In 1990, Peter Scott was traveling through Zaire when he witnessed the deforestation caused by charcoal production for household cooking. At that moment, he committed his life to saving forests in Sub-Saharan Africa through the design and manufacture of fuel-efficient cookstoves.
In 2010, after spending 13 years as a cookstove consultant in Central America and Sub-Saharan Africa, Peter launched Burn Design Lab and BURN Manufacturing Co. on Vashon Island, Washington. On a shoestring budget, BURN assembled a team of world-class designers and engineers who were also committed to designing the world’s most fuel-efficient cookstoves.
In 2014, BURN launched its first full manufacturing facility in Kenya – the first and only one of its kind. BURN is now the only vertically integrated modern cookstove company in Sub-Saharan Africa. The solar-powered facility currently has a capacity of 250,000 per month and employs over 1,000 people, 50% of whom are women.
When BURN started there was little faith in the cookstove sector to deliver tangible results. Over the last 10 years, BURN has built a successful business while proving that cookstoves can deliver transformative social, financial, and environmental impacts. A recent study done by UC Berkeley shows that a $40 household investment to purchase a Jikokoa generates a staggering $1000 return for society.
Over the next few years, BURN aims to expand to Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, DRC, Nigeria, and Ghana, launch five new products, and increase production capacity in Kenya from 250,000 to 1m per month.
How it Works
Jikokoa
Jikokoa is available in supermarkets across Kenya and online shops at only KES 3,290/=.
Buy Jikokoa on credit or installments at Equity Bank, M-KOPA shops, Ismart-Livelihoods, Ezylife, KWFT, and Bimas Sacco.
To light Jikokoa, place a few small pieces of charcoal on the grate, remove the ashtray, light a piece of paper folded into a strip, and insert it in the ashtray section. Put the ashtray back in place as soon as the charcoal light.
To keep it clean, use a damp soft piece of cloth to wipe your Jikokoa after use. N.B: Do not dip Jikokoa in water as this will damage the insulation inside. Do not scrub with steel wire/scotch bright as this will lead to wear and tear.
The recommended time per day to use Jikokoa is a maximum of 5 hours. N.B: Do not use Jikokoa for commercial purposes e.g. hotel use.
Jikokoa Xtra
Jikokoa Xtra is available in supermarkets across Kenya and online shops at only KES 4,990/=.
Buy Jikokoa Xtra on credit or installments at Equity Bank, M-KOPA shops, Livelihoods, Ezylife, KWFT and Bimas Sacco.
Jikokoa Xtra uses charcoal/makaa only and it is used to cook all kinds of food.
When metal is heated, it forms a white oxide layer or looks like it is rusting. This is normal and should not alarm you. Do not scrub this layer off.
To get your Jikokoa Xtra repaired, SMS the word REPAIR to 22876. BURN has 60+ official service stations across Kenya.
Ecoa Wood
After cooking, empty the ashtray & wipe your Ecoa Wood using a dry piece of cloth.
Fold the wood and stand backward for storage. N.B: 1. Do not dip Ecoa Wood in water as this will damage the insulation inside. 2. Do not scrub with steel wire/scotch bright as this will lead to wear and tear.
The recommended time per day to use an Ecoa Wood is a maximum of 5 hours. N.B: Do not use Ecoa Wood for commercial purposes e.g. hotel use.
Ecoa Wood is used to cook all kinds of food and it uses firewood only.
To get your Ecoa Wood repaired, SMS the word REPAIR to 22876. BURN has 60+ official service stations across Kenya.
Founders
Peter Scott
Peter Scott, a globally recognized leader in the clean cookstove industry, is the CEO and Founder of BURN Manufacturing Co and the Founder of BURN Design Lab.
Peter founded BURN in 2011 to save lives and forests in the developing world through the design and manufacture of clean-burning cookstoves.
In 2006, he received an Ashden Award for supporting local producers in Southern Africa in creating highly profitable institutional stove businesses.
In 2010, he was chosen as one of the 2010s Top 100 Global Thinkers by Foreign Policy Magazine.
He previously worked at Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH as a Biomass Energy Consultant.
Peter Scott attended the University of British Columbia.
Investors & Funding Rounds
Bettervest, OPIC
BURN Manufacturing has raised $4 million, and with those funds is moving forward on its vision to rid East Africa of the smoke of cookstoves, and in the process, save at least 100 million trees.
The U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and General Electric have partnered to provide this funding.
This groundbreaking news was announced by the U.S. Secretary of State Clinton Hillary Clinton at a reception in Washington D.C. discussing private/public partnerships.
BURN Manufacturing Co. (BMC), the project’s U.S. sponsor, will use a $3 million loan from OPIC and $1 million in financing from GE to establish a clean cookstove manufacturing facility in Kenya with satellite assembly plants in Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda.
The stoves will be sold to a variety of entities, including carbon asset developers and aid organizations.
BMC will create over 200 manufacturing jobs in East Africa and more than 20 design and manufacturing jobs in Washington State.
BMC’s goal is to manufacture and sell 3.6 million clean cookstoves in East Africa.
In September 2010, Secretary Clinton announced the launch of the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, a public-private partnership led by the United Nations Foundation.
OPIC has committed to providing up to $50 million to the Alliance, which seeks to enable 100 million households to adopt clean and efficient stoves and fuels.
OPIC’s commitment is nearly half of the $114 million now pledged to the Alliance.
This funding builds upon BURN Design Lab’s $120,000 grant from the Washington Global Health Foundation in December 2012, which was used to design a lower-priced cookstove, potentially growing the impact of the BURN Manufacturing efforts in East Africa.
Main Competitors
Promasidor: It manufactures and supplies seasonings and processed foods in 36 countries throughout Africa.
1366 Technologies: This is a manufacturer of silicon wafers used to deliver solar modules.
Romco: A clean-tech metals recycling company producing secondary materials where it’s needed most — the emerging markets.
Related:
HelpMum: Story, Founders, Investors & Funding Rounds