Assessment Of Canada's Food Logistics Market (2026-2031): Size, Share, Trends, Competition, Growth Forecasts Cold-Chain Expansion, AI Automation, And Intermodal Investment Unlock 5.27% CAGR
Dublin, Nov. 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- "Canada Food Logistics - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2026-2031)" has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.
The Canada food logistics market is projected to grow from USD 17.37 billion in 2025 to USD 18.36 billion in 2026, reaching USD 23.74 billion by 2031. The market is expected to record a CAGR of 5.27% from 2026 to 2031, supported by expanding cold-chain infrastructure, changing consumer preferences, intermodal investment, and demand for advanced food traceability.
Canada's food distribution network is undergoing significant structural change as plant-based protein consumption, hydrogen-powered reefer fleets, and Indigenous food-security corridors reshape logistics operations. The concentration of approximately 90% of the Canadian population within 160 km of the United States border also continues to influence domestic routes, cross-border trade, storage locations, and transportation capacity.
Plant-Based and Fresh Food Demand Strengthens Cold-Chain Logistics
Plant-based protein sales increased by 37% between 2020 and 2024, reaching CAD 1.2 billion (USD 867 million). This growth is generating demand for cold-chain systems capable of maintaining 85-95% relative humidity and precise temperatures. Products without preservatives are particularly vulnerable to thermal fluctuations, making ISO 22000 compliance, real-time monitoring, and controlled handling increasingly important.
Fresh produce, including leafy greens and berries, can lose quality quickly in standard refrigerated vehicles. Logistics providers are responding with modified-atmosphere packaging, ethylene-scrubbing systems, and faster farm-to-distribution-center operations. In British Columbia's Lower Mainland, which produces 60% of Canada's greenhouse vegetables, some deliveries must be completed within four hours to preserve freshness and shelf life.
Consumer interest in food miles and environmental performance is also encouraging operators to adopt route-optimization technology and renewable-energy solutions. These priorities are increasing demand for efficient, transparent, and lower-emission Canada food logistics services.
Federal Investment Accelerates Cold-Storage Development
The National Trade Corridors Fund has allocated CAD 4.6 billion (USD 3.3 billion) through 2028, with 18% designated for cold-chain projects. Funding is supporting automated reefer plug-ins, temperature-controlled warehouses, port upgrades, and intermodal infrastructure.
Vancouver's terminal expansion is adding 150,000 ft of cold storage and capacity for 1,200 concurrent connections. Montreal's Contrecoeur port is integrating tri-modal refrigerated capacity to improve the movement of exports to Asian markets. Inland ports in Winnipeg and Saskatoon are also strengthening prairie agrifood distribution through pre-cooling facilities and bonded rail services. Long-lead infrastructure projects extending beyond 2028 are expected to provide continued capacity growth throughout the forecast period.
Fuel Costs and Workforce Constraints Create Market Pressure
Volatile diesel taxation and fuel surcharges remain major challenges for road-based refrigerated transportation. Rising costs can weaken fixed-rate contracts, strain shipper relationships, and encourage the use of rail on suitable long-haul corridors. Smaller fleets without fuel hedging capabilities may face consolidation pressure as larger operators use scale to manage price volatility.
Additional factors shaping the Canada food logistics market include:
- Cross-border e-commerce exports of Canadian specialty foods increasing demand for small-lot, temperature-controlled freight Hydrogen fuel-cell-powered refrigerated trailers reducing long-haul emissions and operating costs A national shortage of certified industrial-refrigeration technicians delaying new facility commissioning
Transportation Leads as Value-Added Services Expand
Transportation accounted for 49.87% of the Canada food logistics market in 2025, led by road haulage connecting agricultural and food production regions with urban markets. Meanwhile, value-added services such as blast-chilling, humidity-controlled packaging, inventory management, and SKU-level traceability are projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.84%.
Warehouse automation is becoming central to market development. AI-guided put-away systems and robotic picking can increase accuracy to 99.8% while reducing labor hours by 35%. Intermodal rail is also gaining momentum, supported by CAD 1.8 billion (USD 1.3 billion) in refrigerated container fleet investment from CN and CP. Air freight remains essential for premium seafood, berries, and other time-sensitive exports.
Food logistics providers are increasingly offering end-to-end services that combine transportation, storage, handling, and compliance reporting under single-provider agreements. Blast-chilling can command premiums of 40-60% over standard storage, while modified-atmosphere smart packaging can reduce produce waste by 20%. Blockchain-linked IoT sensors further support compliance with Safe Food for Canadians Regulations by providing shipment visibility and verifiable digital traceability.
As technology, food safety requirements, and sustainability expectations become more demanding, operators with multi-modal networks, advanced cold-chain assets, and robust IT platforms are positioned to benefit from the continued expansion of the Canada food logistics market.
Key Topics Covered
1 Introduction
1.1 Study Assumptions and Market Definition
1.2 Scope of the Study
2 Research Methodology
3 Executive Summary
4 Market Landscape
4.1 Market Overview
4.2 Market Drivers
4.2.1 Surging Consumer Shift Toward Plant-Based & Fresh-Produce SKUs Requiring Stricter Humidity-Controlled Logistics
4.2.2 Federal Trade Corridors Fund Capital Grants Accelerating Cold-Storage and Intermodal Node Build-Outs
4.2.3 Cross-Border E-Commerce Exports of Canadian Specialty Foods Boosting Small-Lot, Temperature-Controlled Freight
4.2.4 Roll-Out of Hydrogen Fuel-Cell-Powered Refrigerated Trailers Lowering Long-Haul Emissions and OPEX
4.2.5 Indigenous-Community Food-Security Programs Catalyzing New Northern Cold-Chain Corridors
4.2.6 AI-Based Import-Inspection Scheduling at Ports Cutting Clearance Times For Perishables
4.3 Market Restraints
4.3.1 Volatile Diesel Taxation Surcharges Inflating Long-Haul Reefer Operating Costs
4.3.2 National Shortage of Certified Industrial-Refrigeration Technicians Delaying Facility Commissioning
4.3.3 Escalating Cyber-Insurance Premiums After Cold-Chain Ransomware Attacks Raising Overheads
4.3.4 Seasonal Ice-Road Melt Disrupting Northern Last-Mile Refrigerated Deliveries
4.4 Value / Supply-Chain Analysis
4.5 Regulatory Landscape
4.6 Technological Outlook
4.7 Porter's Five Forces
4.7.1 Bargaining Power of Suppliers
4.7.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers
4.7.3 Threat of New Entrants
4.7.4 Threat of Substitutes
4.7.5 Competitive Rivalry
4.8 Pricing Analysis
5 Market Size and Growth Forecasts (Value, USD Billion)
5.1 By Services
5.1.1 Transportation
5.1.1.1 Road
5.1.1.2 Rail
5.1.1.3 Sea and Inland Water
5.1.1.4 Air
5.1.2 Warehousing and Storage
5.1.3 Value-added Services (Blast Freezing, Labeling, Inventory Management, etc.)
5.2 By Temperature-Control Type
5.2.1 Cold Chain
5.2.1.1 Ambient (15-25 C)
5.2.1.2 Chilled (2-8 C)
5.2.1.3 Frozen (Less than 0 C)
5.2.2 Non Cold Chain
5.3 By End-Product Category
5.3.1 Meat, Seafood, and Poultry
5.3.2 Dairy Products and Frozen Deserts (Milk, Ice-cream, Butter, etc.)
5.3.3 Horticulture (Fresh Fruits and Vegetables)
5.3.4 Processed Food Products
5.3.5 Pet Food
5.3.6 Others (Spreads, Seasoning, dressing, Specialty and Functional Foods, etc.)
6 Competitive Landscape
6.1 Market Concentration
6.2 Strategic Moves
6.3 Market Share Analysis
6.4 Company Profiles (includes Global level Overview, Market-level overview, Core Segments, Financials as available, Strategic Information, Market Rank/Share for key companies, Products and Services, and Recent Developments)
6.4.1 Lineage Logistics Holdings
6.4.2 Congebec Logistics
6.4.3 Conestoga Cold Storage
6.4.4 VersaCold Logistics
6.4.5 Americold Realty
6.4.6 Metro Supply Chain
6.4.7 Ryder System Inc.
6.4.8 Groupe Robert
6.4.9 NFI Industries
6.4.10 DHL Group
6.4.11 FedEx
6.4.12 Kuehne+Nagel
6.4.13 Brimich Logistics
6.4.14 McKenna Logistics
6.4.15 Sofina Foods Logistics
6.4.16 Penske Logistics
6.4.17 Yusen Logistics
6.4.18 Mactrans Logistics
6.4.19 Martin Brower
6.4.20 Radiant Logistics
7 Market Opportunities and Future Outlook
7.1 White-space and Unmet-Need Assessment
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