Cencora (formerly AmerisourceBergen) has announced a $1 billion investment over five years into the U.S. supply‑chain infrastructure focused on cold‑storage for specialty therapies. This includes opening two major new distribution centres (DCs) and expanding existing facilities to handle complex pharmaceuticals requiring precise temperature control and tracking.
While this may appear health‑industry‑specific at first glance, the strategic import crosses into the omnichannel retail supply‑chain realm in important ways. The investment underscores the premium being placed on logistics capabilities: precision, visibility, automation and resilience.
For retailers and brands in perishable goods, health/beauty, fresh‑food categories—or any item requiring controlled storage and rapid fulfilment—the directional signal is clear: supply‑chain foundations must be upgraded to meet elevated expectations.
For omnichannel retail, this means that the “last‑mile” is only as reliable as the “first‑mile” and “middle‑mile” infrastructure. Brands and retailers must align on shared metrics, data integration, and scenario‑planning across the network.
