Three Food Processing Industry Challenges and How to Solve Them
As the global population increases annually, the demand for food products continues to rise, putting more pressure on food production facilities worldwide. From the bread we eat for breakfast to the baked chicken we serve on our dinner table, all the food we consume comes from food processing facilities in and outside the country in one way or another. Needless to say, food processing and production companies have become vital components of our survival. The food processing industry today is under constant pressure from a variety of different directions. It continues to have to deal with operational issues involving food [...]
Changes in Consumer Buying Behavior in the Thick of Inflation
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the recent calamities happening overseas have hampered the global wheat supply and disrupted food production for meat and poultry. These recent unfortunate events have driven prices to go up and have alarmed food retailers, most especially grocery shoppers worldwide. In the country, almost every aspect of the grocery supply chain has been disturbed causing rising costs in production and manufacturing, resulting in rising food prices on store shelves. As grocery inflation reached its highest since 1979, this pushed American grocery shoppers across demographics to get creative and economical. What grocery shoppers are buying right [...]
What Makes a Good Self-contained Display Case?
In many food retail establishments, display cases are essential for their everyday operation. Display cases are the bread and butter of many food retail businesses to store and merchandise food, flowers, and other products. Display cases, such as self-contained cases, allow retailers the flexibility they need to merchandise different product applications and mesh with the store’s sales floor layout and design. Because of its integrated refrigeration system, self-contained display cases are easy-to-use and can be moved anywhere around the store, depending on the floor layout. Since self-contained display cases can be placed in spaces where there is heavy store traffic, [...]
Factors to Consider Before Purchasing Your Next Display Case
When customers enter your food retail store, one of the first things they notice is your products showcased in your display cases. Well-merchandised display cases in store aisles and food departments easily catch customers’ attention while they browse through their grocery lists. In other words, display cases play an active role in properly promoting your product in-store and are a key factor in improving store traffic and sales. When choosing your next display case, it is important to consider factors that suit your needs and align with your merchandising goals to maximize your return on investment. Here are some of [...]
What Does the Future Look Like for Refrigeration Technicians?
For every commercial refrigeration service, whether installation, maintenance, or troubleshooting, we rely on refrigeration technicians to do the job. As a career opportunity, refrigeration technicians are some of the most in-demand jobs in the world today due to the rising need for refrigeration, whether it be in the retail, commercial or industrial sectors worldwide. Landing a spot in the refrigeration field is quite a fulfilling and rewarding career. Though it takes years of experience to fully master the craft, being a refrigeration technician has a lot of benefits and opens doors of opportunity for years to come. The Future Looks [...]
Four Tips to Keep Your Refrigeration Systems in Tip-Top Shape This Summer
The well-documented and ongoing battle against climate change is leading to increased regulation of the refrigeration industry pushing customers to switch from the use of HFCs as refrigerants to more eco-friendly alternatives, such as natural refrigerants. For example, the use of alternative refrigerants is also heavily driven by the existing and upcoming refrigeration regulations set by different environmental agencies, such as CARB, EPA-SNAP, and DOE, all aiming to limit the use of synthetic refrigerants labeled as harmful to the environment. In the food retail industry, a sector that has been heavily impacted by these regulations, the adoption of natural refrigerants [...]
Why Training Is Important When Dealing with Natural Refrigerants
The well-documented and ongoing battle against climate change is leading to increased regulation of the refrigeration industry pushing customers to switch from the use of HFCs as refrigerants to more eco-friendly alternatives, such as natural refrigerants. For example, the use of alternative refrigerants is also heavily driven by the existing and upcoming refrigeration regulations set by different environmental agencies, such as CARB, EPA-SNAP, and DOE, all aiming to limit the use of synthetic refrigerants labeled as harmful to the environment. In the food retail industry, a sector that has been heavily impacted by these regulations, the adoption of natural refrigerants [...]
R-290 FAQs — Things You Need to Know!
R-290, also known as refrigeration-grade propane, has proven to be one of the most viable alternatives to high GWP HFC refrigerants in industrial and commercial applications. Now that the search for sustainable and environmentally friendly refrigerants takes center stage due to the upcoming and existing refrigerant regulations, the use of R-290 is considered to be an innovative choice instead of a synthetic HFC option. As the utilization of R-290 continues to expand in the US, there are many questions regarding its usage, application, and safety that concern people in the industrial and commercial refrigeration industry. Here are some frequently asked [...]
FAQs When Purchasing and Operating Commercial Refrigeration Systems
So, you have your food retail business set up, merchandise all planned out, and in-store promotions are ready, but do you have the right refrigeration solution in place? Commercial refrigeration systems are part and parcel of grocery stores, supermarkets, and convenience stores. A refrigeration system consists of the equipment needed to make “cold” and the refrigerated display cases using that “cold” to store products and keep them fresh or frozen. That is why choosing the right refrigeration solution and being knowledgeable of the nuts and bolts of commercial refrigeration systems, in general, is of paramount importance to store owners. Before [...]
Top 3 Reasons Why R-290 Self-contained Cases Are a Good Choice for Grocery Stores
Refrigeration has long been a resource for the food retail industry for preserving products and keeping them fresh during transport and in stores. However, with current and upcoming federal and state laws and/or regulations in place to limit or phase out the use of HFCs in commercial refrigeration systems. Retailers are looking to substitute those refrigerants with natural refrigerant alternatives. R-290, also known as refrigeration-grade propane and one of the few natural refrigerants readily available, is understood to be a top, viable alternative to HFC refrigerants for freezer and cooler applications, especially in some merchandisers, such as self-contained cases. Though [...]