NewCold, the Breda, Netherlands-headquartered refrigerated warehouse operator and cold chain logistics specialist, has announced plans for investment of $222 million to expand into the southern Alberta community of Coaldale, creating a state-of-the-art cold storage facility that will build on the region’s strength as a leading food corridor in Canada and contribute to long term regional economic growth. The project, which is expected to create over 50 permanent jobs as well as employment for up to 200 construction workers, is supported by Invest Alberta as well as a grant from the Government of Alberta.
NewCold will also invest in improving Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) rail connectivity to provide businesses ready access to export their products. The investment will go into municipal rail lines to develop Coaldale into an export hub.
Invest Alberta connected NewCold with available incentives and introductions to the local business community. The Government of Alberta contributed $2.1 million through an Innovation and Growth Fund grant for the expansion, while the town of Coaldale helped expedite the company’s operations and will continue to provide strategic development support to ensure it has the competitive environment, skilled workforce, and connectivity required for success.
NewCold’s new warehouse, which is anticipated to be up and running in about a year’s time, will feature proprietary software and technology to ensure food safety and quality while being 50 per cent more energy efficient than traditional coldstores. The company is poised to initiate construction, acquire equipment, and start hiring immediately.
“We recognize Alberta’s growing importance in North America’s food supply chain, so developing a facility in the province is a key part of our strategic global expansion,” said Bram Hage, NewCold founder and chief executive officer. “We are committed to building a better food supply chain that is more resilient and efficient. Our modern facility will bring advanced food logistics to Alberta, ultimately helping our customers serve theirs and benefiting consumers.”
Jonas Swarttouw (pictured above at left), NewCold executive vice president commercial and chairman in North America, stated: “Announcing our automated coldstore in one of Canada’s largest and fastest-growing food production areas marks an exciting milestone of expansion in the North American market. We are grateful for the excellent collaboration from our Alberta and Coaldale partners in making this new advanced storage facility a reality, and are proud to offer the latest automated cold storage innovations and technology to support food shippers in the region with operations beginning in 2025.”
“NewCold’s $222 million investment is a major win for southern Alberta,” added Rick Christiaanse, chief executive officer of Invest Alberta. “Collaboration among Alberta’s business-friendly agencies was key to NewCold’s final decision, with Coaldale, Invest Alberta, and the Province pitching in to help the company bring their vision to life.” –
