ANALYSIS: US Boneless Beef Cold Storage Stocks Fall in May 2025 to Lowest Level in 10 Years

The latest USDA cold storage report showed a decline of 13.7 M lbs of boneless beef in cold storage for May month-over-month (MOM) with current levels at 364.6 M lbs, which is the lowest level in the past ten years. Both lean and fat boneless beef continued to be tight throughout the month of May leading to less stored frozen product. As beef demand ramps up during the summer, especially for products like hotdogs and hamburgers, which boneless beef are key ingredients, cold storage dips as material is pulled out to supplement...

ANALYSIS: Lamb and Veal Cold Storage Remains Tight Despite Modest April Gains

According to the latest USDA Cold Storage report, total frozen lamb and veal inventories in April 2025 were 19.627 million pounds, up 0.9% from March but still well below typical levels for this time of year. Compared to April last year, supplies were down 18% and nearly 24% below the three-year average, making it one of the lowest April totals in recent years—just slightly above 2006 and 2011 levels.

Lamb stocks rose modestly by 180,000 pound...

ANALYSIS: Turkey Shortage Deepens: March Stocks Drop Below 2022 Levels

The total volume of turkey in cold storage has fallen below 2022 to reach a new all-time low in March. Since October 2024, there has been an ongoing trend of year-over-year (YoY) declines in the total amount of frozen turkey. This is largely attributed to low production figures and a relatively high number of disease-related issues. The total number of turkeys processed has been at an all-time low since November 2024, and this year's year-to-date (YTD) HPAI detections are at the second-highest value on record. Additionally, market discussions have suggested that avian metapneumovirus has been responsible for substantial increases in mortality...

Vertical Cold Storage Adds 10th Facility to Network

Vertical Cold Storage, a developer and operator of temperature-controlled distribution centers sponsored by real estate investment firm Platform Ventures, has entered into a purchase agreement to acquire the frozen distribution center from Dothan Warehouse in Dothan, AL. The Dothan facility focuses on poultry for export markets and is located close to several interstate highways, enabling less than one day delivery to the ports of Jacksonville, FL; Mobile, AL; New Orleans, LA; Panama City, FL; and Savannah, GA. The operation employs 40...