Hillphoenix Supplies CO2 Systems for Puerto Rico’s First-Ever All CO2 Refrigerated Supermarket
Ralph’s Supermercado y Mayorista has opened the first-ever CO2 (R744)-based supermarket in Puerto Rico. Built inside a decommissioned K-Mart in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the new Ralph’s location opened its doors in December 2024.
Bringing new technology to the island was a visionary goal for Jose Soto, President of Ralph’s Supermercado y Mayorista. His aim was to find a sustainable solution to combat refrigeration challenges in this region, including high temperatures, high humidity and an unstable electrical system that can cause power outages and brownouts.
The installation of the CO2 system at Ralph’s was a collaborative effort involving the expertise of Hillphoenix and the dealer, Triple S International. This project included the installation of a CO2 system, display cases and a PowerWall power distribution and control system, making Ralph’s the first food retailer in Puerto Rico to implement a CO2 system on the island.
This store is equipped with two mechanical CO2 systems. One rack is dedicated to medium-temperature capacity, while the other serves both low-temperature and medium-temperature needs. Hillphoenix provided comprehensive training and engineering support beforehand during equipment selection and afterward during the startup and commissioning of the project in collaboration with Ralph’s.