Temperature-Controlled Trucking Company, Cold-Chain Carrier (Relocatable, CA)

Full Editorial Writeup

This is a temperature-controlled trucking operation hauling food-grade and cold-chain freight for recurring customers. The fleet runs 10 trucks and 13 refrigerated 53-foot trailers with Thermo King Precedent S600 units, staffed by a 12-person team of 10 full-time and 2 part-time employees plus one owner-operator. The business is described as owner-operated virtually, meaning it functions with trained drivers, dispatch systems, and customer relationships in place rather than as a job the owner performs day to day.

Revenue has climbed sharply from roughly $1.75M in 2023 to $2.59M in 2024, $2.79M in 2025, and about $3.15M on a trailing basis into 2026, a stated 42% year-over-year jump in the most recent period. Growth has come primarily from existing customer demand and referrals rather than paid marketing, which suggests real pull-through demand from anchor accounts. Cash flow (SDE) is reported at $532,542, putting the $2.1M asking price at a 3.94x multiple.

What makes this notable is the mix of essential end-market demand (cold-chain food logistics is non-discretionary) with a semi-absentee operating model and clear near-term capacity expansion levers. The seller frames the business as demand-constrained rather than customer-constrained, meaning added trucks convert directly to revenue. That thesis, if it holds up in diligence, is the entire investment case.