What are supply chain leaders prioritizing for 2026?

Lineage’s Cold Chain Insights Survey shows risks and opportunities

In partnership with Wakefield Research, Lineage surveyed 1,000 North American temperature-controlled supply chain decision-makers on the pressures and possibilities facing their companies and their cold chain partners in 2026.

Lineage’s Cold Chain Insights Survey reveals rising demand for refrigerated and frozen foods, impacts of escalating volatility and continued geopolitical instability, and a food and beverage industry turning to intelligence and automation to stay competitive.

Results showed:

• Volatility is meaningfully reshaping supply chain decisions. Tariffs, regulation and political shifts rank as the top influence shaping supply chain decisions today. More than half said tariff impacts on 2025 costs were higher than expected, prompting organizations to adjust strategic plans.
• AI and technology have become resilience imperatives. The Survey shows technology adoption is closely tied to resilience efforts, with 60% of respondents ranking data and AI among the top forces transforming operations in 2026. Companies are prioritizing transportation optimization, real-time visibility, AI-informed decision-making, and warehouse automation.
• Food and beverage companies are looking for 3PL partners who can enable greater resiliency for their supply chains. As complexity persists, leaders are increasingly looking to third-party logistics providers for support. Improving supply-chain resilience remains a top decision factor for 45%, with flexible storage capacity and better partner-provided data and analytics cited as critical needs.