World demand for commercial refrigeration equipment is projected to rise 5.3 percent per year through 2008 to $25.8 billion, with developing nations expected to register the strongest gains, according to research from The Freedonia Group. The most promising opportunities are in Latin America and the Asia/Pacific region, where faster population growth and improved standards of living will stimulate demand for commercial refrigeration equipment in markets such as food and beverage distribution, retailing, and restaurants. China will record some of the strongest increases, with demand rising nearly 10 percent annually through 2008. India will also post strong gains, as the nation invests in improving the efficiency of its food distribution network. Latin America - in particular Mexico and Argentina - will benefit from economic recovery after the early recession of the 2000s.