Kenyan agritech SokoFresh targets US$1.5M raise to expand solar cold rooms for avocado exports
The economic impacts of refrigeration technology on Kenyan avocado farmers are substantial.
KENYA – Kenyan agritech startup SokoFresh is preparing to raise approximately US$1.5 million to expand its solar-powered cold storage business and support the country’s growing avocado export market, with a larger Series A raise of more than US$10 million planned for 2027.
Solar cold storage bridges the gap between smallholders and global markets by extending avocado shelf life by up to three weeks after arrival abroad, compared with around one week without refrigeration.
Therefore, this technology has become increasingly important as disruptions to Middle Eastern shipping routes continue to delay deliveries to Europe, Kenya’s largest avocado export destination.
Founded in 2019, SokoFresh operates more than 32 cold storage facilities across Kenya, helping smallholder farmers preserve fresh produce for longer before export.
The economic impacts of refrigeration technology on Kenyan avocado farmers are substantial. According to the company, farmers using its facilities have increased yields by over 20% and cut post-harvest losses by up to 40%. Export-grade avocados can sell for up to 120 Kenyan shillings per kilogram, compared with 50-70 shillings for produce sold without cold storage support.
Consequently, farmers can significantly increase their earnings while reducing waste by ensuring crops meet international standards. For instance, Kenya produces more than 500,000 tons of avocados annually and exports more fruit than South Africa, Africa’s biggest exporter by value.
However, nearly 80% of the crop is grown by small-scale farmers, who often lack reliable refrigeration, leaving produce vulnerable to spoilage before it reaches international buyers.
Moreover, solar cold storage improves farmers’ incomes through multiple channels. First, reduced post-harvest losses mean more fruit reaches the market. Second, extended shelf life allows farmers to wait for better prices rather than accept whatever buyers offer at harvest time.
Third, cold storage preserves fruit quality, enabling access to premium export markets that reject sun-damaged or overripe avocados. Case in point, SokoFresh’s Kiambu County aggregation hub, located north of Nairobi, can store more than 140 tons of fruit at a time and currently works with around 2,500 avocado farmers.
However, competition from other cold chain providers and the need for a reliable electricity supply for battery systems remain operational considerations.
Nonetheless, with 32 facilities already in operation and clear benefits for farmers documented, SokoFresh offers a replicable blueprint for expanding the cold chain to other perishable crops and countries.
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