Cold chains are a combination of technologies and business processes that in synergy provide for the seamless movement of perishable commodities from farms to distant markets and ultimately consumers. This whole process acts as a value chain, as fresh produce has no commercial value on a tree or in a field on a farm, it has to be taken to market for the full value to be realised. This supply chain is more complex than other supply chains because it is overlaid by the technology of refrigeration which keeps the perishable produce cold and thus extends its storage and shelf life. These concepts along with the technologies of post harvest handling, packaging, transport modes and refrigeration that support this process are explained and discussed in a global context.