Cracking the Cold Chain Conundrum with Copeland’s Michael Toh

As the world’s largest producer of agricultural and food commodities, Asia-Pacific (APAC) is central to global food security. In an exclusive interview with Value Chain Asia, President of Asia-Pacific at Copeland, Michael Toh, noted that by 2030, the region is projected to contribute over half of global agricultural and fish output. 

“APAC is the largest producer of agricultural and food commodities, and the region is expected to account for 53% of global agricultural and fish output by 2030. Beyond this, APAC also accounts for over 30% of global imports, and contributes 26% of global exports,” he said.

This production scale makes cold chain logistics not just an operational necessity, but a critical infrastructure for health, trade, and climate sustainability. This is to “ensure that food and produce is moved efficiently and safely.”

Despite the sector’s importance, cold chain systems across APAC remain uneven, particularly in rural and developing areas. Many of these regions still rely on outdated refrigeration technologies that use high-global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants and lack energy management capabilities.

“Less modernised and rural areas in APAC still rely on outdated refrigeration technologies, he noted. “The slower adoption of high efficiency appliances can be attributed to multiple factors – transitioning to greener alternatives requires significant investment, technical expertise, and policy support, which can be limited in developing economies in APAC.”

This disparity poses a serious risk. Cold chain breakdowns not only lead to post-harvest food losses, but also contribute to unnecessary emissions. This undermines efforts to make the food supply chain more climate-resilient. As Toh points out, “there is also a lack of regional cooling energy benchmarks and standards across the region, leading to fragmented progress.”

However, the sector is showing signs of transformation. Investments in APAC’s cold storage real estate are forecast to surpass USD $2 billion between 2023 and 2030. This is more than double the figure in 2021. Much of this is driven by growing consumer demand, rising incomes, and urban dietary shifts.

“Increased investments alongside the development of advanced technology and automation are likely to accelerate growth and development, especially in rural areas,” Toh explains. He highlights Copeland’s collaboration with Ecozen in India, where solar-powered cold room systems have been deployed across off-grid farms. “With over 300 compressors deployed, the system significantly reduces CO₂ emissions by approximately 22 metric tons annually (for a 5MT cold room)… and supports low-GWP refrigerants for further carbon reduction.”

The demand for cold chain

Urbanization is further reshaping cold chain needs. As middle-class consumers demand more perishable goods such as meat, dairy, and seafood. This  creates pressure on temperature-controlled logistics. “Rising disposable incomes and a growing urban middle class have led to a shift in dietary habits,” says Toh. At the same time, the movement from traditional wet markets to organized retail channels like supermarkets is “driven by heightened concerns over food safety and quality.”

But this increase in consumption comes with consequences. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, cooling already accounts for over 7% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and demand is expected to triple by 2050. “With the growing global population and rising incomes, total food consumption will likely rise by more than 50% by 2050, which will further strain cold chain infrastructure and drive urgency for greater sustainability in the sector,” Toh warns.

This is where policy becomes pivotal. Toh believes APAC must adopt a comprehensive, system-wide strategy to meet global climate pledges like the Global Cooling Pledge. That means going beyond symbolic commitments to develop targeted, localized solutions. 

“Governments should invest in building local capacity, skills, and supportive business models—especially in developing countries,” he says. He also recommends the establishment of multidisciplinary national centers for cold chain development to align public-private efforts and connect local systems with global best practices.

The role of tech in cold-chain

Technology is playing an equally vital role in building smarter and more sustainable cold chains. “Cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence  and the Internet of Things  play a vital role in overcoming a major challenge… the need for intelligent, end-to-end monitoring of time, temperature, and product shelf life,” says Toh. 

Copeland’s own innovations, such as the Copeland GO tracker and the IoT Smart Connect platform, offer real-time visibility and seamless integration of cooling assets. This enables companies to monitor conditions and energy use across their logistics networks.

Refrigerant transition remains another key pillar of sustainable cold chain development. Under the Montreal Protocol, APAC countries are phasing out harmful refrigerants like CFC-12 and HCFC-22. This shift has prompted manufacturers to adopt lower-GWP alternatives such as CO₂, propane, and ammonia.

“Copeland has been actively researching CO₂ refrigerant solutions,” Toh notes, including transcritical booster and cascade systems suited for both centralized and distributed applications. These advances are being tailored to the performance needs of supermarkets, food processors, and storage facilities alike.

With coordinated regulation, targeted investment, and rapid innovation, the cold chain in Asia-Pacific is near meaningful change. The challenge now is to match rising demand with cooling solutions that are not only smarter, but significantly cleaner.

“Adopting sustainable cooling practices is not only a climate imperative,” Toh emphasizes, “but also critical to ensuring food security and long-term economic resilience in the region.”

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