CoolMilk turns one-cow owners into dairy farmers to boost production

Milk preservation innovation could solve seasonal shortfalls

- By Mzwandile kaBizokwakhe

A revolutionary solar-powered solution, born from a deep understanding of South Africa's dairy industry woes, is poised to transform rural cow owners into certified dairy farmers while tackling the nation's seasonal milk shortages.

The innovation, dubbed CoolMilk, is the brainchild of Gerhard Kriel, a former CEO of the Milk Producers' Organisation and a seasoned dairy scientist. The system is a converted, high-tech shipping container that acts as a rapid milk-chilling centre that can be strategically placed within rural communities to collect milk directly from small-scale cow owners.

And what comes as a bonus, that the system uses solar power technology, makes it instantly usable in rural areas.

Kriel's vision addresses a critical, two-pronged problem. First, he identified a vast, untapped market in rural areas where countless cattle roam, but their milk goes unharvested commercially. Second, he points to a macroeconomic issue: South Africa's dairy industry suffers from seasonal fluctuations.