Peru Cold Chain Market Outlook to 2029

The report titled “Peru Cold Chain Market Outlook to 2029 - By Service Type (Cold Storage, Cold Transportation), By Temperature Range, By End-User Industry (Dairy Products, Pharmaceuticals, Meat and Seafood, Fruits and Vegetables, Others), and By Region” provides a comprehensive analysis of the cold chain industry in Peru. The report covers an overview and genesis of the industry, overall market size in terms of revenue, market segmentation; key trends and developments, regulatory landscape, customer-level profiling, major challenges, and a comparative landscape including competition scenario, cross comparisons, opportunities and bottlenecks, and profiling of major players in the Cold Chain Market. The report concludes with future market projections based on revenue, service segments, region, cause-and-effect relationships, and case studies highlighting the major opportunities and risks.

Peru Cold Chain Market Overview and Size

The Peru cold chain market reached a valuation of PEN 1.1 billion in 2023, driven by increased demand for temperature-controlled logistics due to growing consumption of perishable goods, expansion of organized retail, and the rise in pharmaceutical exports. The market features key players such as Ransa Comercial, Linea, TASA Logistics, Frio Aéreo, and Andes Cold Storage. These companies are known for their cold storage infrastructure, transport capabilities, and focus on compliance with international standards.

In 2023, Ransa expanded its refrigerated warehouse capacity in Lima and Callao, targeting pharmaceutical and seafood exports. This move aligns with Peru’s broader effort to modernize its logistics infrastructure and improve cold chain connectivity across ports and highland regions.

What Factors are Leading to the Growth of the Peru Cold Chain Market:

• Agro-Export Growth: Peru’s agricultural exports, especially fruits such as avocados, blueberries, and grapes, have grown significantly, with cold chain services playing a vital role. In 2023, agro-exports accounted for over USD 10 Billion, a major portion of which required temperature-controlled handling and transit.

• Rising Pharmaceutical Demand: The pharmaceutical sector, particularly vaccine storage and biologics, is increasingly relying on cold chain logistics. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated infrastructure upgrades, with over 20% of cold chain investments in 2023 dedicated to healthcare logistics.

• Urbanization and Organized Retail: With rising urban population and increased penetration of supermarkets, demand for frozen and chilled foods is growing. In Lima alone, frozen food consumption rose by 18% in 2023, driven by convenience-seeking consumers and improvements in last-mile cold logistics.

Which Industry Challenges Have Impacted the Growth for Peru Cold Chain Market

• Fragmented Infrastructure and High Operating Costs: Despite growing demand, the cold chain sector in Peru remains fragmented, with limited penetration beyond urban areas. Approximately 60% of cold storage facilities are concentrated in Lima and Callao, creating logistical bottlenecks for producers in rural and highland regions. Additionally, operating costs—including energy consumption and fuel prices—remain high, reducing profit margins and discouraging private investment in remote regions.

• Lack of Skilled Workforce and Technical Know-How: Operating and maintaining cold chain systems require specialized technical expertise. However, the sector faces a talent shortage, with over 45% of operators reporting difficulties in hiring trained refrigeration technicians and logistics professionals. This gap has led to inefficiencies and compromised quality standards, especially in small and medium-sized enterprises.

• Limited Cold Chain Integration for SMEs: Small and medium-sized agri-producers and exporters often lack access to reliable cold chain services. A 2023 survey revealed that nearly 40% of SMEs in the agro-export segment experienced post-harvest losses due to inadequate cold storage or unreliable transportation, limiting their ability to meet export-grade standards and fulfill international contracts.

What are the Regulations and Initiatives which have Governed the Market:

• SENASA Cold Chain Compliance for Agro-Exports: The National Agrarian Health Service (SENASA) mandates cold chain certification for perishable agricultural exports such as fruits, vegetables, and seafood. In 2023, over 70% of fresh produce exports underwent mandatory pre-shipment cold chain checks, ensuring compliance with international phytosanitary norms.

• DIGEMID Guidelines for Pharmaceutical Logistics: The Peruvian Directorate General of Medicines (DIGEMID) has enforced strict temperature control and documentation standards for the storage and transport of temperature-sensitive medicines and vaccines. By end-2023, pharmaceutical companies had to comply with Good Storage and Distribution Practices (GSDP), increasing demand for certified cold storage facilities.

• Government-Backed Agro-Logistics Investment Programs: The Ministry of Transport and Communications, in coordination with ProInversión, has launched several public-private partnership (PPP) initiatives aimed at improving cold chain infrastructure in export corridors. Notably, in 2023, a PEN 120 million project was approved to establish cold hubs near Paita and Callao ports to reduce cargo spoilage and facilitate direct exports to North America and Europe.

Peru Cold Chain Market Segmentation

• By Service Type: Cold Storage continues to dominate the market, accounting for a major share due to increased demand for warehousing of fruits, seafood, and pharmaceutical products. Cold storage facilities are crucial in maintaining product quality before distribution, especially in export-driven sectors like avocados and blueberries. Cold Transportation is gaining momentum with the expansion of temperature-sensitive goods distribution networks across Peru. The rise of multi-temperature reefer trucks and demand for last-mile cold delivery—especially in urban centers like Lima, Arequipa, and Trujillo—is driving this segment’s growth.

• By End-User Industry: The Agro-Produce segment (fruits and vegetables) holds the largest share, supported by strong export volumes and compliance with cold chain protocols set by international buyers. The Meat and Seafood segment is the second-largest, fueled by both domestic consumption and international trade. Pharmaceuticals are a fast-growing segment, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic, with the government and private players investing in temperature-controlled logistics for vaccine distribution and biologics.

• By Temperature Range: Chilled (0°C to 8°C) is the most commonly used temperature band for dairy, fresh produce, and meat products. Frozen (-18°C and below) accounts for a significant portion, particularly for seafood and frozen processed foods. Ultra-low temperature logistics (below -20°C), while still niche, is growing steadily in the pharmaceutical segment for biologics and specialized drugs.

Competitive Landscape in Peru Cold Chain Market

The Peru cold chain market is moderately concentrated, with a mix of well-established logistics companies and emerging regional players. While national giants like Ransa and TASA dominate due to their integrated logistics networks, several niche cold logistics providers such as Andes Cold, Frio Aéreo, and Linea are also gaining traction by focusing on specific industry verticals like agro-exports and pharmaceuticals.

Some of the recent competitor trends and key information about competitors include:

• Ransa Comercial: One of the largest integrated logistics providers in Peru, Ransa expanded its cold storage capacity by 20% in 2023, particularly in Lima and Callao. The company also invested in IoT-based temperature monitoring systems to improve traceability and reduce spoilage rates, especially for the pharmaceutical and seafood segments.

• TASA Logistics: A subsidiary of the largest fishmeal exporter in the world, TASA has scaled its cold chain division to serve domestic and export clients. In 2023, it launched a new fleet of reefer trucks and reported a 28% increase in seafood shipments, largely driven by exports to Asia and Europe.

• Frio Aéreo: Operating out of Jorge Chávez International Airport, Frio Aéreo specializes in air-freight cold logistics for high-value perishables like asparagus, mangoes, and berries. The company handled over 40,000 metric tons of chilled exports in 2023, up 18% YoY, and expanded its cold chamber capacity to meet growing agro-export demand.

• Linea: Focused on nationwide distribution, Linea has built a strong presence in chilled and frozen transport, particularly for processed foods and dairy. In 2023, it introduced route optimization software that reduced delivery times by 12% and helped cut cold chain disruptions across remote highland areas.

• Andes Cold Storage: A rising player in the southern region of Peru, Andes Cold invested in solar-powered cold storage solutions in Arequipa in 2023, targeting sustainable storage for small agro-exporters. Their decentralized hub-and-spoke model has been instrumental in reducing post-harvest losses in less-connected regions.

What Lies Ahead for Peru Cold Chain Market?

The Peru cold chain market is projected to witness sustained growth through 2029, with a healthy CAGR driven by increasing agro-exports, rising pharmaceutical needs, and infrastructure development across storage and transport segments. The market is poised to play a crucial role in enhancing Peru’s global trade competitiveness and domestic food security.

• Expansion of Agro-Export-Oriented Cold Chain: With Peru's strategic focus on agricultural exports like blueberries, grapes, avocados, and mangoes, investments in pre-cooling, packhouse logistics, and port-based cold storage facilities are expected to increase. Exporters are increasingly adopting end-to-end cold chain solutions to meet international quality standards and minimize post-harvest losses.

• Pharmaceutical Cold Chain Modernization: As Peru expands its healthcare logistics capabilities, especially for vaccines, biologics, and temperature-sensitive drugs, the demand for GSDP-compliant facilities and temperature-validated transport systems will grow. By 2029, the pharmaceutical segment is expected to be one of the fastest-growing cold chain end-users.

• Technology-Driven Efficiency Gains: The integration of IoT sensors, GPS-tracked reefer vehicles, and cloud-based monitoring systems will enhance visibility and real-time temperature control. These innovations are expected to reduce wastage, improve route optimization, and increase compliance with global standards—critical for both exports and domestic perishables distribution.

• Emergence of Regional Cold Hubs: Secondary cities such as Arequipa, Trujillo, and Piura are emerging as regional cold chain hubs, reducing dependency on Lima and easing pressure on central logistics corridors. This decentralization will enable better access for small and medium-sized agri-producers and help balance national cold chain capacity.

Peru Cold Chain Market Segmentation

• By Service Type:

  • Cold Storage

  • Cold Transportation

  • Integrated Cold Chain Solutions

  • Reefer Container Services

  • Last-Mile Cold Delivery

• By Temperature Range:

  • Chilled (0°C to 8°C)

  • Frozen (-18°C and below)

  • Ultra-Low Temperature (below -20°C)

  • Ambient Controlled (15°C to 25°C)

• By End-User Industry:

  • Fruits and Vegetables

  • Meat and Seafood

  • Dairy Products

  • Pharmaceuticals and Biologics

  • Processed Foods

  • Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs)

  • Retail and Supermarkets

• By Type of Transport:

  • Road-Based Reefer Trucks

  • Air Freight Cold Chain

  • Sea Freight Reefer Containers

  • Rail-Based Cold Chain (Emerging)

• By Ownership Model:

  • 3PL Cold Chain Providers

  • Captive Cold Chains (Owned by Producers/Exporters)

  • Cooperative Cold Chains (SME/Farmer Collectives)

• By Region:

  • Lima & Callao

  • Northern Coastal (Piura, Tumbes, La Libertad)

  • Southern Highlands (Arequipa, Cusco, Puno)

  • Central Sierra (Junín, Huancayo)

  • Eastern Amazon (Iquitos, Loreto)

Players Mentioned in the Report:

• Ransa Comercial

• TASA Logistics

• Frio Aéreo

• Linea

• Andes Cold Storage

• Transportes Perales

• Agroindustria S.A.

• Soluciones Frigoríficas del Sur (SFS)

Key Target Audience:

• Cold Chain Logistics Providers

• Agro-Exporters and Farming Cooperatives

• Pharmaceutical Distributors

• Food Processing Companies

• Supermarkets and QSR Chains

• International Trade Agencies

• Government Regulatory Bodies (SENASA, DIGEMID, MTC)

• Investment Promotion Agencies (ProInversión)

• Technology and Cold Chain Equipment Vendors

Time Period:

• Historical Period: 2018–2023

• Base Year: 2024

• Forecast Period: 2024–2029