16 American Journal of Transportation American Journal of Transportation ajot.com There has been significant focus from governments on regional food security. As the area is so heavily reliant on imports and global trade, investment in port capacity and transportation infra- structure has led to a large focus on facilitating the storage and distribution of temperature-con- trolled goods.” “Africa is the area that has some of the greatest potential but also some of the largest challenges. We see significant interest and investment across the continent, and the funda- mentals required for developing cold-chain infrastructure are all there – growing population, more middle-class families, urban resident growth all point to a growing need. GCCA has been working for quite a while to connect the disparate parties to develop the third-party logis- tics markets and infrastructure because there is interest and need, but access to capital, reg- ulation, and a lack of knowledge of how cold chains can solve some of the major challenges with accessibility of foods pres- ent roadblocks.” Brennan agreed and said the latest Farm Bill contains some dollars to help spur investment in Africa. “There is a particular focus on cold chain infrastructure investment in East Africa, cen- tered around Kenya and the Northern Corridor. Looking ahead, the progress of the 2026 Farm Bill in the U.S. could help unlock further investment into cold chain infrastructure in developing economies. The Bill includes the Fortifying Refriger- ation Infrastructure and Devel- oping Global Exports (FRIDGE) Act, which GCCA has champi- oned. This provision directs the US Department of Agriculture to work with eligible trade orga- nizations to enhance cold chain capacity, port infrastructure, and related logistics capabili- ties in emerging and developing export markets. Its implemen- tation could help create new trade opportunities, improve food security and nutrition, and reduce food loss and waste.” Cold Chain Challenges Thocher said a more robust cold chain is eventually headed to developing countries, but challenges remain. “Developing economies represent some of the most compelling long-term oppor- tunities in the sector, but the investment calculus is funda- mentally different from mature markets. There is significant investment locally and from foreign investors, but the equa- tion isn’t simply about funding a building construction project and making the higher cost of capital work. Beyond capital, the industry development work itself is critical - convincing Survey says - Resilience is now key to strengthening the global cold chain By Andrew Meadows, AJOT In the massive global cold chain network - where an endless array of temperature sensitive products is shipped thousands of miles every day - resilience has become the expectation. And despite various forms of disruption, effi- ciency and flexibility are not contradictory goals in the effort to minimize waste, maximize margins and meet consumers’ changing demands. These are some of the primary takeaways from Lineage’s 2026 Cold Chain Insights Survey. The full report, released in June 2026, analyzes an extensive list of factors influencing ongoing world- wide logistics decisions and risk planning. The study reports an industry evolving in a time of technology, complexity, and opportunity. Based on a survey of 1,000 decision-makers across the United States (500), Canada (250), and Mexico (250), Lineage provides insight into how compa- nies are seeking resilience while evaluating logis- tics partnerships and prioritizing investments. Respondents were mid-management level or higher from companies with a minimum rev- enue of $250,000 USD equivalency and at least 10 employees. Qualifications included utilizing a logistics or cold chain service company and over- seeing food products at their company. Data col- lection via email invitation and an online survey occurred between October 17 and November 7, 2025, preceding recent events associated with 2026 increased fuel costs. “Food and beverage company leaders are no longer reacting to isolated disruptions; they are operating in an environment where volatility has become a persistent condition to plan against. Companies are strengthening resilience strategies, increasing investments in data and automation and seeking closer alignment with logistics partners,” the report states. “In practice, this is meant to enable greater flexibility in network design, better visibility across operations and closer partner coor- dination in real time. Resilience is increasingly defined by responsiveness – the ability to integrate data, scale operations, and adapt to changing con- ditions in real time, rather than more traditional conventions like capacity or cost control. As food supply chains continue to evolve, performance will depend on the ability to combine intelligence, net- work scale, and execution discipline.” “External uncertainty and instability are driv- ing planning conversations among supply chain leaders. The findings suggest that food and bever- age companies are no longer treating disruption as a temporary factor and are adjusting their strategic frameworks to accommodate it.” A snapshot of the Lineage survey findings: Respondents Top Concerns in Supply Chain Planning • Shifts caused by changes in consumer prefer- ences – 44% • Changes in global trade relationships (including tariffs) - 42% • The possibility of another unforeseen pandem- ic-level event – 41% • Food-specific illness outbreaks and recalls - 35% • Natural disasters or extreme-weather events - 33% • Changes in regulatory or compliance require- ments - 28% • Geopolitical tensions or conflicts - 27% • Shortages of workforce talent - 27% • Cybersecurity incidents - 18% INNOVATION THAT DELIVERS BETWEEN JACKSONVILLE AND SAN JUAN TRUST YOUR TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE GOODS TO THE MOST INNOVATIVE TRADE IN THE FLEET. At TOTE, innovation drives reliability. Through continued investment in advanced equipment, state-of-the-art refrigerated containers, GPS tracking technology, and our CoolConnect service, we help ensure your cargo remains protected and visible throughout its journey—from port to final delivery. WWW.TOTEMARITIME.COM 877.775.7447 (INCREASE – continued from page 12) (INCREASE – continued on page 18) (SURVEY – continued on page 18)
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