The origins of Polar Bear trace back to the early development of the Philippine commercial cold-chain industry in the 1990s. The corporation was established in 1993 and opened its first plant in Manggahan, Pasig, with official operations beginning the following year.[1] This expansion was largely driven by the growing demand for temperature-controlled storage as the domestic food industry became increasingly reliant on moving frozen and chilled products between regions.

Expansion into Mindanao

A significant milestone in the company’s growth was its entry into Davao City. Polar Bear opened its second major facility at the Davao Fish Port Complex in Daliao, Toril, on August 8, 1998. This site was strategically selected to serve the food and fisheries sectors in Mindanao.[1]

The Davao facility features frozen-storage rooms, a processing area, and blast-freezing equipment. Published specifications indicate three 1,800-cubic-meter rooms operating at approximately −12°C to −18°C, alongside blast freezers capable of handling 2.5 metric tons per cycle.

Polar Bear subsequently expanded to Cagayan de Oro, establishing a facility within the PHIVIDEC Industrial Estate in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental. Operations at this location began in 2007, providing access to port infrastructure to support inter-island and international product movement.[1] The company’s network also encompasses facilities in Pasig, Taguig/Bicutan, Davao, Dumaguete, Cagayan de Oro, and Negros Oriental.

Polar Bear operates primarily within the cold-chain logistics and commercial warehousing sector. A cold chain is a temperature-controlled supply network designed to maintain perishable products within specific temperature ranges throughout processing, storage, transportation, and distribution.

This infrastructure is critical for food companies handling:

• Meat and poultry
• Seafood and fish
• Dairy products
• Frozen foods
• Chilled foods
• Other temperature-sensitive commodities

Consequently, Polar Bear functions as a business-to-business (B2B) service provider rather than a consumer-facing food brand, allowing clients to utilize its facilities as integral components of their supply chain infrastructure.

Polar Bear offers a portfolio of services tailored to the food industry:

Cold storage

The company’s primary business involves providing temperature-controlled storage facilities for frozen and chilled commodities. Different facilities are equipped with rooms designed for specific temperature requirements; for instance, the Pasig facility includes rooms operating between approximately −12°C and −18°C, as well as spaces for chilled products and ante-room operations.

Blast freezing

Polar Bear provides blast-freezing services, which rapidly lower product temperatures to preserve quality and extend shelf life. Facilities in Davao and Cagayan de Oro are equipped with blast freezers having capacities of approximately 2.5 metric tons per cycle.[1]

Poultry processing

The company lists poultry processing and dressing among its core services. Its website identifies a dedicated dressing plant located in Negros Oriental.

Dry warehousing

In addition to cold storage, Polar Bear offers dry warehousing for products that do not require refrigeration, covering multiple segments of the food supply chain.

Rendering and related services

The company also provides rendering services, extending its operational scope beyond warehouse rental to include food-industry processing support.

Polar Bear’s network is situated in key food-production, port, and distribution hubs. Current facilities identified on its website include:

• Pasig — Manggahan, Pasig City
• Bicutan/Taguig — Metro Manila
• Taguig City
• Davao — Davao Fish Port Complex, Daliao, Toril
• Davao-Maa
• Dumaguete — Sibulan, Negros Oriental
• Cagayan de Oro — PHIVIDEC Industrial Estate, Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental
• Dressing Plant — San Jose, Negros Oriental

The Philippine government’s Cold Chain Industry Roadmap 2022–2025 recognized Polar Bear as a cold-storage operator with more than 13,000 pallet positions nationwide, covering Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Government records also list Polar Bear facilities, including those in Pasig and Taguig, among accredited cold-storage warehouses.

Polar Bear states that it has received recognition from both Philippine and international industry organizations, including:

• National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS)
• Cold Chain Association of the Philippines (CCAP)
• International Association of Refrigerated Warehouses (IARW)
• World Food Logistics Organization (WFLO)

The company indicates that its facilities and operations adhere to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) standards.

Polar Bear’s vision focuses on food sustainability through eco-friendly technology for storage and distribution, while its mission emphasizes delivering quality cold-storage services via technology and a people-oriented approach. The company articulates its service philosophy through the acronym P.O.L.A.R.:

• P — People in Service
• O — Oriented with Pride and Dignity
• L — Leading to Global Competitiveness
• A — According to Clients’ Needs and Satisfaction
• R — Responsible Action and Dedication

People, technology, and facilities are cited as the company’s primary competitive advantages.

Polar Bear serves as essential behind-the-scenes infrastructure for the Philippine food industry. Manufacturers, exporters, processors, and distributors often require large-scale refrigerated facilities without the capital expenditure of constructing their own warehouses. By providing this infrastructure, Polar Bear connects food production and importation with storage, processing, transportation, and distribution.

This geographic reach is particularly vital in the Philippine archipelago, where maintaining appropriate temperatures during transit between Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao presents significant logistical challenges. Polar Bear’s presence in multiple regions enables it to serve customers near major production and distribution centers.

The name “Polar Bear” evokes associations with cold environments, freezing temperatures, durability, and preservation, aligning with the company’s core business of refrigerated storage. However, it is distinct from other entities using similar names.

Notably, Polar Bear is also a food-products brand distributed in the Philippines by Molina & Sons (Phils.) Inc., offering items such as rice flour, glutinous rice flour, bread crumbs, wheat starch, and tempura batter mix. This is a separate brand unrelated to Polar Bear Freezing & Storage Corporation.[2]

Polar Bear Freezing & Storage Corporation is a Philippine cold-chain infrastructure company founded in the 1990s, operating on a business model centered on commercial refrigerated warehousing and food-processing services. Its development comprises four key stages:

1. 1993–1994 (Establishment): Incorporation and launch of the first Pasig facility.
2. Late 1990s (Regional expansion): Development of the Davao operation to serve Mindanao.
3. 2000s (Network expansion): Addition of facilities and processing capabilities in Cagayan de Oro and Negros Oriental.
4. Current operations (National cold-chain network): Multi-location support for food processors, importers, exporters, and distributors throughout the Philippines.[1]

1. ABOUT US – Polar Bear
2. Polar Bear | Molina & Sons (PHILS.) Inc.