Value lost today ($M)
A startup can hold fresh tomatoes at −4 °C without freezing them, for more than six months. It has one patent, little capital, and three ways to take it to market. Work the six tasks, then commit to one.
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Background. A startup has developed a patented refrigerated container system that keeps fresh tomatoes in perfect condition for more than six months. The system controls humidity and holds a temperature as low as −4 °C without freezing the load. The team has strong R&D and the patent. It has no factory, no global service network, and little capital.
The three paths. The team is debating which one to fund. It can afford one.
Market context. Tomatoes are one of the most produced vegetables in the world. Around 13–14% of all food is lost between harvest and retail; in fruit and vegetables moving through a weak cold chain the loss runs far higher. The reefer industry has two layers: container makers (CIMC, Singamas) and refrigeration unit makers (Star Cool, Thermo King, Carrier Transicold). Buyers are concentrated in every one of the three models.
Top importers: United States, Germany, France. Mexico ships mainly to the US; Spain serves Germany and France; Morocco is growing fastest and has the weakest cold chain.
The 13–14% figure is from the case. The 30% and 5% are the working assumptions you will use in Task 3 — change them if you can justify a different number.
| Force | What it does to demand for efficient reefers |
|---|---|
| Red Sea rerouting | Adds roughly 10–14 days to affected voyages. Longer time at sea means more spoilage on exactly the routes that matter. |
| IMO EEXI / CII | Decarbonisation rules push carriers towards energy-efficient reefer systems. A unit that runs colder for less power gets easier to sell. |
| Buyer concentration | A handful of OEMs, a handful of shipping lines, a handful of retail importers. Whichever path you pick, you sell to very few, very large buyers. |
The case gives this trend qualitatively, so there is no series to plot. Do not invent one — argue from the direction and the named drivers.
The same external world hits the three options differently. Fill one line per factor per option.
Points to tackle. How do global trade flows and shipping disruptions affect each option? Which option benefits most from the IMO environmental rules?
| Factor | A · License | B · Manufacture | C · Logistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Political | |||
| Economic | |||
| Social | |||
| Technological | |||
| Legal | |||
| Environmental |
Rate each force high, medium or low for each option, and say who makes it so.
Points to tackle. Who are the buyers in each model — OEMs, carriers, retailers? How concentrated are they? Are there realistic substitutes, such as modified-atmosphere packaging or edible coatings?
| Force | A · License | B · Manufacture | C · Logistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supplier power | |||
| Buyer power | |||
| Rivalry | |||
| Substitutes | |||
| New entrants |
Use Exhibits 1 and 2. Pick an exporter, set the spoilage assumptions, and work out how much value is destroyed today and how much the container saves. This is the only number that tells you whether any of the three options is worth doing.
What the startup has today, against what each option needs.
Points to tackle. Which gaps are biggest? Which option best matches the strengths that already exist?
| Capability | Startup today | Needed for A | Needed for B | Needed for C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R&D / technology | ||||
| Manufacturing | ||||
| Service network | ||||
| Capital | ||||
| Certifications |
Pick the option you are leaning towards, then build the SWOT for it. Click a card to choose.
Points to tackle. Use the exhibits to justify strengths and opportunities. Think about the risk of imitation once the patent publishes, and about regulation.
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| Opportunities | Threats |
Commit to one path and phase it. An answer that keeps all three open scores nothing.
We recommend — click to choose| Phase | What you do, and what it proves | Main risk and how you cut it |
|---|---|---|
| 1 · 0–12 months | ||
| 2 · 12–24 months | ||
| 3 · 24+ months |
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