How to get your business summer-ready with the right refrigeration

The mini heatwave we experienced recently means that summer is well and truly upon us. For many food and drink retailers – from independent corner shops to convenience stores and supermarkets – the warmer weather provides the perfect opportunity to cash in on things like ice cream, cakes and desserts, picnic food and chilled drinks sales.

Getting your commercial refrigeration ready to cope with these spikes in seasonal demand is essential. Here, we share some tips to help you prepare your retail business for the summer.

Choose the right refrigeration

Choosing the right commercial refrigeration is the vital first step in getting your retail business ready for the warmer months. Hot weather tends to drive impulse and convenience buys, with ice cream, cold drinks, savoury snacks, barbecue ingredients, grab-and-go items and ready meals high on the agenda. So, optimising your chilled displays to showcase more of these products will help drive your sales in this crucial trading period.

You’ve probably already got some commercial display refrigeration in play, but if there are any gaps in your business or you need to upgrade your existing equipment, then now’s the perfect time to do so.

Some of the summer refrigeration essentials you need in your retail outlet or C-Store include:

• Upright chillers – These are perfect for creating tempting displays of canned and bottled drinks and other fast-moving products.
• Ice cream displays – It stands to reason that ice cream sales rocket in the summer months, so creating eye-catching displays to tempt your customers is a must.
• Juice dispensers – Sometimes, a can of pop just won’t cut it, and your customers are looking for something more exotic, like freshly-squeezed fruit juice, slushies, milkshakes or even mocktails.
• Storage fridges – While keeping your front-of-house and customer-facing areas is essential, refrigerated storage behind the scenes will ensure you never run out of your best-selling chilled and frozen products.
• Multidecks – If you have a large in-store footprint and want to make the most of your displays, then multidecks are an ideal choice. They combine large merchandising capacity with flexible configurations and attractive lighting, shelving and other design options to help you create the perfect chilled food and drink displays.
• Countertops and serve overs – Counter displays and serve overs are perfect for displaying fresh ingredients and products while interacting with your customers.

Things to consider when investing in commercial refrigeration

When it comes to choosing new commercial refrigeration for your retail business, there are a few things to bear in mind. Your product offering, available floorspace and layout, and the number of units you need will all significantly impact your decision. So, too, will the temperature requirements.

Here are some of the main things to consider:

Size

Size is arguably the most important consideration when choosing new commercial refrigeration. Ensuring your new units fit within the existing layout is essential to help maximise your floor space. So, accurately capturing the dimensions of your workspace is crucial and will help you choose the right sized units.

Capacity

While the size of the units is one thing, the capacity is another important consideration, and there are two figures you need to be aware of here. Total capacity size relates to the amount of space the unit takes up once installed, while net capacity is the usable (i.e. storage or display) space within the unit. So, you’ll need to determine how much merchandising capacity you need to display all your chilled products.

Refrigeration type

There are two types of refrigeration available – integral and remote. In integral units, the refrigeration system is in-built, making them easier to install, move and relocate. Most integral units have a lower initial cost than remote units, which have an external refrigeration system. However, while remote units are initially more expensive than integral ones, they are more energy efficient, quieter and cheaper to run, so they can represent better value over the unit’s lifetime.

However, they are more complex to install, especially in smaller spaces, so you should seek expert advice before purchasing a remote unit to ensure it’s the best option for your retail business.

Logistics

It’s also important to consider the logistics of getting your new units delivered and installed. Is there enough ventilation or roof clearance? Is there easy access to sockets or electrical points? Will your units block access to other parts of your store, or cause unnecessary obstructions or safety hazards? Crucially, can you get your new units onto your shop floor when they are delivered?

We’ve worked with many businesses where the units are too big to get through the doors, which wastes both time and money, so it’s better to be aware of these issues upfront, so you can avoid any potentially costly mistakes by making the wrong decisions.

Efficiency

With energy prices rising and the current cost of living crisis showing no signs of abating any time soon, keeping your running costs down is essential. Investing in energy-efficient refrigeration can have a massive impact on your bottom line.

While units with the best energy efficiency ratings tend to be more expensive, they can be significantly cheaper to run over the long term. This will help you reduce energy consumption, minimise environmental impact and achieve better lifetime value.

How can TEFCOLD help?

With more than 40 years’ experience in the commercial refrigeration industry, TEFCOLD offers a range of convenience store multideck solutions appealing to our customers’ budget and operational requirements. With an extensive, unrivalled stockholding, we can quickly deliver our products to customers at short notice to help you keep your business running smoothly. Our products are all backed by exceptional customer service and aftersales support, with your satisfaction our number one priority.

If you’re interested in discovering more about how our refrigeration can enhance your retail or catering business, call us on 01332 850090 or email sales@tefcold.co.uk.