The world’s rice has been milled the same way for the past 200 years. New technology is expensive to buy and maintain, so small-scale rice millers are forced to use out-of-date machinery that damages the paddy, causing 30% to 50% of their rice crop to be wasted.
Faced with rising global demand and declining paddy harvests from extreme weather and poor soil quality, rice millers simply cannot sustain this amount of loss and consistently lose out in the value chain.
A revolutionary solution
Koolmill is a revolutionary rice milling process that yields better quality rice and uses less energy, contributing to food security in India and addressing climate change.
Alec Anderson, CEO of Koolmill based in Solihull, UK, explained.
When I became involved in rice, it was clear the industry was broken. The waste was staggering, the equipment was outdated, and most millers simply couldn’t afford the necessary technology.
Inside the Koolmill advanced rice milling centre. Credit: UKRI India
Thanks to co-funding from UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) Innovate UK and the Government of India’s Department of Biotechnology and support from UKRI India, Koolmill was able to connect into an ecosystem of Indian and UK researchers, engineers and technologists, and millers themselves. Through this ecosystem they could develop and test a cost-effective, energy-efficient way to mill rice.
A gentler, smarter milling process
Conventional mills use abrasive stones and screens that harshly strip rice of its husk and bran, breaking grains and creating excess heat. The Koolmill machine is different. It treats rice like a fluid, gently processing the grains with minimal mechanical or thermal stress. The result is:
- higher yield
- better-quality rice
- lower energy consumption
Rice processed with Koolmill’s energy-efficient milling technology in India. Credit: UKRI India
In fact, Koolmill’s equipment uses 80% less power than conventional milling machines.
Key to the funding was the development and testing of a novel ‘pay-as-you-mill’ financing model. Instead of high upfront costs, millers pay a fixed monthly fee that includes installation, ongoing maintenance and support, making the technology more accessible.
Scaling global impact
Koolmill is now working with commercial mills and forward-thinking millers in seven countries to help build a more productive, scalable, and fair rice milling industry.
Alec reflected:
We are democratising rice milling. With our technology, all millers, regardless of size, gender, or location, have access to the same equipment and can compete equally on price and quality.
Find out more
Watch our video on the UK-India Koolmill story: Thriving through research and innovation.