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Purpose The cold chain system is vital for food safety, public health, and sustainability. However, it still faces challenges in sustainable practices, especially in quality assurance, waste reduction, and efficiency. This study uses bibliometric and systematic review methods to trace the field's development over 25 years, identify gaps in global benchmarking, and propose practical performance metrics. Applying SPAR-4 and bibliometric tools, the study finds growing academic interest in cold chains since 2010 and stresses the need for standardized global indicators. A new KPI framework is presented to enable cross-regional comparisons and guide future research and policy. Design/methodology/approach The study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of research on cold chain management published over the last 25 years. In addition, the SPAR-4 framework is applied to ensure methodological rigor in the systematic literature review process. Drawing on publications spanning 2000 to 2025, the analysis traces the evolution and trajectory of cold chain management research and examines its implications for business and logistics practices. Findings Bibliometric results show that cold chain publications experienced an 88% annual increase in citations from 2010 to 2025, compared with 2000–2009, highlighting rising academic interest. Most research centers on vaccine and food supply chains. The review also notes the absence of standardised global indicators for evaluating the cold chain. It suggests key dimensions: sustainability, safety and quality, operational performance, capacity, and integration with broader supply chains. Originality/value This study provides a comprehensive synthesis of cold chain management research, highlights key limitations in existing approaches, and identifies priority areas for future investigation. By proposing a structured KPI framework, it provides practical guidance to support the adoption and evaluation of sustainable cold-chain management practices.