Americold continues to expand its global footprint with a major investment in Canada. Recently, company executives, alongside provincial and local leaders, gathered at Port Saint John, New Brunswick, to celebrate the groundbreaking of Americold’s first import-export hub in the country.
This milestone, held in conjunction with Port Saint John’s Port Days, marks an exciting step forward in temperature-controlled logistics. The new facility, which will be the sixth Americold location in Canada, is designed to enhance global food flows, optimize import/export logistics, and support economic growth in the region.
Rob Chambers, President, Americas at Americold, addressed the Port Days audience as the luncheon keynote speaker, where he shared the vision for the new facility as “not just an investment in infrastructure, but a bold step forward in innovation, sustainability, and community partnership. Simply put, we are optimizing the way food flows into and out of Canada.”
Strategic Partnerships Driving Innovation
The new facility will leverage the maritime logistics expertise of DP World and the rail logistics solutions of Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), ensuring seamless connectivity between Central and Eastern Canada and key international markets—including Europe, South America, and the APAC region.
Chambers also noted that this development is a strategic move that builds on existing infrastructure investments, allowing Americold to support the growing demand for cold storage and supply chain efficiency.
“We’re optimizing the food supply chain to make it more connected than ever before,” said Chambers.
“Now we’re partnering with other best-in-class companies, DP World and CPKC. This investment in Port Saint John brings to life our strategic collaboration to collocate warehouses on their network. By partnering with DP World and utilizing CPKC’s extensive rail network, we're enabling our customers across North America to store and transport goods much more efficiently and effectively than ever before.”
Investment in Infrastructure & Economic Growth
Americold is investing $75–$80 million in the development of this hub, which will provide approximately 22,000 pallet positions—equivalent to more than 800 full truckloads of temperature-sensitive goods.
The benefits extend beyond logistics. Opportunities NB has committed up to $1.01 million in payroll rebates, supporting the creation of up to 100 jobs by the end of 2029. The facility is expected to contribute $37 million in direct provincial GDP, reinforcing the importance of this expansion for New Brunswick’s economy.
Strengthening the Cold Chain Ecosystem
Americold plays a crucial role in the global food supply chain by connecting production, distribution, and consumption for many of the world’s largest food companies. This collaboration with DP World and CPKC aims to bring greater efficiency and sustainability to cold chain logistics.
Industry leaders shared their thoughts on the significance of this partnership:
Craig Bell Estabrooks, President & CEO of Port Saint John:
Estabrooks noted in the press release that Americold’s investment marks a pivotal moment for the Port’s future: “Our extensive infrastructure investments have paved the way for leading global partners to thrive in Saint John. We’re thrilled to welcome Americold and the opportunities it brings to create jobs on our waterfront.”
Jonathan Wahba, Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing at CPKC:
“What Americold is building and what we will connect on the railroad to, will give food shippers the ability to seamlessly to connect their supply chains from Mexico to the U.S. to Canada,” said Jonathan Wahba. “This truly will be something unique in the North American marketplace, and something that will be impossible for our competitors to replicate.”
Doug Smith, CEO of DP World Canada:
“Americold’s facility gives Saint John another competitive advantage, and reasons for customers to call this gateway. It allows New Brunswick and Canadian companies to more easily and safely export their food products to markets around the world.”
Looking Ahead
Americold’s new facility in Port Saint John is slated to open in 2026, marking another chapter in the company’s mission to advance temperature-controlled logistics across the globe.
As Americold continues to expand its presence and innovate within the cold storage industry, this new investment reinforces its commitment to strategic partnerships, supply chain efficiency, and economic development.
Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting project!