Canari Frigo wants YOU

7 March - Slowly I’m approaching the country where I will do my next project. I’m travelling by bus and by hitchhiking. 5500 km. I am on my way to Burkina Faso.

In Burkina Faso I will help Canari Frigo. Canari Frigo is a small social enterprise selling clay pot coolers (called Canari Frigos) in Ouahigouya, a small town in the North of Burkina Faso. Such a Canari Frigo allows preserving fruits, vegetables and medicines. Fruits and vegetables in Burkina Faso decay fast because of the heat – temperatures vary between 30 and 45 °C. A Canari

Canari Frigo

The development of the product Canari Frigo in Burkina Faso was steered by a German NGO, Movement e.V. Inspired by the success of the concept in Nigeria they have been developing the clay pot cooler in Burkina Faso since 2009. In October 2013, Peter Rinker, a member of Movement formed a social enterprise around the Canari Frigo. He set up the production and formed a team of four young Burkinese guys who all work part time for Canari Frigo.

My mission will be to increase the sales of the Canari Frigo. Because of the novelty of the product in Burkina Faso, it is not well-known yet. People know clay pots as a container for filling water, not as a way to cool food. People need to see the Canari Frigo to be convinced. I will be collaborating with the team and with the local NGO ‘Movement Burkina Faso’. We will be working on this challenge during April. I’m really looking forward to it, as it will be the first time I will be co-running a social business.

The Canari Frigo consists of two clay pots of different sizes which fit in each other. Earth and water is added in the space between the two clay pots. In the inner clay pot, fruits and vegetables can be added. Because of the evaporation of the water in between the two clay pots, warmth is withdrawn from the inner clay pot, which results in a cooler temperature (between 13-22°C).

Help!

I need your help! I am very motivated to help this amazing social business to the fullest. Furthermore I want to learn as much as possible. Therefore I am looking for a group of bright minds who want to help me with this challenge from a distance. I will ask this group for coaching, suggestions and input with regard to:

- Marketing and sales (strategies and practical tips)

- The culture of Burkina Faso (or West-Africa in general)

- Creative ideas to overcome constraints

- Personal feedback

I want to communicate closely with this group by means of email. I will send at least one email per week to get inputs. To be clear: participants should not feel obliged to answer each mail. Together we will tackle the challenge of Canari Frigo. 

Do you want to be part of this exciting journey? Send me an email on this address and join this mailing list.