BOOTES and CargoPeople unite to combat food waste

BOOTES and CargoPeople are partnering to launch a net-zero cold storage initiative to combat food waste. The initiative aims to provide renewable energy alternatives, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and ensure no child in India goes hungry.

India’s Net-Zero company BOOTES and multimodal logistics firm CargoPeople have partnered to launch a net-zero cold storage initiative to combat food waste in the country. The initiative aims to provide renewable energy alternatives and combat food waste while reducing reliance on fossil fuels, ensuring no child in India goes hungry.

Bootes Cold Chain has collaborated with URBS to develop new cold storage facilities in India, with the goal of securing green funding for the project. Over the next five years, the campaign aims to generate $1 billion for net-zero cold storage solutions. The joint venture, which aims to transform India’s cold storage landscape, will leverage BOOTES Cold Chain’s expertise in net-zero technology and infrastructure, as well as CargoPeople’s supply chain management capabilities.

Deepak Rai, Founder and Managing Director of BOOTES, emphasised the urgency of the endeavour, citing projections of increased energy consumption and potential crop wastage. He stressed the necessity of affordable cold storage solutions for farmers, aligning with the government’s net-zero 2070 objectives.

With 50 percent better efficiency than conventional cold storage systems, net-zero cold storage has the potential to drastically reduce food waste from 40 percent to just 5 percent over the course of the next ten years. This invention can significantly increase the shelf life of perishable items while also offsetting 80 percent of carbon emissions and lowering electricity costs by 60 percent, both of which are in line with India’s net-zero goals.

Manuj Adlakha, founder and CEO of CargoPeople, highlighted the challenges in India’s cold chain sector, including power outages and high operational costs, which contribute to substantial food losses. Despite these obstacles, the Indian cold chain market is poised for significant growth, driven by demand and evolving consumer preferences.