Cooling-as-a-service model with sustainable cold rooms in Kenya
The rural population in Kenya is largely dependent on agriculture. The majority of agricultural products is still grown by small farmers using traditional methods. High temperatures damage freshly harvested fruits and vegetables, resulting in significant quantity and quality losses before they reach the end customer. Traditionally, a large proportion of agricultural produce is traded at marketplaces in rural centres.
ARE Member Phaesun GmbH, in cooperation with the Kenyan partner WeHub Victoria Limited (WeTu), has set up two SelfChill solar-powered cold rooms at marketplaces on the shores of Lake Victoria. Both cold rooms were installed by the German-Kenyan team, using SelfChill core components for the thermal ice storage, combined with locally available construction materials. The cold room in Mbita was installed in January 2024 and has been offering uninterrupted services for one year. The cold room in Homabay starts operation in February 2025.
Findings after the first year of market launch
After one year of operation of the cold room in Mbita, the results show a very positive trend. Initially, the market traders were cautious. Awareness campaigns conducted by WeTu had an impact, and over the course of the year, occupancy increased by 7 to 14% each month. For the first time in the 9th month, the cold store had an occupancy rate of 85% on more than 4 days. Initially, market vendors used the cold room to store unsold products fresh until the next market day, mostly perishable leafy vegetables, with quantities of one or two crates. Individual traders discovered the opportunity to buy in larger quantities – 6 to 12 crates- , use the cold room for storage, and offer the vegetables to end customers on a daily basis. This seems to be a more profitable business model for both the cold room operator and the CaaS-customers. The project team is using these results to offer a modified CaaS-model for the cold room in Homabay, targeting mainly wholesalers for specific valuable crops.
Innovative design of SelfChill low-carbon cold room in Homabay
About SelfChill and the project partners: SelfChill is a brand for sustainable cooling solutions distributed by the German wholesaler and system integrator Phaesun GmbH. WeTu is a social business that develops mobility, power, and water solutions in Kenya.
More info on:
https://selfchill.org/
https://www.phaesun.com/home.html
https://wetu.co.ke/