Reefer Cold Storage (pty) Ltd

What Reefer Cold Storage (pty) Ltd does

Reefer Cold Storage (Pty) Ltd is a family-owned, independently operated cold storage facility headquartered in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, in continuous operation since 1993. The company provides multi-temperature storage spanning -35°C frozen, 2-5°C chilled, and ambient conditions across a 25,000 square metre site with 15,000 frozen pallet positions, 27 loading bays, 50 container plug-in points, and 3 ammonia refrigeration plants supported by standby compressors, condensers, generators, and solar backup. It operates as a customs-bonded facility (Bond Store DBN OS03460) serving food importers and exporters, wholesale food distributors, citrus handlers, and retailers requiring chilled or frozen storage with regulatory compliance support.

The underlying technology stack consists of a computerized Warehouse Management System (WMS) providing receipt-to-dispatch traceability, professional access control, and 24-hour armed security with state-of-the-art CCTV monitoring. The facility holds multiple accreditations including Global Cold Chain Alliance membership, PPECB registration, Woolworths Food Safety and Quality approval, and compliance arrangements with DALRRD, Port Health, NRCS, and state veterinary authorities to expedite import/export inspections.

Revenue is generated through subscription-style recurring pallet storage fees across frozen, chilled, and ambient categories, supplemented by usage-based container plug-in services, bonded storage premiums, value-added handling (labelling, sorting, temperature monitoring), and transport coordination fees. The go-to-market is sales-led and B2B, with dedicated account managers assigned per customer; pricing is quoted on enquiry rather than published. Customer segments include food importers/exporters, wholesale distributors, citrus exporters, and retail-aligned suppliers such as Woolworths. The business is regionally concentrated in KwaZulu-Natal with national and international reach through Durban port import/export operations.

Name

Reefer Cold Storage (pty) Ltd

Legal name

Reefer Cold Storage (Pty) Ltd

Website

https://reefercoldstorage.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Reefer Cold Storage (Pty) Ltd is a family-owned, independently operated multi-temperature cold storage facility in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, operating since 1993 with 15,000 pallet positions, bonded customs status, and B2B services for food importers, exporters, wholesale distributors, and retailers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cold Chain Logistics & Storage Services

NAICS

Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage (493120), Refrigerated Warehousing and Storage (49312)

SIC

Public Warehousing & Storage (4220)

akta.pro primary industry

Reefer Container (Port/Intermodal) Cold Storage & Plug-In Yards (TLALABAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Frozen Food Cold Storage (TLALABAB), Temperature-Controlled Cross-Docking & Transload (Cold Chain) (TLALABAJ), Reefer Container Yards (Plug-in/Monitoring) (TLALAJAE), Temperature-Controlled Intermodal & Cross-Border Reefer Transport (TLADAHAL)

Keywords

• Cold storage services
• Frozen pallet storage
• Bonded warehouse services
• Import export cold chain
• Multi temperature warehousing

Headquarters

HQ city

Durban

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Cold Storage Services: Pallet position storage for frozen (-35°C) and chilled (2-5°C) products. Includes 15,000 frozen pallet positions and chiller area. Revenue based on storage volume and duration.
2. Ambient Storage: Storage of ambient products and citrus at room temperature conditions.
3. Bonded Storage: Bonded facility storage (DBN OS03460) for imported goods awaiting customs clearance and duty payment. Specialized service for import/export operations.
4. Container Plug-in Services: Bay plug-in services for containers requiring power to maintain temperature overnight. 50 plug-in points available.
5. Transport Coordination Services: Arrangement and management of cold transport on behalf of customers. Company leverages relationships with transporters for competitive rates.
6. Value-Added Handling Services: Labelling, sorting, temperature monitoring, and bespoke services to meet specific customer requirements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Reefer Cold Storage provides multi-temperature cold storage services from a 25,000 square metre facility in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, with 15,000 frozen pallet positions (-35°C to +5°C), chilled storage (2-5°C), and ambient storage. The company is a licensed customs-bonded facility (DBN OS03460) geared for import/export operations, and offers value-added handling services including labelling, sorting, temperature monitoring, transport coordination, and veterinary inspection arrangements with regulatory authorities.

Product overview

Reefer Cold Storage is a multi-temperature cold storage facility offering frozen, chilled, and ambient storage solutions. The core offering consists of Frozen Storage (15,000 pallet positions, -35°C to +5°C), Chiller Storage (2-5°C), and Ambient Storage for citrus products. The company operates as a bonded facility (DBN OS03460) supporting imports and exports, with additional services including transport coordination, temperature monitoring, labelling, sorting, and vet inspection arrangements. The facility features 27 loading bays, 50 plug-in points, 3 ammonia plants, and full backup systems including generators, compressors, and condensers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Frozen Storage Multi-temperature frozen storage providing 15,000 pallet positions across a 25,000 square metre site in Durban, with temperatures from -35°C to +5°C. Designed for businesses handling frozen goods for import and export, including meat, poultry, and other frozen food products. Offers easy freeway access, 27 loading bays for quick turnaround, and computerized traceability.
• Chiller Storage Refrigerated chiller storage area maintaining temperatures between 2°C and 5°C for chilled products such as dairy, fresh produce, and prepared foods. Suitable for retail distribution and food service customers requiring consistent chilled conditions alongside frozen capacity.
• Ambient Storage Temperature-controlled ambient storage for citrus and other non-refrigerated products at room temperature conditions. Geared toward exporters and handlers of citrus and ambient goods requiring storage alongside frozen and chilled capacity under one facility.
• Bonded Storage Facility Customs-bonded storage facility licensed as Bond Store DBN OS03460, enabling customers to store imported goods and defer duty payment until products are released. Specifically geared for imports and exports through the Port of Durban and includes state-of-the-art veterinary inspection rooms with arrangements for DALRRD, Port Health, NRCS, and state vet inspections.
• Transport Coordination Cold transport coordination and management service that connects customers with cold transport providers for competitive rates and manages transport on behalf of clients. Leverages established transporter relationships to extend the company's offering beyond storage into integrated cold chain logistics.
• Operational Support Services Value-added handling services including bespoke temperature monitoring, labelling, sorting, and arrangement of veterinary inspections for import/export compliance. Backed by 24-hour armed security, professional access control, and state-of-the-art CCTV monitoring throughout the facility, plus 50 container plug-in points for overnight temperature maintenance.

Quantifiable outcome

• Shortest lead times in KwaZulu-Natal
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• WoolworthscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWoolworths Food Safety and Quality approved supplier status, indicating compliance with major retailer's quality standards for cold chain management.
• Global Cold Chain AlliancecoreOthersActive membership in the Global Cold Chain Alliance, providing industry standards, networking, and credibility in the cold chain storage sector.
• PPECB (Perishable Products Export Control Board)coreOthersAccredited by PPECB for compliance with perishable products export standards, essential for handling and storing export-bound perishable goods.
• DALRRD (Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development)coreOthersCompliance with DALRRD requirements for agricultural cold chain. Company arranges vet inspections through this authority.
• Port HealthcoreOthersPartnership for health inspections at port facilities, enabling efficient handling of imported and exported perishable goods.
• NRCS (National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications)coreOthersArrangements with NRCS for inspections and compliance verification for regulated products.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Lineage Logistics: World's largest temperature-controlled warehousing operator with global facilities including African presence. Comparable as the global benchmark for multi-temperature cold storage at scale, particularly relevant for refrigerated warehousing best practice and customer benchmarking.
• Vector Logistics: Large South African third-party logistics provider offering cold chain solutions alongside broader ambient and FMCG distribution. Comparable as a contract logistics partner for major retailers with cold storage as part of a wider offering.
• Nichirei Logistics Group: Japanese-headquartered global cold storage operator with facilities across Asia, Europe and North America. Comparable as a globally scaled multi-temperature cold chain operator serving food importers/exporters with bonded and value-added services.
• Americold Logistics: Global leader in temperature-controlled warehousing and logistics with hundreds of facilities worldwide. Comparable as a publicly listed peer providing insight into industry valuation multiples and operational benchmarks for cold storage at scale.

Regional players

• Snowman Logistics: India's largest integrated cold chain operator with multi-temperature warehousing and refrigerated transport. Comparable as an emerging-market cold storage operator with similar customer segments (food retail, pharma, QSR) and regulatory complexity.

Direct peers

• Imperial Cold Logistics: Division of Imperial Group, one of Africa's largest logistics operators providing temperature-controlled warehousing and distribution across South Africa. Directly comparable as a cold storage operator serving retail and food customers with multi-temperature capability.
• Sea Cold Storage (Sea Harvest group): South African cold storage operator associated with seafood and frozen food handling, with capacity at port-adjacent locations. Comparable as a regionally focused frozen/cold storage facility serving food importers and exporters.
• Bidvest Cold Storage / Bidvest Logistics: Major South African logistics group with significant cold chain warehousing and refrigerated transport operations nationally. Comparable in scale and customer profile, serving food retailers and distributors across multiple temperature zones.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/reefer-cold-storage

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Reefer Cold Storage (pty) Ltd