Emergent Cold LatAm, the largest provider of temperature-controlled food logistics solutions in Latin America, inaugurated the expansion of its Olivo facility in Santiago. Following this expansion, the site has reached a capacity of up to 33,000 pallet positions, becoming the largest automated cold storage facility for frozen foods both in Chile and Latin America.

The expansion increases the company’s operational capacity and is part of its broader infrastructure development for the food industry in Chile, amid growing demand for temperature-controlled storage and distribution solutions.

Located in Maipú, the facility is focused on cold chain logistics in the central region of the country and will primarily serve retail, food service, and traditional channel companies.

“We see increasing demand for temperature-controlled food storage and distribution solutions, which makes cold chain infrastructure development a key element for various productive sectors,” said Alain Eichmann, Managing Director of Emergent Cold LatAm’s Andean region. “The expansion of Olivo complements our cold chain network in the country, allowing us to meet the needs of major clients who require agile logistics solutions for distribution in central Chile.”

Chile is one of Emergent Cold LatAm’s key markets in the region. The company operates a network of nine cold storage facilities across the country, from Casablanca to Puerto Varas, with a total capacity of 155,000 pallet positions.

This infrastructure plays a critical role in the food supply chain, both in the domestic market and in import and export processes, supporting continuity in an industry that is vital to the economy.

Emergent Cold LatAm began operations in Chile in November 2021 with the acquisition of one of the country’s leading local companies. In 2023, it strengthened its presence with two additional acquisitions. The following year, it completed construction of the largest cold storage facility in Chile, located in Talcahuano.

Technological Innovation and Sustainability

Olivo’s automated system enables the management of large volumes of products with high precision, reducing operational errors and improving safety standards by minimizing human intervention in high-risk areas. It also maximizes the use of available space, increases storage capacity, reduces energy costs, and ensures real-time inventory control.

In terms of sustainability, the facility incorporates advanced standards in both design and operation. Currently, nearly one-third of the cold storage facility holds EDGE Zero Carbon certification, meaning that 100% of the energy used in that portion of the operation comes from renewable sources. Additionally, the expansion has achieved EDGE Advanced certification, ensuring at least a 40% reduction in energy and water consumption, along with a significant decrease in embodied carbon in construction materials.

As a next step, the company aims to achieve EDGE Zero Carbon certification for the entire facility.

Emergent Cold Latin America (Emergent Cold LatAm), the largest temperature-controlled food storage and logistics company in Latin America, has achieved a new EDGE Advanced sustainable construction certification, this time for its facility in Palín, Guatemala. This location is strategically situated between the country’s capital and Puerto Quetzal. 

At this facility, energy savings reach 68%, along with a 41% reduction in water consumption and 63% less carbon embedded in the building materials used in construction. 

The EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) program, managed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a division of the World Bank, recognizes projects that implement sustainable solutions to reduce environmental impacts. 

With this new certification, the company now has 11 EDGE Advanced units across eight countries, in addition to one EDGE Zero Carbon facility, the first temperature-controlled food storage warehouse in the world to receive this recognition. 

Alain Eichmann, Managing Director for the Caribbean region at Emergent Cold LatAm, commented: “We have done an excellent job reducing the environmental impact of our operations across Latin America, and I’m excited to see the progress in the Caribbean region, for which I am responsible. We have achieved EDGE Advanced certification in all four countries where we operate in the Caribbean. In addition to Guatemala, we also have sustainable buildings in Colombia, Panama, and the Dominican Republic.” 

Expansion 

The certification comes at an important time for the Palín facility, which is currently undergoing expansion. An additional 9,200 pallet positions will be added to the current capacity, reaching a total of 24,500 pallet positions, primarily for storing meat, fruits, and vegetables. 

Emergent Cold LatAm began operating in Guatemala in May 2022, following the acquisition of Bodegas Frías. In September of the same year, the first expansion of the Palín facility was completed, adding 5,000 additional positions. 

Currently, Emergent Cold LatAm operates three facilities in Guatemala, located in Palín, Xela, and Villa Nueva, with a combined storage capacity of 89,000 m³ and over 20,000 pallet positions. 

Emergent Cold Latin America (Emergent Cold LatAm), the fastest-growing refrigerated storage and logistics service provider in Latin America, announced today the acquisition of Multifrigo, a leading operator in Santiago – Chile’s capital and largest city. Emergent Cold LatAm also announced plans to expand Multifrigo’s main automated facility in El Olivo to 35,000 pallet positions or triple its current size, creating additional capacity and service offerings.

Multifrigo was founded in 1987 by the Lyng family, and then further developed by Carlos and Jorge Lyng with important contributions from minority partners, the Falcone and Pavez families. Today Multifrigo operates three facilities and close to 25,000 pallet positions of storage. Multifrigo has earned a reputation as one of the most innovative logistics companies in Chile. Its newest facility in El Olivo – located 15 kilometers from downtown Santiago – is 100% automated and allows Multifrigo to offer tailor-made solutions to its customers, along with value-added services such as picking, cross-docking and packing. The Company’s second facility is nearby in Maipu, and the third facility is in Casablanca – strategically located between Santiago and the Ports of Valparaiso and San Antonio.

Emergent Cold LatAm will immediately commence a fully automated 24,500-pallet expansion of Multifrigo’s facility in El Olivo. This investment will add significant capacity in a key metropolitan market and valuable new service offerings for customers.

Chile is an important market for Emergent Cold LatAm, as it continues to be a major food source for the world. The Company’s first investment was in November 2021 with the acquisition of Friopacífico in Chile’s Eighth Region of Biobío. In September 2022, Emergent Cold LatAm announced the construction of a new 37,000-pallet facility located in Talcahuano, which will open in January 2024 and increase capacity in this market by more than 65%.

“Multifrigo is a perfect fit for our investment strategy in Chile,” said David Palfenier, President of Emergent Cold LatAm. “It is a market leader in an important metropolitan area with strong customer relationships. Just as important is their commitment to innovation and sustainability, which are core values of Emergent Cold LatAm. I wish to congratulate Carlos and Jorge Lyng on their great success. We are proud to add Multifrigo to our growing Latin America network.”

44 Capital Finanças Corporativas acted as financial advisor and NLD Abogados acted as legal advisor to Emergent LatAm.