Cold Solutions Rwanda has opened a new fruit processing and cold storage facility aimed at improving the handling of fresh produce for export, strengthening Rwanda’s agricultural value chain and supporting the country’s growing horticulture sector.
The facility, which became operational in August 2026, is equipped with modern fruit processing, grading, packaging and cooling equipment designed to prepare avocados and other fruits for international markets.
It is already serving several fruit export companies, including Kumwe Green Farms Ltd, Souk Farms, Kinvest, Proxifresh, Bahage Foods, Sunripe and Green Life.
Among its early clients is Kumwe Green Farms, an exporter of Hass and Fuerte avocados as well as other fresh produce, which now uses the facility to process its exports before shipment.
Founder and CEO of Kumwe Green Farms Ltd, Fred Rwigamba, said the new facility has transformed the company’s operations by replacing labour-intensive manual processes with mechanised systems.
“Previously, we used a traditional method where we spread the avocados on tarpaulins and had people sit down and process them manually,” he said.
“Now, we use these machines, which make the process much faster. It used to take us between five and six days to fill a container, but now it can be done in just one or two days.”
Rwigamba said the equipment has also improved the accuracy of weighing and packaging produce.
“Each carton transported by ship contains four kilograms. Previously, workers estimated the weight by looking at the avocados, and there was no guarantee the measurements were accurate. That was a challenge, but now the machines handle the process, giving us confidence that every carton meets the required standard,” he said.
Beyond processing, Rwigamba said the availability of cold storage is equally important for exporters handling highly perishable produce.
“As you know, fruits are highly perishable agricultural products and need to be stored in a cool environment to prevent them from going bad,” he said.
“We did not have such storage facilities before, and that was one of the reasons some exporters were reluctant to use sea freight. Although shipping by sea takes longer, it is much more affordable.”
He explained that avocados are cooled immediately after processing to maintain their quality throughout the export journey.
“After processing, the avocados are cooled to the required temperature because they spend about three days being transported by truck before reaching Mombasa. Maintaining that temperature is essential to prevent deterioration,” he said.
Cold Solutions Rwanda is located in the Kigali Special Economic Zone in Masoro and forms part of the ARCH Cold Solutions East Africa Fund, managed by UK-based investment firm ARCH Emerging Markets Partners. The fund seeks to expand cold storage infrastructure across East Africa to reduce post-harvest losses and strengthen regional agricultural value chains.
Cold Solutions Rwanda Country Director Julie Igiraneza said the company introduced the fruit processing facility after receiving strong demand from exporters seeking reliable processing and cold chain services.
“We had many people asking us for this service. Some customers even approached us while the project was still under development and told us they wanted to be among the first to use the machines once they arrived. They included Souk Farms, Kumwe Farms and others,” she said.
She said the company plans to expand the facility further by installing more advanced equipment to increase processing capacity.
“We realised this is a very important service, so we are expanding our operations and planning to bring in more advanced equipment that can serve more people at the same time. This is a service that is highly needed in Rwanda and across East Africa,” she said.
The facility is expected to enhance Rwanda’s capacity to preserve fresh produce, reduce post-harvest losses caused by spoilage and improve the competitiveness of the country’s fruit exports.
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