Kenya’s food system loses too much before it ever reaches the market. For smallholder farmers and fishers, the absence of reliable cold storage often means produce spoils quickly, prices drop and income is lost. A new initiative is now stepping in to change that reality by strengthening cold chain infrastructure in a way that is practical, inclusive and climate-friendly.
Energy Saving Trust, co-Secretariat of Efficiency for Access, has announced five companies selected for funding under the Kenya Cold Chain Accelerator (KCCA). The initiative is designed to help these businesses test strong business models and scale sustainable cooling solutions for smallholder food producers across the country. Its wider goal is to reduce food waste, improve livelihoods and support Kenya’s long-term food security.
Agriculture remains central to Kenya’s economy. It contributes 31.5 percent of GDP and employs about 38 percent of the population. Yet the sector continues to face up to 40 percent post-harvest losses. These losses are driven by fragmented cold chain systems, high upfront costs for cooling technologies, limited access to markets and weak policy support. Together, these barriers prevent farmers from fully benefiting from their produce and limit the country’s ability to build resilient food systems.
KCCA is built to respond directly to these challenges. Rather than focusing only on grants, the programme takes a broad ecosystem approach that supports companies, workers and institutions at the same time. This approach is expected to create lasting impact beyond the individual projects being funded.
Building a Strong and Inclusive Cold Chain Ecosystem
At the centre of KCCA is the belief that sustainable cold chain solutions must be commercially viable and locally rooted. Alongside funding, the programme is providing tailored technical assistance to improve the commercial readiness of the selected companies. This includes support to refine business models, improve operations and prepare for future investment.
KCCA is also generating research and market insights to deepen understanding of Kenya’s cold chain landscape. These insights are meant to help businesses grow in the right direction while giving investors and policymakers clearer information on where support is most needed. Workforce and skills development is another core pillar, aimed at building long-term capacity in cold chain technologies and services.
In addition, the programme is strengthening cross-sector dialogue. By engaging government, investors and development partners, KCCA is helping improve understanding of cold chain technologies, market barriers and the policy solutions required to unlock growth. This engagement is critical in a sector where coordination has often been weak.
Christopher Beland, Technical Programme Manager at Energy Saving Trust, underlined the importance of this approach, saying, “Cold chain is essential for strengthening food systems and promoting climate resilience in Kenya. What makes the KCCA unique is the tailored package of support for companies and ecosystem approach, which is positioned to drive systemic change. Our assistance will enable these innovators to help foster inclusive agricultural growth in Kenya over the long term.”
The programme is managed by Energy Saving Trust, co-Secretariat of Efficiency for Access, in partnership with Energy 4 Impact, Mercy Corps’ clean energy innovation platform and GOGLA. Funding comes from the UK government through the Transforming Energy Access platform and the IKEA Foundation.
The Companies Turning Funding Into Impact
Through KCCA, five Kenyan companies are now set to deploy and expand solar-powered cold chain solutions across different value chains and regions. Each company addresses a specific gap in the market while contributing to the shared goal of reducing food loss and improving farmer incomes.
Kuza Coolers will establish a large solar-powered fish aggregation hub in Homa Bay. Operating as Kuza Freezer Africa, the company sources and sells fish across Kenya through a business-to-business model. Its solar-powered cold storage hubs help ensure quality control, reduce post-harvest losses and improve market access for fishers. This approach also supports more sustainable fishing practices and strengthens the overall fish supply chain.
Agrotech Plus is expanding its Sun4Fresh network by deploying modular cold rooms in Machakos and Meru counties. The company focuses on environmentally friendly agricultural solutions that raise productivity while reducing carbon emissions. By scaling solar-powered cold storage, Agrotech Plus aims to help farmers preserve fresh produce longer and reach better markets.
Keep IT Cool will scale solar-powered cold storage in Lake Turkana to support fishers and poultry farmers. Based in Nairobi, the company has developed a smart distribution platform called Markiti, which links supply and demand in fish and chicken value chains. By using decentralized off-grid and on-grid cold storage, the platform reduces losses and guarantees market access. Farmers and fishers benefit from lower costs, direct access to consumers and improved incomes through a more transparent and efficient supply chain.
Savanna Circuit will expand its SOLAR THRIVE initiative, which serves dairy and fisheries through portable chillers and digital tools. As a youth-led manufacturing and last-mile distribution company, Savanna Circuit focuses on areas often missed by traditional post-harvest programmes. Its solar milk chillers, solar dryers and dairy management solutions support aggregation, chilling during transit and performance management across the supply chain.
Chill Zone will build an integrated cold chain and processing hub for horticultural crops. Headquartered in Iten, the company is working to reduce waste, add value to fresh produce and create new market opportunities for smallholder farmers. Its approach is based on enterprise-driven agriculture supported by innovation and strong partnerships.
Together, these five companies represent a practical response to one of Kenya’s most persistent agricultural challenges. By combining solar technology, strong business models and ecosystem support, the Kenya Cold Chain Accelerator is laying the groundwork for a more resilient, efficient and inclusive food system. The expected result is less waste, higher incomes for producers and a stronger link between farms, fisheries, and markets across the country.
