Citrus season doesn't wait
for your infrastructure to catch up.
Scale from 2 units to 20. Month-to-month. No capital outlay.
The Challenge
Seasonal peaks demand flexible cold storage.
Your permanent cold room handles 80% of the year. But when citrus season, harvest, or a new export contract hits, you need surge capacity fast. Building more permanent infrastructure for peak-season use is capital locked up for 10 months of the year. You need cold storage that scales with your season -- not against your balance sheet.
Our Solution
Cold Storage Built for Agriculture
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Month-to-month rental
No lock-in contracts. Rent for the season, return when you are done.
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Scale up and down on demand
Start with 2 units, add 18 more when harvest hits. We deliver within days.
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3m, 6m, and 12m sizes
Right-size your cold chain. From a single small unit to a bank of 12m containers.
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−25°C to +25°C range
Full temperature spectrum for citrus, berries, wine, dairy, and frozen storage.
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Single-phase and generator options
No costly three-phase upgrades needed. Works on standard farm power or generator backup.
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Maintenance included
Planned servicing and emergency callout cover available. We keep your cold chain running.
How It Works
Own your baseline units. Rent the rest.
Buy your permanent capacity. Rent to flex for seasonal peaks. One supplier for both. No juggling multiple vendors, no mismatched units, no gaps in your cold chain when it matters most.
Use Cases
Agricultural cold chain scenarios across South Africa
From KZN citrus farms to Boland wine estates, here is how farmers and packhouses use AquaCat reefers across the year.
Citrus packhouse surge capacity
A citrus packhouse in the KZN Midlands grades and packs navels and valencias from April to September. During peak picking weeks, intake volume exceeds the permanent cold room's capacity. Excess cartons sit at ambient temperature while waiting for space, losing shelf life with every hour.
The AquaCat approach
Two 12m reefers at +4°C to +6°C deployed before season. Positioned adjacent to the grading line for immediate load-in. Month-to-month rental returned at season end. Freshly picked fruit goes from field to chill in under two hours, protecting both quality and shelf life for export programmes.
On-farm dairy cold chain
A smallholder dairy in the Natal Midlands milks twice daily and needs to hold bulk milk at +1°C to +4°C until the collection tanker arrives. The farm's existing bulk tank is aging and the replacement lead time is 14 weeks. Any disruption to chilling means the batch fails quality testing and is rejected.
The AquaCat approach
A 6m reefer positioned near the milking parlour, set to +2°C, provides immediate backup or primary chilling capacity. Single-phase connection compatible with the farm's existing supply. Generator backup option ensures continuity during load shedding. Rental is month-to-month with no capital commitment.
Harvest buffering for fresh produce
A tomato and pepper grower supplying a major retailer has a contracted delivery schedule. Produce picked on a Tuesday morning must wait 6 to 8 hours for the delivery truck. Without a field-side chill point, the harvest accumulates field heat that accelerates softening and reduces the shelf life that the retailer demands.
The AquaCat approach
A 3m reefer positioned at the field access point at +8°C to +12°C for immediate post-harvest chilling. Produce transfers to the 6m distribution reefer at the packhouse for packing and labelling. Field heat is removed within two hours of harvest, significantly extending shelf life and reducing retailer rejections.
Seed and planting material storage
A commercial seed company distributes certified vegetable seed to cooperatives across KZN and the Eastern Cape. Seed lots must be held at controlled temperature and humidity to maintain germination rates. The warehouse's air conditioning is insufficient during KZN summer, and seed viability is being compromised.
The AquaCat approach
A 6m reefer set to +10°C to +15°C with humidity management provides a dedicated seed store that maintains optimal conditions independent of external temperature. Seed lots are racked on adjustable shelving for easy access. The unit runs year-round as a complement to the warehouse, protecting the most valuable product.
Compliance Context
Fresh produce cold chain: what PPECB and export requirements mean for your farm
The Perishable Products Export Control Board (PPECB) is the statutory body responsible for export certification of South African perishable products including fresh fruit, vegetables, and certain processed products. For exporters, PPECB inspectors certify temperature conditions and handling practices before product is approved for export shipping. On-farm cold chain is the foundation of meeting those requirements.
Temperature guide for common agricultural products
| Product | Storage Temperature |
|---|---|
| Citrus (oranges, lemons) | +4°C to +8°C |
| Avocados | +6°C to +8°C |
| Tomatoes | +10°C to +13°C |
| Bulk milk | +1°C to +4°C |
| Cut flowers | +1°C to +4°C |
| Seed lots | +5°C to +15°C |
The cold chain gap most commonly occurs between the field and the packhouse, or between the packhouse and the loading dock. On-farm reefer containers address both gaps by providing immediate pre-cooling capacity that can be positioned wherever it is needed. Unlike built cold rooms, reefer containers can be relocated on the farm as your operation evolves.
Load-Shedding Resilience
You have one harvest. You cannot afford to lose it to Stage 6.
In South Africa's subtropical growing regions, ambient temperatures during summer harvest regularly exceed 30°C. A 4-hour load shedding outage without generator backup can raise a reefer's internal temperature by 8 to 15 degrees, depending on product mass and insulation. For citrus, that represents a measurable loss of shelf life. For dairy, it can mean a batch rejection. For cut flowers heading to export, it can mean the entire consignment.
AquaCat reefer containers are genset-compatible by design. The same units that run mining camp kitchens 200km from the grid run seamlessly on farm generators. For farms already running a standby genset for irrigation or milking equipment, the reefer integrates into the existing backup power setup without a separate generator purchase.
We can also advise on solar integration for farms looking to reduce generator fuel costs over a long-term rental. Ask us about low-power setpoint options for ambient temperature storage of seeds, dried products, and packaged goods that do not require continuous compressor cycling.
Request a QuoteFAQ
Agricultural cold storage questions answered
For farmers, packhouse managers, and co-op buyers.
Can I rent a reefer for citrus season only?
Do you have single-phase power reefers for farms?
What temperature should fresh citrus be stored at?
Can reefers be used for dairy cold chain on the farm?
What is harvest buffering and how does a reefer help?
What sizes work for packing houses?
What happens to my harvest during Stage 6 load shedding?
How quickly can a reefer be delivered to a KZN farm?
Get a Quote
Tell us what you need. We'll come back with availability and pricing -- usually within a few hours.