New data: What today’s supply chain leaders expect from tomorrow’s cold chain networks

In partnership with Wakefield Research, Lineage released a new report which surveyed 1,000 North American food and beverage supply chain decision-makers on the pressures and opportunities facing their companies and their cold chain partners in 2026. The findings point to a broader industry shift, with supply chain leaders indicating they want their cold chain network providers to deliver not only storage and transportation, but also the flexibility, visibility and resilience to navigate a more dynamic operating environment.

The findings indicate companies have been navigating a period of sustained complexity shaped by policy shifts, cost pressures, innovation and changing consumer demand. They have responded with a growing focus on building cold supply chains designed to adapt, scale and respond in real time.

Resilience has become an expectation

Food and beverage company leaders are no longer reacting to isolated disruptions; they are operating in an environment where volatility has become a persistent condition to plan against. Companies are strengthening resilience strategies, increasing investments in data and automation and seeking closer alignment with logistics partners. In practice, this is meant to enable greater flexibility in network design, better visibility across operations and closer partner coordination in real time.

External factors raising the stakes

External uncertainty and instability are driving planning conversations among supply chain leaders. Lineage’s survey data found that 56% of leaders rank tariffs, regulation and political shifts as the top three decision drivers. Companies are adapting by embedding policy risk into their planning strategies, as 73% expect tariffs to continue negatively affecting financial performance in 2026, while 57% say the impact of tariffs on costs in 2025 were higher than expected. The findings suggest that food and beverage companies are no longer treating disruption as a temporary factor and are adjusting their strategic frameworks to accommodate it.

The responses also reveal how customer priorities are evolving across demand planning, technology, trade strategy and partner expectations.

Demand for refrigerated and frozen foods is growing—and getting more complex

• Demand growth is being shaped by e-commerce, private-label products and changing consumer behavior
• Sixty-six percent say their supply chain only sometimes meets demand speed – or struggles to meet it – pointing to a disconnect between volume growth and execution
• Companies indicate a need for capacity, flexibility and better forecasting to respond quickly

Key takeaway: Supply chain leaders are increasingly looking for cold chain networks that can help them make faster, more informed decisions as conditions evolve.

Tariff pressures are driving domestic trade realignment

• Thirty-two percent of leaders note increased prioritization of domestic products
• Most companies expect trade growth within their own country over the next 12 months, including 67% in the U.S., 62% in Mexico and 56% in Canada
• Thirty-one percent plan reactive responses to tariff changes and 28% are proactively preparing for potential impacts, signaling greater in-country concentration of trade

Key takeaway: Companies are placing a greater emphasis on building supply chains designed to navigate market and policy complexity.

AI and data are becoming performance drivers

• 60% of leaders rank data and AI among the top forces transforming operations
• Companies are prioritizing transportation optimization, real-time visibility, AI-informed decision-making and warehouse automation
• AI is most frequently cited as improving planning coordination (45%), productivity and efficiency (37%) and spoilage reduction (34%) – directly linking technology adoption to operational outcomes

Key takeaway: Data visibility and technology integration are becoming critical differentiators for cold chain providers supporting complex supply chain operations.

3PL expectations are evolving

• Nearly half of leaders say providers are least prepared when it comes to maintaining up-to-date technology, while others cite gaps in real-time market responsiveness
• 47% identify flexible storage capacity as their greatest need from cold storage partners while 41% want better data to inform planning
• Modern 3PLs are viewed as strategic partners, not just storage providers

Key takeaway: Tomorrow’s cold chain networks will be evaluated not only on capacity, but also on their ability to provide operational intelligence, agility and connectivity.

Why it matters: Resilience requires flexibility, intelligence and scale

The findings in Lineage’s survey report indicate that 2026 could cement a structural shift. As companies seek to identify ways to adapt to market volatility while still meeting rising demand, resilience is being redefined. The industry is placing greater importance on the ability to integrate data, scale operations and adapt in real-time to external instability.

For supply chain leaders, this means choosing cold chain partners that can provide not only infrastructure, but also the technology, insights and operational agility needed to support long-term performance. Success will depend less on reacting to change and more on building systems designed to absorb it.

Read the full report to learn how food and beverage supply chain leaders are strategizing and what it means for the future of the cold chain.