling rapid intervention before cargo is lost.
Yet innovation on paper is one thing; implementation in Africa is another. For Du Preez, sustainability is not a branding exercise but an operational necessity. “Operating in Africa, electricity is a big challenge,” he noted. With unreliable grid supply in South Africa, logistics operators cannot afford dependency on state power. Digistics therefore invested heavily in solar energy to build contingency and self-sufficiency into its distribution centres.
The company is also piloting battery- powered refrigerated vehicles equipped with Thermo King’s kinetic energy recovery technology. In practice, Du Preez reports, these vehicles have run for over a month without requiring diesel to power refrigeration or tail lifts. Batteries dispatch at roughly 35% charge and are fully recharged within two hours of driving – without ever plugging into the grid.
For a country grappling with load shedding and fuel volatility, this is key. Quiet operation enables early morning urban deliveries without noise complaints. Eliminating diesel refrigeration cuts emissions and operating costs simultaneously. What began as a sustainability initiative has become a resilience strategy.
Digistics’ innovation extends beyond vehicle technology. In a practical example of circular logistics, the company now collects used cooking oil from quick service restaurant (QSR) clients on return legs of delivery routes. Instead of separate collection vehicles – the so-called ‘bakkie brigade’ – used oil is transported back to distribution centres, processed into biodiesel and blended into fleet fuel. This reduces emissions by more than threefold compared to conventional diesel while creating financial value for clients.
Du Preez sees an even larger challenge: infrastructure gaps across the continent. He estimates that as much as 30% of food in parts of Africa is wasted simply due to insufficient cold chain capacity. For him, the opportunity lies in decentralised, potentially off-grid refrigeration solutions tailored to rural communities.
Small-scale, self-sustaining cold storage could dramatically reduce post-harvest losses, improving both food security and livelihoods.
While Zanframundo speaks of progressive adoption and shortening payback periods, Du Preez speaks of necessity and ingenuity. In a constrained environment, African operators are forced to innovate faster and more creatively. Solar installations, battery storage, biodiesel integration and kinetic energy recovery are not abstract sustainability goals – they are practical responses to unreliable infrastructure and rising costs.
The message from the podcast is that the technology to reduce food loss and decarbonise transport already exists. The real question is adoption. In South Africa and across Africa, where food insecurity and energy instability intersect, the cold chain is no longer a back-end logistics function. It is a frontline solution to emissions, resilience and hunger.
As Du Preez argues, the opportunity is immense – not only to cut carbon, but to build a more food-secure continent.
The warehouse as competitive differentiator
Data from Knight Frank’s Africa Industrial Market Dashboard shows occupancy rates for modern warehouses (though not necessarily cold stores) in key cities like
Johannesburg, Nairobi and Lagos climbing to around 85%, with prime rental rates rising as well. Demand is clear. Supply of high-quality, automation-ready cold storage remains constrained.
Globally, logistics executives rank warehousing and logistics hubs as the top priority for infrastructure investment.
This reflects a fundamental shift: the warehouse is no longer peripheral to trade competitiveness. It is central.
For cold chain operators and retailers alike, the question is no longer whether to modernise warehouses – but how boldly.
Retail’s future will be shaped not only by storefront experiences and digital platforms, but by what happens inside temperature- controlled walls: the choreography of robots, the hum of refrigeration systems, the skill of technicians and the intelligence embedded in design.
The warehouse of the future is taller. It is more automated. It is more energy- dense. But above all, it is intentional – designed from the inside out to serve a retail landscape that demands speed, sustainability and resilience in equal measure.