Kenyan companies Roam and Keep It Cool (KIC), both recognized by the Earthshot Prize, have partnered to launch Africa’s first fully electric cold-chain distribution network, combining solar-powered refrigeration with clean electric delivery motorcycles.
The collaboration begins with five Roam Air electric motorcycles integrated into KIC’s smart cold-chain system, which currently transports over 250,000 kilograms of fresh food weekly to more than 4,000 small businesses and 40 supermarkets across major Kenyan cities including Nairobi, Kisumu, Nakuru, and Mombasa.
Roam Air motorcycles, designed and built in Kenya, can carry up to 240 kilograms and reduce operating costs by up to 75% compared to traditional internal combustion engine motorcycles, making them a cost-effective and practical option for delivery businesses.
This initiative addresses East Africa’s post-harvest crisis, where nearly half of fish and poultry products are lost before reaching markets due to insufficient cold storage and transport infrastructure.
Keep It Cool combats these losses through solar-powered cold rooms near fishing ports, hybrid delivery trucks, and a digital platform that connects producers directly to retailers with guaranteed prices, thereby cutting out middlemen and improving profits.
So far, KIC has assisted more than 5,600 fisherfolk in increasing their incomes by over 15% and has reduced post-harvest losses by 98% for over 1.5 million kilograms of food. With Roam’s electric motorcycles now enabling clean last-mile delivery, the cold-chain system is fully sustainable from harvest to sale.
Both companies are rapidly scaling their operations. Roam was recently named Kenya’s fastest-growing company by the Financial Times, expanded its sales and charging infrastructure from Nairobi, and launched the Roam Air Generation 2 motorcycle, developed with input from Kenyan riders. Keep It Cool plans to open Kenya’s largest solar-powered cold-chain hub this year, with a 70-tonne capacity and ambitions to reach 1.6 million people by 2030.
By integrating clean energy, smart logistics, and locally made technology, Roam and Keep It Cool are demonstrating how rural incomes can grow, food waste can be reduced, and climate change can be mitigated simultaneously.
Elijah Gakomo, Sales Executive at Roam, said, “This partnership shows how clean transport can drive real impact, reducing emissions, cutting costs, and strengthening local supply chains. Together, we’re proving that the future of logistics in Africa is electric, efficient, and built at home.”
Abigail Gichigi, Operations Director at Keep It Cool, added, “Each year, we’re saving nearly 400 tonnes of fish that would otherwise end up in landfills—by investing in efficient cold storage and clean energy-powered cold logistics. These innovations are making safe, affordable food distribution scalable. With our partnership with Roam, we’re accelerating this impact even further—delivering tangible benefits for both people and the planet.”
Jason Knauf, CEO of The Earthshot Prize, described the collaboration as “a shining example of urgent optimism in action,” noting that Roam and Keep It Cool “are proving that cleaner air, healthier lives, and greater prosperity are within reach. It’s a powerful reminder of what The Earthshot Prize was created to do: spotlight bold ideas, back the brilliant minds behind them, and show the world that change is not only possible, it’s already happening.”
