Taiwan’s First Public Cold Chain Meat Factory Still Idle After Five Failed Bids
Changhua, Sept. 27, 2025 – Taiwan’s first publicly owned cold chain meat processing facility, located at the Changhua County Meat Market, has remained unused nearly a year after its grand opening. Despite being built with an investment of NT$130 million and touted as a breakthrough in ensuring fresh and safe meat supply, the factory has already failed in five rounds of bidding to attract private operators.
The facility was inaugurated in November 2024 with much fanfare, attended by both central and local officials. It was expected to begin operations shortly after the Lunar New Year. Instead, the plant sits idle, prompting criticism from county councilors who say it risks becoming a “white elephant” and a waste of taxpayer money.
During a special session, councilors Chen Yu-ki, Zhan Mu-gen, and Liu Shu-fang questioned why the highly promoted project has not moved forward. They noted that the Ministry of Agriculture and the county government had promised immediate processing of pork from the adjacent slaughterhouse to guarantee food safety. Almost a year later, nothing has materialized.
Equipment Gaps and Market Pressures
Responding to the criticism, the county’s Agriculture Department said the facility was intended to be leased to private operators, but the process has been unsuccessful. Meat Market General Manager Chen Guoxing explained that incomplete infrastructure—such as exhaust systems, boilers, and power distribution—needed further upgrades, which were carried out in phases due to budget constraints.
Another factor discouraging businesses has been soaring live pig prices, which rose from NT$80 per kilogram during construction to NT$100–110 this year. “With higher input costs, companies see little profit margin, so their interest in leasing has dropped,” Chen said.
Next Steps
The meat market plans to revisit rental terms, with adjustments to rent and operational costs expected to be discussed in an upcoming board meeting. A new round of bidding may begin as early as October.
Under the revised plan, the facility’s first floor will be leased to private firms for cold chain processing, while the second floor will be used by the meat market itself to produce processed goods such as meat floss and meatballs. Machinery from the old processing site has already been moved into the new plant.
The two-story building spans 670 square meters, with an additional 120-square-meter annex designed as a pre-cooling and cutting area. Authorities originally envisioned the plant as a complete cold chain system to improve meat freshness and food safety. For now, however, the ambitious project remains stalled—its future hinging on whether new incentives can finally bring in operators.
