Market Trends of Poland Cold Chain Logistics Industry
This section covers the major market trends shaping the Poland Cold Chain Logistics Market according to our research experts:
Changes in Consumer Habits Fueling the Demand for Cold Chain Facilities
With more people living in one-person and two-person households because of urbanization, the market for processed and ready-to-eat meals is likely to grow.The traditional model of cooking does not necessarily work for millennials, post-millennials, or households with one or two people. In 2021, the retail volume of packaged food in Poland grew because people had more money to spend, the real GDP was growing quickly, and the unemployment rate was at a record low.As people are becoming more health conscious, there has also been a big increase in the number of people who want to buy ready-made salads.Local cuisines like traditional dumplings and croquettes are some of the most popular within both chilled and frozen ready meals.
In Poland in 2021, Mlekovita was the top brand for fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), with about 253 million consumer touch points. Piatnica Osp and Mlekpol came next, with 242 million and 211 million consumer reach points, respectively. Companies like Uber Eats, Wolt, and food catering companies like the local player Fit Papu are starting to cover extensive areas in more cities in the country. Because of these changes, the country is going to need more cold storage and transportation facilities.
Demand for Temperature and Humidity Control in the Supply Chain
According to the National Support Centre for Agriculture (KOWR), exports of Polish agricultural and food goods increased by 19.5 percent year on year between January and April 2022, reaching a value of EUR 14.0 billion (USD 14.90 Billion). Poultry and bread items topped Polish agricultural and food exports, followed by animal feed, chocolate products, and cattle. Exports of Polish food and agricultural items hit a new high of EUR 37 billion (USD 39.58 Billion) last year, a EUR 3 billion (USD 3.21 Billion) increase over 2020.
The control of ambient conditions is particularly important in meat and dairy handling, where the dairy products are not only sensitive to temperature but also to handling and mechanical damage while loading and unloading, while in meat, due to the increased ambient temperature harmful bacteria may grow and multiply causing food poisoning on consumption. For this reason, the companies producing and transporting meat, fish, or dairy products are bound to maintain the continuity of the cold chain facilities with set environmental conditions throughout the entire production, storage, and delivery process.
Perishable food items, in the case of fruit and vegetables, need the humidity level in control at every stage in the supply chain starting with packaging, storage, transportation, and warehouses of trade outlets. The development of the polish cold chain market is vital for these products in the domestic as well as the international market.
