Chilling in the Desert: Cold Summit Development Creating Food Supply Chain Solutions

Arizona, known for its scorching deserts and blazing temperatures, might not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of cold storage facilities. However, the state's demand for large-scale refrigerated storage solutions has steadily risen. From preserving fresh produce to supporting the growing food distribution network, extensive cold storage facilities are indispensable in the transition to a more localized food supply chain across Arizona. One company, Cold Summit Development, is now operating a 348,000-square-foot facility in Glendale and changing how our supply chain functions in the state.

Arizona’s Rising Need For Cold Storage Solutions

Arizona's agricultural industry is, of course, a significant contributor to the state's economy, producing a wide range of fruits and vegetables year-round. We often send the produce, meat, eggs, and dairy produced right here in Arizona to other states or to Mexico to be processed or stored. This export of our local resources leaves our state vulnerable to supply chain and societal issues, as was revealed during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Arizona, we have a remarkable ability to grow our food, and we certainly have ample consumers for these foods. Yet, our food system is under-resourced in storing, processing, and aggregating the products we produce. Cold Summit is meeting that need in a new and progressive way that is changing the face of the cold storage industry.

Cold Summit: Meeting Arizona's Cold Storage Demands

Jason Fincher, Cold Summit’s Vice President of Development Strategy & Logistics, recently shared some of his views on cold storage's critical role in our state’s food system. The first thing to understand about cold storage’s role in the Arizona food system is that the infrastructure enables the movement of temperature-controlled goods, primarily food products. When populations shift, existing cold storage can be in the wrong location to support the new demand. Additionally, many cold storage facilities in the US are very old, averaging 42 years. Many of these facilities are past their useful life and are costing much more to maintain and operate than new-generation cold storage. With Arizona’s rising population, Cold Summit and its Glendale facility are poised to meet this demand and help ease the strain in our food system, keeping more Arizona-grown food in our state.

Cold storage is central to the food supply chain, especially in a state as large and with as many varied climates and growing regions as Arizona. By decreasing the amount of food that spoils and goes to waste, cold storage enables a significantly more extensive supply of fresh and frozen food to be available for consumption. Cold storage allows food to be safely distributed – without a cold chain, we would all be limited to the food types that could be part of our diet. Refrigerating food is the number one factor in reducing food-borne illness, and cold storage maintains the integrity of the cold chain from the point of production to where food is consumed.

Cold Summit also identifies that many more facilities like theirs are needed. In the US, it is estimated that approximately 100 million square feet of cold storage are needed to keep up with the increasing demand for fresh and frozen foods. Another 140 million square feet are required to replace aging buildings that are no longer operationally efficient. That translates to nearly 700 Cold Summit-sized facilities – just in the US. New cold storage is also needed to help improve the local food supply and to enable local economies to bring agricultural products to market.

Innovative Approach

So, what makes Cold Summit unique among competitors? It’s their willingness to innovate in the design of the facilities and deliver what they consider the next generation of cold chain real estate. Cold Summit is the only cold storage developer to formally partner with EnergyStar™, and their facilities are the most energy-efficient on the planet. They build to the highest quality standards in the market so the buildings can withstand the test of time. Moreover, they specifically consider the welfare of the employees at the facility and intentionally designed it to make them proud of the building they work in. Their commitment to the environment and the welfare of the employees has attracted some of the most prominent names in the industry, and they are proud to partner with these companies who share our values.

As Arizona continues evolving as a cold storage and distribution hub, Cold Summit Development is poised for further growth and innovation. With advancements in technology, sustainability initiatives, and logistical efficiency, extensive cold storage facilities will play an increasingly vital role in supporting the diverse needs of our food-producing state.