Canadian cold-storage logistics specialists Congebec and Bradner Cold Storage are uniting operations to create a network of facilities which spans much of Canada - from Quebec in the east to British Columbia in the west.

The combined entity will also operate facilities in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. Congebec had previously operated 11 facilities as far west as Alberta, while Bradner operates five distribution centres in the B.C. cities of Chilliwack, Abbotsford and Langley.

The combined company’s network now spans 16 cold-storage and multi-temperature facilities.

Financial details of the deal have not been announced.

“This partnership marks a significant milestone in our journey to provide unparalleled cold-storage solutions across Canada and internationally,” said Nicholas-P. Pedneault, the CEO of Congebec, in Wednesday’s announcement. “By uniting our strengths, we are thrilled to deliver exceptional value and service to our customers who are embracing more than ever the demand for Canadian products.”

Congebec and Bradner's operations

Congebec is a Canadian multi-temperature logistics provider of distribution services for the food, retail and packaged goods industries. Based in Quebec City, the firm employs over 550 workers and has over a half century of experience in the sector - having celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2024.

Congebec’s facilities offer a total of over 65 million cubic feet of space.

The company bills itself as the largest cold-storage provider in Quebec, and the second largest in Canada, behind Vancouver-based VersaCold.

Bradner Cold Storage is also based in Vancouver and specializes in the temperature-controlled warehousing and distribution sector. 

The firm was established in 2011 and has primarily served Western Canada’s food manufacturing and agricultural industries.

“We’re proud of what we’ve built at Bradner, which created the foundation to join forces with Congebec and expand our reach across North America,” Tim Ludwig, CEO of Bradner Cold Storage and now part of Congebec’s ownership group, said in the announcement. “Together, we will set new standards in the cold storage industry and drive innovation in logistics and transportation.”

Ludwig was general manager at Bradner from its founding in 2011 through 2017, when he was named CEO. He has over 25 years of experience in the food services and logistics sectors.

Ludwig  is also the 2025 chairman of the Global Cold Chain Alliance Warehouse Board.

Key expansion in west for Congebec

Congebec identifies several benefits to the merger in its announcement. Chief among these is the addition of Bradner’s expertise in frozen, fresh and dry logistics and its regional market access, particularly to the Trans-Pacific trade routes through Vancouver. For Congebec, it opens new opportunities to serve Canadian consumers and expand access to international markets.

Congebec currently exports food products to over 50 countries, in part through the assistance of government programs such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

One of its most significant recent expansions was leasing and then moving into a newly built 219,000-square-foot cold storage facility in Mascouche, in Greater Montreal, in 2023. That facility was developed by Rosefellow and Skyline Commercial REIT (now Skyline Industrial REIT).

Looking ahead, Congebec “remains committed to expanding its presence across North America,” the company writes in the announcement.