Cool Japan Fund transfers shares of CLK Cold Storage

Cool Japan anticipates that CLK will continue to further develop as a key distribution infrastructure for Japanese food products. However, following the lapse of a certain investment period and after through discussions with JLS and Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Cool Japan decided to transfer all of its shares of CLK to the two partners.

In 2015, Cool Japan Fund established CLK as a limited liability company in partnership with JLS and Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, to construct and operate advanced chilled and frozen warehouses in Vietnam with the aim of developing the cold chain serving as the foundation for the distribution of food products from Japan.

With this investment, in 2016, CLK completed construction and commenced operation of a chilled and frozen warehouse in Ho Chi Minh City. Aided by the launch of an expanded warehouse in 2022 and other developments, in the years since CLK has increased its handling volume of foods from Japanese companies with a focus on agricultural, forestry, marine and other food products, contributing to the distribution infrastructure in Southeast Asia.

Cool Japan Fund was founded in 2013 as a public-private fund with the aim of contributing to the sustainable growth of Japan's economy through the expansion of overseas demand and supply of attractive products and services unique to Japanese lifestyle & culture.

According to B&Company, Vietnam’s cold chain logistics sector is experiencing significant growth, driven by expanding agricultural exports, increasing domestic demand for perishable goods, and a rising need for pharmaceutical cold storage. Strategic investments in this sector can provide robust returns, especially for those who move quickly to capture early-stage opportunities in this dynamic market.

Cold chain logistics in high demand Vietnam’s growing middle class and their increasing preference for higher quality alternatives for fresh produce and meats from foreign markets, as well as the behaviour shifts brought about by the pandemic, have become key drivers for the rising demand for cold chain logistics and warehousing in the country.

LOTTE Global Logistics builds a $34 million cold chain facility in Dong Nai On March 19, LOTTE Global Logistics, a subsidiary of South Korea’s LOTTE Group, broke ground on a cold chain facility at Nhon Trach Industrial Complex in the southern province of Dong Nai with a total investment of nearly $34 million.

Cold chain sector to see increasing demand The cold chain market in Vietnam has recorded active participation and expansion of both local and foreign investors. By 2026, the total designed capacity of cold storage in Vietnam is predicted to hit over 1.7 million pallets, with 23 projects scheduled to be completed from 2023 to 2026.