Service Innovation Intentions and Sustainability Transitions: the Case of Cooling Servitization in the Indian Food Cold Chain

ABSTRACT The transition towards sustainable, service‐based business models is critical for addressing operational inefficiencies in emerging economies. Cooling‐as‐a‐Service (CaaS), a servitization model replacing asset ownership with pay‐per‐use cooling, offers a promising pathway for the Indian food cold chain. This study investigates the determinants of CaaS adoption intentions among Indian stakeholders using an augmented theory of planned behaviour (TPB) framework. Utilizing structural equation modelling (SEM) on data from 293 firms, the model evaluates behavioural constructs alongside contextual factors such as firm size and value chain segment. The results demonstrate that adding socio‐demographic variables to TPB significantly enhances predictive power, increasing explained variance () in adoption intentions from 57.4% to 79.1%. While attitude and perceived behavioural control are significant predictors, subjective norms exert an insignificant influence, reflecting a nascent ecosystem lacking normative competitive pressure. Furthermore, smaller firms and those in the fresh fruits and vegetables (FFV) segment display higher readiness for CaaS compared with dairy and meat sectors. These findings highlight the need for targeted awareness to overcome ownership biases, flexible financing to reduce capital barriers and sector‐specific policies to foster technology transitions. By positioning CaaS as a strategic enabler of sustainability, this study advances the understanding of servitization‐led behavioural transitions in agri‐food supply chains.