If you’re moving products that can spoil, melt, wilt, or lose potency, then cold storage isn’t just a helpful aid but a non-negotiable necessity to safeguard your investment and guarantee quality at every stage. But if you’re new to the space, figuring out what kind of cold storage you actually need can be difficult.
Maybe you’re launching a food brand. Maybe you’re expanding your distribution into new regions. Or maybe you’re just tired of losing money to spoilage or delays. Whatever stage you’re at, getting the cold storage warehouse and chain logistics right is critical, not just for compliance, but for quality, efficiency, and customer trust.
This guide is built for people like you. Whether you’re taking your first steps into temperature-controlled logistics or scaling up with new facilities, we’ll walk you through the core types of cold storage, the industries that rely on
them, key compliance factors in Australia, and what to consider when choosing the right solution for your business.
In this guide, we explore:
- Types of cold storage warehouses
- Products and industries that rely on them
- Key regulations and compliance standards
- Industry statistics and workforce insights
1. Types of Cold Storage Warehouses
Cold storage facilities are classified based on the temperature ranges they maintain and the specific storage needs of different products. From cool rooms designed for fresh produce and beverages to freezer units for frozen foods and ultra-low temperature storage for pharmaceuticals and vaccines, each category serves a distinct role. The right setup depends on what you’re storing, how long it needs to last, and the regulatory standards your industry must meet.
A. Refrigerated Storage (0°C to 10°C)
Used for goods that need to stay cool but not frozen. Refrigerated warehouses are designed to slow microbial growth and preserve product quality for chilled goods. They are widely used across fresh produce handling, pharmaceutical distribution, and retail chains.
Subtypes:
- Chilled Storage (0°C to 4°C): Ideal for meat, dairy, seafood, and some pharmaceuticals like vaccines. Chilled storage is often found in regional processing hubs and medical supply distribution centres. Facilities must maintain strict hygiene standards and temperature logs for regulatory audits.
- Cool Storage (4°C to 10°C): Used for vegetables, beverages, and floral products. Cool storage supports high-throughput environments like supermarket DCs and requires close humidity control to prevent product desiccation.
Industries Served:
Food production, floriculture, beverage manufacturing, pharmaceutical storage (e.g. insulin, vaccines).
B. Frozen Storage (-18°C to -25°C)
This category halts microbial growth and preserves products for months or even years. Frozen storage extends shelf life significantly by halting bacterial activity. Facilities often integrate blast freezing or deep-freeze tunnels to meet rapid preservation requirements.
Sub-types:
- Blast Freezing (-30°C to -40°C): Rapidly freezes food like seafood and ready meals. Flash freezing improves texture retention and ensures compliance with international quality protocols. Common in meat and seafood export operations.
- Ultra-Low Temperature (ULT) Freezers (-40°C to -80°C): Used in medical and bioscience sectors. ULT storage is required for mRNA vaccines, enzymes, and genetic material, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic. Required for biologics and mRNA vaccines.
Industries Served:
Frozen food production, medical storage, biotechnology, and export logistics.
C. Specialised Cold Storage
Some products require advanced climate control or customised storage environments.
- Controlled Atmosphere (CA) Storage: These systems regulate oxygen and carbon dioxide levels to extend the storage life of horticultural exports like apples, avocados, and pears. Tasmania and Victoria lead in CA adoption due to export-oriented supply chains.
- Pharma-Grade Storage: Are facilities that comply with strict TGA regulations and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) to support vaccine distribution, biological research, and high-value drug preservation.
These facilities often include backup generators, real-time telemetry, and GMP validation logs.
2. Products Requiring Cold Storage
Not all cold storage needs are created equal; each category comes with its own temperature, humidity, and compliance requirements.
Food Products (80% of demand)
- Fresh produce: Requires 0–12°C with high humidity (85–95%). Over 65% of produce-related cold storage supports Australia’s $3.2 billion fresh food exports.
- Meat & seafood: Fresh meat is stored at -1°C to 4°C and -18°C for frozen. Whereas export-grade seafood is flash-frozen at -40°°C.
- Dairy: Milk, cheese, butter, and yoghurt have specific needs, from chilled to frozen (-25°C for butter in long-term storage).
- Milk at 2–4°C
- Cheese aging at 10–12°C;
- Butter at -25°C.
- Processed & Frozen Foods: Frozen meals and desserts require constant -18°C or lower conditions with batch-level tracking.
Pharmaceuticals & Healthcare (15%)
- Vaccines & medicines: mRNA vaccines require -70°C, and general vaccines or insulin require 2–8°C. The storage must also meet TGA’s Cold Chain Guidelines.
- Biological materials: Blood, tissue, and samples are kept at ultra-cold or cryogenic conditions at 1–6°C or vapour-phase liquid nitrogen (-150°C) for viability.
Botanicals & Agricultural Goods
- Flowers and Plants: Require 1–4°C with humidity control. Export floriculture uses vapour heat treatment facilities.
- Agricultural Produce: Apples, citrous, and avocados depend on CA (controlled atmosphere) storage and staged chilling to prevent chilling injury.
Specialty & Sensitive Products
- Nutritional Supplements: Probiotic and enzyme-based supplements degrade quickly without 4–8°C refrigeration.
- Books, Art & Film: To control humidity and stable temps archival storage requires 2–4°C and 30–50% RH. Mainly used by institutions like the National Film and Sound Archive (2–22°C) to protect delicate materials.
- Craft Products & Cosmetics: Candles, perfumes, and preservative-free cosmetics require 5–15°C to prevent melting or degradation.
- Chemicals & Reagents: Enzymes and volatile compounds are stored at -20°C to -80°C in laboratories and industrial facilities.
- Organic Textiles: Wool, fur, and leather need humidity-controlled rooms to prevent mildew, pest damage, and material breakdown.
- Aerospace Components: Certain adhesives and composite materials used in aircraft manufacturing must be stored at 4°C.
3. Industries That Rely on Cold Storage
Food & Beverage
Cold storage enables Australia’s food industry to meet safety standards, reduce waste, and maintain year-round supply. Over 60% of refrigerated capacity in Australia is used by this sector. National players like Woolworths and Coles rely on integrated cold chain systems from farm gate to shelf.
- 4,200+ food processing facilities use cold storage for export and domestic supply.
- The $20 billion cold chain market fuels meat, dairy, and produce exports.
- Governed by FSANZ Standard 3.2.2 and HACCP protocols
Frozen Food
Frozen food production, including ready meals, desserts, and bakery products, depends heavily on rapid freezing and sub-zero storage to ensure product integrity. These facilities must integrate temperature validation, batch tracking, and energy-efficient cooling infrastructure.
- $3.1 billion frozen food market in Australia (IBISWorld, 2024)
- -18°C storage standard, with -30°C blast freezing in high-throughput plants
- HACCP-certified facilities required for major retail supply
Pharmaceutical & Biotech
Australia’s $5 billion biopharma market has seen a 23% rise in demand for ultra-cold storage since 2020. From vaccine production to blood banks, this sector is heavily regulated and monitored.
- Governed by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)
- 23% growth in ULT storage post-COVID
- -70°C to -150°C required for vaccines, biologics, and cell therapies
Agriculture & Horticulture
Export-oriented growers and packhouses rely on pre-cooling, CA storage, and refrigerated freight to meet export standards and phytosanitary protocols. Climate-controlled warehouses are essential for reducing post-harvest losses and maintaining fruit firmness, sugar levels, and colour grading.
- $3.2 billion in fresh produce exports annually
- Over 65% of horticulture cold storage in Victoria and Tasmania
- FSANZ and Export Control Act 2020 standards apply
- A $400M industry reliant on 1–4°C storage and humidity control.
- Flowers must reach florists within 72 hours, maintaining full cold chain integrity.
Healthcare Institutions
Hospitals, pathology labs, and outpatient clinics use pharmaceutical-grade refrigeration to store blood products, vaccines, medications, and diagnostic reagents. Real-time temperature monitoring and NATA-compliant audit trails are essential for maintaining chain-of-custody.
- More than 1,300 accredited hospitals in Australia require validated cold storage
- NATA and TGA guidelines mandate 2–8°C vaccine storage
- Cold chain failure can lead to wastage of high-value biologics and donor materials
Importers, Exporters & Freight Companies
Temperature-sensitive goods entering or leaving Australia depend on cross-dock cold storage, reefers (refrigerated containers), and export-grade freezing. Companies must meet both local and international temperature compliance requirements during transit.
- 90% of Australia’s meat exports require -18°C to -40°C blast freezing
- Cold storage hubs are concentrated around Melbourne, Brisbane, and Sydney ports
- Reefers and blast freezing are critical for compliance with Export Control Act 2020 and ISO 2200
Specialty Manufacturing & Retail
Cosmetic companies, artisan producers, and textile retailers store sensitive products like perfumes, wax-based goods, and natural fibres, all of which require precision climate storage to prevent warping, spoilage, or degradation.
- $1.5bn Australian cosmetics and skincare market relies on 5–15°C storage
- Natural textiles (e.g., wool, leather) require 30–60% RH and 10–20°C
- WHS and GEMS (Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards) apply for warehouse design.
4. Australian Regulations & Compliance Standards
FSANZ (Food Standards Australia New Zealand)
- Enforces safe temperature storage for food products (Standard 3.2.2)
- HACCP compliance mandatory for meat, dairy, seafood processors
TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration)
- Cold Chain Guidelines for medicines and biologics
- GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) certifications for pharmaceutical storage facilities
Workplace Health & Safety
- WHS Codes of Practice: Mandate protective clothing and proper handling procedures in sub-zero environments.
- Ammonia Safety: Cold storage facilities using ammonia refrigerants must follow strict ventilation and leak protocols.
Energy & Environmental Standards
- NABERS Energy Rating: Benchmarks energy efficiency of facilities
- ARENA guidelines: Push for low-impact refrigerants and solar energy adoption.
5. Industry Statistics: Cold Storage in Numbers
Market Size: $3.5 billion (2024), with a 4.2% annual growth rate
Storage Capacity: Over 2.1 million pallet spaces
Top States:
- Victoria: 35% of national capacity (fruit & dairy hub)
- Queensland: 25%, especially strong in seafood storage
Energy Use: Cold storage contributes ~3% of industrial energy usage in Australia
As supply chains evolve and global trade intensifies, cold storage warehouses are more crucial than ever. From farm-fresh produce to life-saving vaccines, these facilities must stay compliant with Australia’s stricter frameworks by investing in well-designed, connected, and climate-conscious storage solutions.
Whether you’re in logistics, healthcare, or high-tech manufacturing, investing in reliable cold storage solutions isn’t just good practice; it’s essential.
Need help finding compliant cold storage in your state? Drop us a comment or get in touch for a provider list tailored to your industry.
Not sure what your business needs? Drop us a message, and we’ll be happy to help you find a cold storage solution that is tailored to your industry and its compliance requirements.