Aeroméxico Cargo Expands Cold Chain Network With New Facility

Aeroméxico Cargo expands its cold chain network with a freezing chamber at Mexico City's International Airport, aiming to meet growing demand for temperature-controlled logistics. Operating at temperatures as low as -30°C, the facility complements the airline's refrigerated storage network across Mexico and supports compliance with international logistics standards. 

Aeroméxico Cargo has installed its first freezing chamber at Terminal 2 of Mexico City's International Airport (AICM), expanding its cold chain infrastructure as demand for temperature-controlled logistics grows. The new facility strengthens the airline's ability to transport frozen food products while supporting Mexico's expanding cold chain logistics market, 

The new freezing chamber has a storage capacity of 100m³ and can operate at temperatures as low as -30°C. The facility is designed to preserve frozen cargo during connections and transfers at AICM, ensuring continuity of the cold chain for perishable products under controlled conditions.

The infrastructure will primarily serve frozen meat, fish and seafood, frozen bread for commercial storage and ultra-frozen bakery products. By maintaining stable temperatures during ground handling, the facility aims to reduce quality deterioration and food safety risks associated with breaks in the cold chain. "Its incorporation will strengthen the company's logistics capacity to meet growing demand for perishable products, especially in the food sector, where temperature control is essential to preserve quality throughout transportation," the company says.

According to Aeroméxico Cargo, freezing chambers play a critical role in international air cargo logistics by facilitating compliance with international regulations while improving operational efficiency and service quality. 

Cold chain continuity remains one of the main challenges in air freight logistics, particularly during aircraft connections, when cargo may spend several hours on the ground while being unloaded, sorted, stored and transferred to another aircraft. Even brief temperature fluctuations during this process can affect product quality, shelf life and food safety.

The airline notes that the new infrastructure complements its existing specialized handling services for perishable goods and its network of refrigerated storage facilities in Mexico City, Hermosillo, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Tijuana, and Cancun by providing lower-temperature freezing capabilities at its primary logistics hub.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), over 13% of food produced globally is lost before reaching consumers, largely because of deficiencies in storage, transportation and handling. The organization also estimates that approximately 526Mt of food, around 12% of global food production, are lost or wasted due to insufficient refrigeration systems.

The investment is expected to benefit food producers, distributors, supermarkets, restaurants and food companies by reducing cargo exposure to temperature fluctuations, extending product shelf life, improving compliance with sanitary and logistics requirements and facilitating the transportation of high-value frozen goods across domestic and international markets.

Aeromexico Cargo operates about 450 cargo flights daily using the cargo capacity of the airline's passenger aircraft, making AICM one of Mexico's main logistics hubs for domestic and international freight. 

The investment comes as Mexico's cold chain logistics market continues to expand. According to Mordor Intelligence, the sector is expected to grow from an estimated value of US$7.04 billion in 2025 to US$7.39 billion in 2026, reaching US$9.38 billion by 2031, driven by increasing demand from the agribusiness, healthcare and international trade sectors.