Keep IT Cool, a Kenyan startup that is transforming food preservation through its innovative approach to sustainable refrigeration solutions, has received funding from global impact investor Acumen to further its pan-African goals.
Founded in 2021 by Francis Nderitu and Abigail Gachigi, Keep IT Cool uses a variety of cooling technologies and a business-to-business (B2B) software to connect supply and demand in the value chains for fish and poultry.
In order for farmers and fishermen to assess demand in real time, its app “Markiti” enables a network of stores, outlets, and eateries to order fish and poultry directly from the source. Keep IT Cool, a 2024 Earthshot Prize winner, is currently operating in Tanzania and Kenya but plans to grow even further now that it has received money from global impact investor Adumen.
“Our collaboration with Acumen centres on our mutual commitment to uplifting underserved African communities,” said Nderitu, Keep IT Cool’s co-founder and managing director. “We strive to empower these communities by boosting their productivity, improving market access, and minimising waste, ultimately helping to increase their incomes.”
Chris Maranga, who oversees Acumen’s efforts in East Africa, stated that, “In East Africa, post-harvest losses due to lack of adequate cold storage present a critical barrier to food security and economic growth. Keep IT Cool’s solar-powered cold storage technology not only addresses this issue but does so sustainably, empowering fisherfolks and smallholder poultry farmers in some of Kenya’s most marginalized communities. This alignment with our goal to build long-term resilience in local markets made this an easy choice for us.”
Within its network, Keep IT Cool has almost eradicated post-harvest loss and raised the revenues of 3,600 fishermen by more than 15%. It has established a network that includes over 2,000 small companies and 40 stores.
With its current capacity increased by a factor of seven, the firm, which has already expanded to Tanzania, is constructing a solar-powered cold chain facility that will enable it to expand into fruits and vegetables and efficiently service more than 100,000 farmers and fishermen. Its plans to expand throughout Africa will be strengthened by the Acumen investment.
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