Coldhubs provides solar-powered walk-in cold rooms designed for off-grid storage of perishable foods, extending their shelf life from 2 days to 21 days. This technology addresses the 45% food spoilage rate in developing countries due to inadequate cold storage, significantly reducing post-harvest losses for smallholder farmers.
Funding
$290K raised to dateRaised to date based on public sources. This may differ from the amount the company actually raised and is based only on what is publicly available on the internet.
Founders
Product
Problem
In developing countries, approximately 45% of food spoils due to the lack of adequate cold storage facilities, leading to significant post-harvest losses for smallholder farmers and reduced income. Perishable foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, begin to deteriorate immediately after harvest, losing weight, texture, flavor, and nutritional value.
Solution
Coldhubs provides a "plug and play" modular, solar-powered walk-in cold room designed for 24/7 off-grid storage and preservation of perishable foods. Installed in food production and consumption centers, Coldhubs extends the shelf life of fruits, vegetables, and other perishables from 2 days to approximately 21 days. The cold rooms are constructed with 120mm insulating panels to maintain consistent temperatures, while solar panels mounted on the roof provide power stored in high-capacity batteries, which in turn feed the refrigerating unit. Farmers utilize clean, reusable plastic crates to store their produce within the cold rooms.
Target Audience
The primary target audience includes smallholder farmers in developing countries who experience post-harvest losses due to lack of cold storage, as well as food production and consumption centers in these regions.
Features
- Modular, walk-in cold rooms constructed with 120mm insulated panels for optimal temperature retention.
- Solar-powered operation with roof-mounted solar panels, high-capacity battery storage, and an inverter-powered refrigeration unit.
- "Plug and play" design for easy installation in various locations, including farms and markets.
- Extends the shelf life of perishable foods from 2 days to approximately 21 days.
- Utilizes reusable plastic crates for organized and sanitary storage of produce.