- ColdMatch works for the buyer — not for suppliers, EPCs or manufacturers.
- The ColdMatch team turns your requirement into one structured brief and contacts suitable suppliers on your behalf, so offers can be compared on the same scope.
- We do not resell equipment. If a deal closes, the selected producer (never the buyer) pays ColdMatch a success fee disclosed in advance; that fee never decides who is shortlisted.
- Buyers keep full control of supplier selection, contracts and payments. Supplier contact runs through the ColdMatch team until an introduction is agreed; the supply contract is signed directly between buyer and supplier.
- Submitting a request and using the buyer tools is free. Requests of USD 250,000 or more go to sourcing review; smaller projects are pointed to the free tools.
The four principles behind every project
1. Supplier-neutral by design
We are not a dealer, distributor or agent for any refrigeration brand. Every shortlist is built from the technical fit of the project, not from commercial relationships.
2. Buyer-aligned incentives
We look for a solution that fits the buyer's scope, schedule and budget — not a particular brand. ColdMatch does not guarantee delivery outcomes.
3. Transparent competition
The same specification is sent to several suitable suppliers, so buyers can compare on identical scope instead of trying to normalise incompatible quotes.
4. Long-term relationships
Cold-chain assets run for 20–25 years. We optimise for a partnership that survives commissioning, warranty, spares and expansion — not a one-time sale.
Why supplier-neutral procurement produces better decisions
In industrial refrigeration, the difference between a good and a bad procurement decision is not the sticker price — it is the total cost of ownership across 20 years of energy, maintenance, refrigerant compliance and downtime risk. When the party recommending equipment also sells it, that TCO analysis is compromised by definition.
Recognised procurement standards (ISO 20400, CIPS, World Bank procurement guidelines, EU Directive 2014/24) all encourage competition against a clear, neutral technical specification. ColdMatch operationalises that principle for cold-chain projects, which are usually too specialised for a buyer's in-house procurement team to run alone.
Because we do not carry a product line, we can honestly compare ammonia against CO₂ against propane against HFO, or a European EPC against a Turkish or Indian contractor, without any commercial pressure to steer the outcome.
How a real procurement project flows through ColdMatch
- 1
Structured RFQ intake
We help the buyer capture temperature zones, capacity, site constraints, regulatory context (GDP, HACCP, BRCGS, halal, EU 853, WHO PQ) and financing status in a single reusable specification.
- 2
Neutral supplier shortlist
Once the requirement is understood, the ColdMatch team looks for refrigeration EPCs, equipment manufacturers, panel suppliers and controls integrators whose stated scope, markets and capacity range fit the project. We record what has and has not been checked; buyers should confirm certificates and references with the supplier and the issuing body.
- 3
Parallel competitive quotations
Where suppliers respond, offers are organised in a standard comparison of capex, refrigerant, warranty terms, exclusions and delivery assumptions. The number of responses depends on the project and on supplier availability.
- 4
Objective technical review
We flag scope gaps, unrealistic timelines and refrigerant compliance issues without recommending a specific supplier — the decision stays with the buyer.
- 5
Contract, financing and delivery
Buyers contract directly with the selected supplier. Where a qualified project asks for it, ColdMatch may introduce independent financing partners; ColdMatch does not lend or give financial advice.
Traditional supplier route vs ColdMatch
Most buyers start by calling one or two known suppliers. Here is what that misses versus a structured, supplier-neutral process.
| Dimension | Direct supplier route | ColdMatch (buyer-side) |
|---|---|---|
| Whose interest is optimised | The supplier's margin and pipeline | The buyer's project outcome and TCO |
| Number of comparable quotes | 1–2, often on different scopes | Compared on one shared scope; number of responses varies |
| Refrigerant technology | Whatever the supplier sells | Neutral comparison (NH₃, CO₂, HFO, R290, HFO blends) |
| Scope-creep risk | High — supplier writes both spec and quote | Low — buyer-side spec is defined first |
| Financing options | Rarely surfaced | Optional introduction to independent financing partners |
| Post-award support | Depends on supplier goodwill | Buyer checklist for handover, spare parts and warranty terms |
| Cost of the sourcing service | Bundled into equipment margin | Free for buyers; the producer pays a success fee only if a deal closes |
- Do I have at least three comparable quotations on identical scope?
- Is the refrigerant compliant with F-gas / Kigali / local regulations for the next 15 years?
- Is the specific energy consumption (kWh/m³·yr) explicitly guaranteed?
- Are commissioning, mapping and validation included in the price?
- Are spare-parts availability and response time contractually defined?
- Is the warranty aligned with the finance term (typically ≥ 24 months)?
- Have I checked references for projects of similar capacity in this country?
- Are payment milestones tied to verifiable technical milestones?
- Is the EPC or supplier financially strong enough for the project size?
- Is my procurement decision documented for audit and lender scrutiny?
Use our structured RFQ template to send an identical technical specification to every supplier. You do not need an account: open the guided builder, fill in your project, and export a branded PDF or Word document you can send to any supplier, with or without ColdMatch.
Open the RFQ builderFrequently asked
Is ColdMatch really free for buyers?
Yes. Submitting a request, using the calculators and receiving organised responses is free for buyers. Producers are not charged for registering or receiving briefs; only if a deal closes does the selected producer pay ColdMatch a success fee (3% of the first USD 10 million and 2.5% of the portion up to USD 100 million of the signed contract value, excluding VAT). The buyer never pays this fee, and it never decides who is shortlisted.
Do you sell refrigeration equipment?
No. ColdMatch does not sell, resell, distribute or represent any equipment brand. That is a deliberate structural choice — the moment a platform earns margin on the equipment, its recommendations stop being neutral.
How do you choose which suppliers to include?
Suppliers are approached for a project only after the ColdMatch team understands the requirement. We look at stated scope, comparable project references, markets served and the documents the supplier provides, and record what has and has not been checked. ColdMatch does not certify suppliers, audit factories or approve designs; buyers should confirm certificates and references with the supplier and the issuing body before contracting.
How is ColdMatch paid?
Not by the buyer. If a deal closes, the selected producer pays ColdMatch a success fee based on its signed contract value excluding VAT, with VAT added at the legally applicable rate. The fee is disclosed in advance and never decides which suppliers are shortlisted or how offers are compared.
Can I keep working with a supplier I already know?
Absolutely. Many buyers ask us to benchmark an incumbent supplier's quote against 2–3 comparable ones. A like-for-like comparison can reveal scope differences even when the incumbent ultimately wins the contract.
What size of project does ColdMatch serve?
We focus on commercial and industrial cold-chain projects from about USD 250,000 to over USD 100 million: cold stores, food-processing refrigeration, pharma warehouses, port cold hubs, aquaculture and meat/poultry infrastructure.
Can you help arrange project financing?
When appropriate, we can introduce buyers to independent project-financing partners — export credit agencies, development finance institutions, leasing houses and green funds. ColdMatch does not lend, give financial advice or guarantee approval; any financing decision is made by the financing partner.
Who owns the relationship with the supplier?
The buyer. Contracts, payments, warranties and long-term relationships are always directly between the buyer and the selected supplier. ColdMatch organises sourcing and supplier communication before the introduction; it is not a party to the supply contract.