Celsius Logistics Builds India's First Tech-Enabled Cold Supply Chain to Fight ₹1.3 Trillion Food Waste

Every year, India loses ₹1.3 trillion worth of perishable goods – food that could feed millions, medicines that could save lives, and agricultural products that could transform rural economies. This staggering waste represents not just economic loss but a fundamental failure in our supply chain infrastructure.

Enter Swarup Bose, Founder and CEO of Celsius Logistics Solutions, who's building what he calls "India's first unbroken cold chain" – a technology-driven logistics network that's revolutionizing how perishable goods move from farm to fork. What started as a lockdown idea during COVID-19 has evolved into a 500 Cr turnover company serving 600+ cities with 4,000+ temperature-controlled vehicles.

This isn't just another logistics startup – it's a mission to save food, secure medicine supply chains, and create economic opportunities for farmers while building one of India's most sophisticated supply chain networks.

The Problem: India's Cold Chain Crisis

Think about the last time you bought ice cream, took medicine, or purchased fresh vegetables. What do these everyday products have in common? They all depend on a cold supply chain to maintain quality and safety.

"These are all the products that cannot survive without a proper cold supply chain. What that means is right from the point of manufacturing or from the point of a farm when you are harvesting oranges or mangoes or litchis or fresh vegetables – all these need to go through a proper cold chain," Bose explains.

The traditional cold chain landscape in India presents a perfect storm of challenges:

• Fragmented Infrastructure: 85% of cold chain capacity exists in tier 2-4 cities with minimal integration
• Technology Gap: Most operators lack IoT monitoring, real-time tracking, and automated systems
• Mindset Barriers: Traditional acceptance of quality issues and spoilage as "normal"
• Economic Pressures: High costs preventing investment in modern infrastructure

The Human Cost of Cold Chain Failure

The impact extends far beyond economic losses. When cold chains fail:

• Farmers lose income as produce spoils before reaching markets
• Consumers pay higher prices due to built-in wastage costs
• Medicine efficacy decreases when stored outside optimal temperature ranges
• Food security suffers as available supply diminishes

"Unfortunately in India the ambient temperatures are 40-45° that means you need to carry even the regular medicines like a Crocin tablet in a proper cold chain till it reaches the retail store. Otherwise the efficacy dies away," Bose notes.

The Solution: Technology-First Cold Chain Revolution

While existing players focused on adding more cold storage facilities and vehicles, Celsius identified the real gap: technology integration. The company has built a comprehensive platform that combines IoT, real-time monitoring, and sophisticated logistics management.

The IoT-Powered Network

Every asset in the Celsius ecosystem is smart:

• 4,000+ vehicles equipped with live temperature and humidity sensors
• 100+ cold storages with 24/7 environmental monitoring
• 300+ riders using temperature-controlled delivery bags
• Real-time tracking from farm to consumer

"We obviously use a lot of IoT devices. All warehouses, vehicles, our riders, everything has an IoT device which is giving us live information about the product, temperature, humidity, location, all these are something that we monitor live every moment of every day. It's 24x7, 365 days a year," Bose explains.

The Asset-Light Marketplace Model

What makes Celsius truly innovative is their asset-light approach. Instead of owning vehicles and cold storages, they've built a technology platform that aggregates and optimizes existing infrastructure:

• Marketplace Foundation: Connect fragmented cold chain operators
• Quality Control: Standardize operations across diverse providers
• Technology Enablement: Provide IoT and management systems to small operators
• Network Effects: Create economies of scale through platform consolidation

"The supply side of cold chain in India is highly fragmented. Almost 85% of the supply is in tier 2, tier three, tier four cities. We work with the 85%. We work with the small operators, single cold storage owner, single warehouse owner," Bose shares.

Implementation: From Marketplace to 3PL Powerhouse

Celsius has evolved from a pure marketplace model to becoming a comprehensive 3PL partner for major brands across India. This pivot proved crucial for sustainable growth and market impact.

The Client Portfolio

Today, Celsius serves some of India's biggest brands:

• FMCG Giants: Parag Dairy, Godrej
• Pharma Leaders: Dr. Reddy's
• Quick Commerce: Blinkit, Zepto
• Food Delivery: Zomato

"Today we are a 3PL provider to all the big brands in India. We help them procure, we help them store, we help them distribute. So we are their backbone in the supply chain," Bose states.

Technology Stack Integration

The company has built an impressive suite of in-house solutions:

• Transport Management Solution: Route optimization and vehicle tracking
• Warehouse Management System: Inventory and facility optimization
• Inventory Management: Real-time stock and expiry tracking
• Distribution Platform: Multi-channel order fulfillment

"The technology behind this is what we have created. A transport management solution, a warehouse management solution, an inventory management solution, inventory distribution solutions. All this is what we have created in house and the Celsius platform is a amalgamation of all these technologies together," Bose explains.

Results: Measurable Impact and Market Transformation

The results speak for themselves. Celsius has grown from a lockdown idea to a 500 Cr turnover company serving 600+ cities across India. But the impact goes far beyond financial metrics.

Supply Chain Transformation

Celsius has fundamentally changed how cold chains operate in India:

• Reduced Wastage: Real-time monitoring prevents spoilage
• Expanded Reach: Tier 2-4 cities now have access to reliable cold chain
• Faster Delivery: Cross-country delivery in 12 hours vs. traditional 9 days
• Better Quality: Consistent temperature control maintains product integrity

Farmer and Rural Impact

The technology platform is creating new opportunities for agricultural producers:

• Direct Market Access: Farmers can sell to major retailers
• Reduced Post-Harvest Losses: Better preservation from farm to market
• Price Optimization: Extended shelf life enables better timing
• Quality Premiums: Consistent quality commands higher prices

"Today we work with Blinkit across the country where Blinkit is buying directly from farmers but farmer is able to sell to them because we take care of all the headaches – whether it is collection from a farm, processing, pre-cooling, packaging, transportation, distribution, warehousing. We are taking care of it," Bose shares.

Future Vision: Beyond India's Borders

Despite impressive growth, Bose sees Celsius as just getting started. The company has ambitious plans for the future that extend far beyond Indian borders.

Market Opportunity

The cold chain industry represents a $40-50 billion opportunity in India alone:

• Pharma: $100 billion market opportunity
• Dairy: $120 billion opportunity
• Agriculture: Massive unmapped potential
• 15% of these markets flow through supply chain

"The industry that we are looking at is a 40-50 billion opportunity where I am doing 500 crore turnover. So we have we have a very long way ahead," Bose acknowledges.

Expansion Plans

Celsius is strategically planning its next phase of growth:

• Cross-Border Operations: International logistics expansion
• Export Focus: Supporting export-oriented businesses
• Technology Licensing: Platform as a service for global markets
• Vertical Integration: Deeper control over supply chain elements

"We are looking at cross-border in the future. We are looking at going to different countries in the future, launching their helping our export-oriented businesses by creating a supply chain across countries," Bose reveals.

Key Takeaways: Building the Future of Cold Chain

Celsius Logistics offers valuable lessons for entrepreneurs and industry players looking to transform traditional sectors through technology:

1. Technology Integration Trumps Infrastructure Addition

The Insight: Most competitors focused on building more cold storage and vehicles. Celsius focused on making existing infrastructure smarter.

The Application: Look for technology gaps in traditional industries. Sometimes the biggest opportunity isn't adding more capacity but making existing capacity more efficient.

2. Asset-Light Models Enable Rapid Scaling

The Insight: By not owning vehicles and cold storages, Celsius can scale faster and focus on their core competency – technology and network optimization.

The Application: Consider platform business models that aggregate and optimize existing resources rather than building everything from scratch.

3. COVID-19 Created Unexpected Opportunities

The Insight: The pandemic accelerated digital adoption and highlighted supply chain vulnerabilities, creating perfect conditions for Celsius's solution.

The Application: Look for crisis-induced market changes that create permanent shifts in consumer behavior and business requirements.

4. Fundraising Requires Extreme Persistence

The Insight: Celsius faced thousands of rejections before securing funding. Success required incredible perseverance and belief in the vision.

The Application: Prepare for a long fundraising journey. Focus on telling your story effectively and building relationships, not just pitching.

5. Solve Real, Measurable Problems

The Insight: Celsius attacked a specific, quantifiable problem (₹1.3 trillion in waste) with a clear solution path.

The Application: Focus on solving problems that can be measured and where your impact can be clearly demonstrated to customers and investors.

The transformation of India's cold supply chain through Celsius represents more than just business success – it's about creating a more efficient, sustainable food system that can feed India's growing population while reducing waste and creating economic opportunities for farmers and small businesses across the country.

As Bose reflects on the journey: "Perseverance is topmost requirement to be an entrepreneur. And the second is belief. If you don't believe in the product don't step into this. If you have your doubts, trust me, no VC will ever touch you."

About the Guest

Swarup Bose is the Founder and CEO of Celsius Logistics Solutions, bringing over 20 years of experience in the cold supply chain industry. Before founding Celsius during COVID-19, Bose ran a manufacturing business producing refrigerated vehicles and cold storage equipment for 19 years, achieving a 25 crore yearly turnover. His journey into entrepreneurship was influenced by his father, who worked in cold supply chain in the Middle East for 28 years. Bose holds a master's degree in computer applications and previously worked at Wipro before joining his father's manufacturing business. Celsius has raised over ₹388 crore across multiple funding rounds and has grown from a lockdown idea to a 500 Cr turnover company serving 600+ cities across India.

Celsius Logistics Solutions is India's first technology-enabled cold supply chain platform, providing end-to-end temperature-controlled logistics services. The company operates an asset-light model, partnering with fragmented cold chain operators across India to create a unified, technology-driven network. Celsius serves major brands including Parag Dairy, Godrej, Dr. Reddy's, Zomato, Blinkit, and Zepto, helping them reduce wastage and expand their reach into tier 2-4 cities through innovative IoT-enabled logistics solutions.