COLD CHAIN AUTOMATION · WHITE PAPER
Delivering Resilience:
What is the future of cold storage and food logistics in the UK?
As demand for frozen and chilled goods rises, so do the pressures on cold storage. From labour shortages to energy costs and product integrity. Automation answers each challenge, backed by 50+ years of Daifuku cold chain experience.
INSIDE
- A foreword by Phil Pluck, CEO of the Cold Chain Federation
- An analysis of the key factors driving the UK’s cold chain sector
- An overview of the eight major challenges facing the industry
- How cold chain operators can leverage efficiencies from automation
- Four international case studies that demonstrate the effective use of automation
The UK cold chain is critical infrastructure
£14bn
gross value added by the UK cold chain
184,000
UK jobs supported by the cold chain
34m m3
of temperature-controlled UK storage
£53bn
UK chilled & frozen manufacturing sales
Source: Cold Chain Federation — Cold Chain Report 2026
THE CHALLENGES
The pressures on cold stores are mounting
Traditional manual operations are struggling to keep pace with modern cold chain demands.
| 1. Labour Resilience | 2. Capacity Resilience | 3. Availability and Service Continuity | 4. Supply Chain Responsiveness | 5. Product Protection |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recruiting and retaining staff for chilled and frozen work is hard — 7 of 10 cold chain roles are 'difficult to recruit'. | Growing volumes must fit restricted footprints and costly refrigerated space. | Rising SKU variety and smaller, faster orders pile pressure on productivity and accuracy. | Store replenishment and e-grocery fulfilment demand speed at ever-higher volumes. | Maintaining an unbroken cold chain to protect quality from intake to dispatch. |
“The UK does not simply need more cold storage. It needs a smarter, more resilient and more energy-efficient cold chain.”
Russell Hutchinson, Head of Business Development at Daifuku Europe
THE EXPERTS
Daifuku’s cold chain automation experience
Since 1973
in cold chain automation
1,300+
stacker cranes in cold environments
−30°C
deep-freeze capable systems
Maker
not just a systems integrator
Position your cold chain site for what's next
Meet us at Cold Chain Live
On October 13-14 at the UK’s Telford Intl’ Centre, we’ll be there in person — come and talk cold chain automation with the team.