Climate Curve

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Project Summary / Description:

SKUBU is a global first, fully automated refill retail platform developed by Sonke Retail that delivers essential fast-moving consumer goods without single-use packaging. SKUBU stores use proprietary dispensing and payment technology to allow shoppers to refill everyday products—such as cooking oil, detergents, and dry staples—into reusable containers, reducing costs and environmental impact.

Designed for high-traffic, low-income urban environments, SKUBU combines durable hardware, data-driven retail operations, and centralised procurement to offer affordable prices, measurable climate benefits, and convenient access. By eliminating packaging waste and inefficiencies in traditional supply chains, SKUBU lowers the “poverty tax” while avoiding greenhouse gas emissions associated with virgin plastic production.

The platform is built for scale through standardised store formats, containerised deployment options, and future franchising, enabling rapid expansion across climate-vulnerable communities.

How Project Affects Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions:

['Replaces/avoids GHGs (e.g., projects that replace sources of GHGs, such as the burning of fossil fuels for electricity, heat, transport, or other energy uses)']

Impact on Underrepresented Groups:

Our project is intentionally designed to empower climate-vulnerable and underrepresented communities by embedding climate action directly into everyday access to essential goods. The initiative focuses on low-income township communities that are disproportionately affected by rising food prices, plastic pollution, and climate risk—yet are often excluded from mainstream climate solutions.

By eliminating single-use packaging and reducing product costs, the project directly benefits households—particularly women, who are most often responsible for household purchasing and bear the greatest burden of the “poverty tax.” Lower prices free up household income while enabling participation in climate-positive behaviour without cost or inconvenience.

The model also creates local employment and ownership opportunities, including store staff, field technicians, logistics roles, and future franchise operators, with a strong emphasis on youth employment and skills development in retail operations, data systems, and hardware maintenance. These roles provide entry points into the green economy for groups typically excluded from formal climate careers.

Within the organisation, representation reflects the communities served, with local teams embedded in operations and decision-making. By aligning affordability, access, and environmental impact, the project ensures that climate action is not a luxury, but a practical, inclusive solution led by and for climate-vulnerable communities.