A sum of £1,000,241 from the Energy Catalyst Fund of Innovate UK will support Hubl Logistics and its partners, including Aston University, Engineeronics, and Malawi Fruits, over the next two years to tackle clean food refrigeration challenges in Malawi. This follows an earlier grant of £1,371,841 from Innovate UK in 2021 for product research and development.

The company, established by engineering entrepreneur Hugh Frost and bolstered by a team with 80 years of combined industry experience, specialises in technologies that lessen the environmental impact of refrigerated goods transport. Hubl Logistics is currently trialling its innovative CoolRun pods with UK wholesalers. These stackable, mobile refrigeration units, designed for vans and trucks, aim to cut emissions from refrigerated transport and are easily integrated into existing vehicle infrastructures.

Equipped with smart technology for remote temperature control via IoT sensors, the CoolRun units boast a novel air flow system for consistent and adjustable cooling. In 2024, Hubl's team plans to collaborate with their partners to roll out CoolRun Malawi, a new, micro, mobile, cost-effective, and accessible refrigeration system for Malawian farmers, primarily women. This initiative, funded by the Energy Catalyst Fund, is set to combat heat-induced food wastage and open up broader market and growth opportunities for these farmers in East Africa.

“It’s been a fast and exciting journey of growth for us” explains Hugh Frost, Hubl Logistics Founder. “The Innovate UK funding has enabled us to rapidly accelerate our innovation, tackling harmful emissions caused by food transport refrigeration - both here in the UK and overseas”.

Hubl Logistics recently graduated from the Breathable Cities accelerator programme in 2023 supporting startups tackling air pollution. The business is testing solutions in London boroughs.