The cold chain is consistently and constantly changing. Cold chain operators are responding to evolving needs from customers, adopting new and emerging technologies, reacting to regulatory requirements and policy shifts, and investing in the skills and facilities to take temperature-controlled logistics into an efficient, sustainable and resilient future.

In 2025, operators met these challenges against a turbulent backdrop of political drama, major trade and tariff interventions and a challenging global economy. They have also faced the impacts on the temperature-controlled supply chain from extreme weather events, geopolitical tensions and shipping disruptions around the world.

Throughout this time of transition, the Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA) remains steadfast in serving our members with unique insights and guidance, education, advocacy and connection.

In parallel, GCCA is also in a time of our own evolution, steered by the experts in our membership and ensuring that the organization is supporting the needs of the cold chain — today and in the years and decades ahead.

During my first year at the helm of the alliance, it has been a pleasure to spend time with our members throughout the United States and around the world. Visiting cold chain facilities of all types and sizes, I’ve learned from the leaders of our industry and had many thoughtful discussions on GCCA priorities. I have also had the opportunity of speaking with many more hundreds of cold chain professionals and business stakeholders, at both GCCA and other industry events.

Those events remain crucial to our industry and the GCCA’s efforts in convening professionals around the world remain unparalleled.  In 2025, we hosted regional conferences in Copenhagen, Denmark; Sao Paolo, Brazil; Durban, South Africa and Santiago, Chile; Cold Chain Connection events in eight different nations focusing on key regional priorities; Cold Chain Institute specialist skill-building courses in North America, Europe, Australia and Latin America; and the inspiring 134th GCCA Global Convention in San Antonio, Texas.

We are proud to create these forums for face-to-face connections and peer-sharing, consistently valuable for the logistics sector. These programs are especially pertinent in times of uncertainty, when sharing insights and experiences, and exploring solutions and collaborations, helps businesses navigate difficulties and drive strong paths forward.

Cold Chain Policymaking

GCCA continues to champion good policy decisions that impact cold chain businesses across the globe. We engage with regulators, legislators and influencers to tell the cold chain’s story. Our mission is to explain the temperature-controlled supply chain's crucial role in delivering safe and high-quality perishable goods, while reducing waste and driving growth and prosperity.

Our voice has been clear and compelling throughout 2025, as GCCA has represented members’ interests in policy issues ranging from the impacts of changing trade and tariff policies, the U.S. FRIDGE Act, FSMA 204 compliance timeframes, protocols for frozen food temperature monitoring, investing in skills and training for the future, minimizing food loss and waste, the new EU Preparedness Strategy, infrastructure investment and energy security in Africa, global food security and much more.

As ever, we are committed to providing members with the latest cold chain specific insights and analysis. For instance, this year GCCA launched a Tariff Information and Resource Center on our website, to provide members and stakeholders detailed, curated insights into how tariff wars were uniquely impacting the chain.

READ THE SERIES

We also expanded our quarterly Cold Chain Index, releasing Canadian data on key cost factors in third-party logistics.

With a new U.S. Presidential term underway and global relations in flux, 2025 has also been the right time to realign GCCA’s advocacy approach and policy priorities, reflecting the changing political environment and evolution of cold chain issues. We have worked closely with members to develop future-facing global and regional advocacy strategies to deliver in 2026, which I look forward to putting into action alongside members in the U.S. and around the world

Driving Efficiency in the Cold Chain

The GCCA is excited to roll out new products and offerings in the first quarter, including our Redefining the Cold Chain white paper – a new benchmarking report on key performance metrics in warehouse operations – and continuing the excellent work of our global and regional capacity reports and Cold Chain Index.

Part of GCCA’s progression as we look to the future is an adjustment in the governance relationship between GCCA and the Controlled Environment Building Association (CEBA). As announced earlier this month, GCCA and CEBA Boards have assessed that members will be best served going forward through an individual governance structure for CEBA.

This reflects the evolution of our industries and the distinct purposes and strategic plans of each organization, while allowing flexibility for ongoing synergy and collaboration. We look forward to continuing to work closely with CEBA on areas of alignment between temperature-controlled storage, refrigerated transportation and controlled environment construction.

In early 2026, GCCA will be announcing adjustments and changes to its governance structure as we expand our transportation and logistics focus through the final stages of formally merging the International Association of Refrigerated Warehouses (IARW)/GCCA and the International Refrigerated Transportation Association (IRTA).

Our 2026 priorities will also be advanced by the work of our Committees, Advisory Councils, and Special Interest Groups. Our “Call for Interest” is live now through the end of the year and gives our members an opportunity to contribute their time and talents in specialty areas, including risk management, food safety, government affairs, construction codes, regional advisory councils and much more.

GCCA members represent over 8 billion cubic feet of cold storage capacity around the world.

However, the future of the temperature-controlled supply chain will not be shaped by technology or capacity alone. It will be shaped by people who are willing to innovate, collaborate and challenge the status quo as we continue to serve the cold chain from end to end. The cold chain is not simply a system, but a lifeline that supports economies, livelihoods and communities.