Cold Storage Warehousing: A Guide

This is an independent guide to choosing cold storage warehousing in India for perishable and temperature-sensitive goods. To be clear from the start, Farbe Enterprise does not currently offer cold storage or any temperature-controlled storage, but we can talk to you about the dry goods that often travel alongside it.

Define the temperature your product needs

Cold storage is not one thing. Before approaching providers, write down the range your product needs, how long it can tolerate being outside that range, and whether humidity matters too. Your product specification or food safety adviser should set the figures, not the provider.

Match the facility to the product

Cold storage in India has grown up around particular crops and industries, so facilities vary widely. Some older stores were built for a single commodity, such as potatoes, and may not suit packaged food or mixed loads. Multi-commodity stores with separate chambers generally suit businesses storing several products. Always ask what else is stored alongside your goods, because odour transfer and cross-contamination are real risks.

Checklist for cold storage warehousing providers

Temperature control and monitoring

• Is there continuous temperature logging in each chamber, and can you see the records?
• Do alarms alert someone day and night, and who responds?
• How often are sensors calibrated, and by whom?

Power and equipment

• What backup power runs the plant during grid outages, and for how long?
• Is refrigeration equipment serviced on a schedule, with records?
• Is there spare capacity if a compressor fails in the peak of summer?

Hygiene and compliance

• How are cleaning, pest control and the separation of raw and ready foods managed?
• Does the provider hold the food safety licence or registration your category needs? Ask to see it and check it is current.

Handover and transport

• Is there an enclosed, cooled loading area, or do goods wait on an open dock?
• Can the provider coordinate reefer trucks, or will you arrange them?
• How is temperature recorded when goods pass between vehicle and chamber?

Commercial terms

• Are charges by pallet, by space, by weight or by duration?
• Who is liable for spoilage after a temperature failure, and which insurance applies?
• How much notice is needed to change space in peak season?

What to look for on a site visit

Visit in the hottest part of the year if you can, because that is when weak equipment shows. Check door seals and strip curtains, how quickly doors close, whether the dock is crowded, and whether staff wear suitable clothing and follow hygiene rules. Ask to see temperature logs from a recent summer month and the record of the last power cut, including how long the backup ran.

Where we can help

Food and consumer businesses usually have goods that do not need cooling: cartons, labels, shrink film, crates, promotional material and some shelf-stable lines. These may suit general storage, freeing expensive cold space for the products that need it. Talk to us about whether your goods fit, look at warehouse space for rent, or read our guide to FMCG warehousing for the dry side of a consumer range. You can reach us through the contact form.

Frequently asked questions