Cold storage is becoming one of the hottest real-estate investments during the pandemic. It is expected to pursue a public offering, according to commercial real-estate analytics firm Green Street. Americold Realty Trust , the only publicly listed cold-storage real-estate investment trust, recorded a 6% increase in net operating income in the second quarter. Cold-storage warehouses, which are similar to industrial warehouses but are refrigerated to store goods that need to remain fresh or frozen, usually cater to food producers, food wholesalers and retailers such as grocers, restaurants and other bulk buyers. Grocers, farmers and meat producers suddenly had to repackage food in smaller portions so it could be stockpiled for grocery-store customers at a time when most restaurants closed down.

Source: Wall Street Journal October 06, 2020 12:00 UTC