- Americold has opened its first import-export cold storage hub in Kansas City with a direct connection to Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), the only single-owner rail network spanning Canada, the US, and Mexico.
- The $127M, 335K SF warehouse serves as a strategic distribution point for North American food logistics, especially for pork and beef producers.
- If the proposed Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern merger is approved, similar east-west logistics developments could emerge, signaling a broader trend of rail-linked cold storage real estate.
A Cold Chain Milestone In The Midwest
Americold Realty Trust has launched a new cold storage facility in Kansas City, Missouri, reports CoStar. The facility is designed to streamline refrigerated imports and exports. It does this through a direct connection with CPKC’s tri-national rail network. Located near the CenterPoint Intermodal Center, the project represents a major step in integrating rail into modern cold chain logistics.
This is the first Americold facility with rail integration across a single railroad that spans the entire continent. It is poised to become a model for future distribution hubs. Shippers are increasingly looking for more efficient and cost-effective transport options.
More Than Storage
Beyond its 335K SF of storage capacity, the facility includes USDA food inspection capabilities on-site—minimizing customs delays that typically occur at borders. Americold hasn’t disclosed specific tenants, but said the hub is serving some of the largest US pork and beef producers.
The company plans to replicate this model across North America, with future locations under consideration in western Canada and Mexico.
Get Smarter about what matters in CRE
Stay ahead of trends in commercial real estate with CRE Daily – the free newsletter delivering everything you need to start your day in just 5-minutes
The Rail Advantage
The new Kansas City facility shows the potential benefits of vertically integrated rail systems. By cutting out interchanges between different rail companies, CPKC and facilities like Americold’s can speed up shipping times, reduce bottlenecks, and lower freight costs.
These benefits could multiply if Union Pacific’s proposed $85B acquisition of Norfolk Southern goes through, creating an east-west version of what CPKC now offers north to south.
Industrial Property Evolution
Experts say this is part of a broader shift in logistics real estate. Today’s cold storage facilities are increasingly complex, incorporating automation, advanced inventory systems, and intermodal capabilities. According to LJA Engineering, these “next-gen” logistics hubs allow shippers to seamlessly transfer goods between rail, truck, and even air.
Commercial real estate firms are watching the trend closely, with increasing interest in cold storage and intermodal logistics hubs near key population and border regions.
What’s Next
The success of Americold’s Kansas City project may drive additional investment into rail-linked cold storage across North America. CPKC is already exploring other high-potential development sites through its Room to Grow initiative. At the same time, further consolidation in the rail industry may be on the horizon. As a result, industrial real estate could see a wave of new projects focused on creating a more integrated and efficient supply chain.
“This is more than infrastructure,” said Americold CEO George Chappelle. “We’ve unlocked a better way to move food.”
