This chapter bugged me so I did a little research. The concept of cold preserving food is very old, "Chinese harvested ice from rivers and lakes as early as 1.000 BC. They even had religious ceremonies for filling and emptying ice cellars" http://www.historyofrefrigeration.com/. All over the world people would collect ice and snow to preserve their food, it was just inconvenient and impractical in hotter areas. And, people were trying to invent artificial refrigeration for years.
So, the idea that people wouldn't recognize the potential of a refrigerator/freezer is implausible especially if they are professionals or investors. In other words, you wouldn't have to convince people of the concept of refrigeration just that the invention worked.
@Jorelm My only guess is that in this world they simply haven't realized it that cooling food could preserve it. But considering pretty much EVERY CIVILIZATION ON THIS DAMN PLANET realized that very early it's far fetched.