ALLHC accelerates expansion of cold storage business

AyalaLand Logistics Holdings Corp. (ALLHC) eyes further growth in the industrial real estate space through expansions of its cold storage assets. The group entered the cold storage industry in 2021 with two acquired facilities in Laguna, and is now keen on branching out to new locations in response to the rising demand for temperature-controlled facilities.

An ongoing expansion

Triggered by multiple drivers, the growth of the cold storage industry has been pushed into the spotlight. High consumer spending on food items, sustained high importation of meat, seafood, dairy, and the growth in vaccine rollouts and demand for other temperature drugs are behind the increasing demand.

Last year, ALLHC acquired the Technofreeze cold storage facility in Laguna Technopark that houses 17 cold storage rooms with 4,000 pallet positions, marking the company’s first foray into cold logistics. By late 2021, ALLHC bought its 2nd cold storage facility from GMV Materials, Inc. Following the acquisition of the 3,300-pallet position facility also located in Laguna Technopark, ALLHC presently has 7,300 pallet positions in its ALogis Artico portfolio.

“Cold storage is a fast-growing segment given increasing domestic consumption and limited modern facilities in the market. Combining our capabilities in both cold and dry storage, ALLHC will be equipped to service both types of customers,” ALLHC President & CEO Ms. Maria Rowena M. Tomeldan shares.

“We are encouraged with the full occupancy of our existing facilities, and we look forward to expanding our capacity in other locations,” says Mr. Patrick C. Avila, ALLHC Head of Industrial Parks and Real Estate Logistics.

Forward Plans

ALLHC will break ground for two cold storage facilities in its Pampanga and Batangas properties to double its capacity by 2023.

The future Pampanga facility will be a key component for the envisioned agro-industrial hub serving the area. Moreover, the Batangas cold storage is foreseen to address the increasing demand for more facilities in the Southern Luzon region.