Ever since the Montreal Protocol and Kigali Amendment, the search for the most sustainable refrigerant expanded in the commercial refrigeration industry. Historically, refrigerants like Ammonia, Propane, and most especially Carbon Dioxide (CO2) have been widely used in the 20th century. Although CO2 is one of the most benign refrigerants, many were hesitant to consider it as a viable option due [...]
The future of the commercial refrigeration industry is looking bright, but some challenges remain uncertain. There is one thing we are sure of though: refrigeration regulations are emerging, and it will greatly impact our industry in one way or another, coming sooner rather than later. Compliance with refrigeration regulations set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of Energy, [...]
The game is on! Synthetic refrigerants got out to an early lead but natural refrigerants have come roaring back. CO2 is up to bat and is poised to hit a home run, already having some key hits in this game with demonstrated lower energy and maintenance costs in both commercial and industrial refrigeration applications as well as providing the peace-of-mind [...]
The current environment has accelerated not just the adoption of technology in food retail stores, but also with the increase in consumer purchases of organic food. Organic labels have already seen an upward trend in 2019 with sales topped at $50 billion. Right now, it seems like several factors including health, sustainability, and the pandemic have pushed it even further. [...]
Gone are the days when consumers can only eat meat from animals. Now, the emerging trend of plant-based food is going above and beyond market shares. As the younger generations seek sustainability amid food crisis, plant-based meat, milk, and cellular-based seafood are on the rise. Make room for plant-based foods on your supermarket shelves because it isn’t going anywhere this [...]
The evolution in the food retail industry as we know it has completely changed over the past few months. E-commerce stores have shot up, automation has been widely adopted in the food retail industry to keep up with the demands of consumers and technology has significantly impacted our industry for the better. Now, with the proliferation of intelligent machines in [...]
The past few months have accelerated the digital strategies of some food retailers in the country. Some implemented makeshift e-commerce platforms to cater to customer needs and some reinforced their in-store online initiatives, like store mobile apps, in the hope of adapting in today’s innovative times. Due to recent events, we were greatly propelled into a shift to the digital [...]
“Change is the only constant in life.” Somewhere along the line, most of us have heard that saying. After all, it’s been around a long time — a matter of fact, most people would never guess that the author was a Greek pioneer of wisdom named Heraclitus who lived around 500 BC in the days before Plato and Aristotle. It’s [...]
The California Air Resource Board (CARB) passed a ruling to ban certain high GWP refrigerants, effective JANUARY 1st 2020. Many food retail companies have questions regarding these regulations. The following Q&A should help clarify the type of equipment effected and the timelines involved. If you need more information email us at info@hillphoenix.com or call us at 770-285-3264. Q1: What is [...]
Food-retail business strategies have shifted over the past few weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some retail stores implemented online digital platforms to serve their communities in need and some food-retail establishments such as restaurants and brick and mortar shops implemented delivery and take out only to help keep the lights on. However, in grocery stores, where people still go [...]