If you own a restaurant, café or coffee shop, chances are you need peace of mind from knowing that your food is properly stored. Commercial refrigeration is the most effective way to provide cold storage of all the food and beverage items that are integral to the operation of your food-related business. But not only do you need adequate space that is only possible from commercial refrigeration, you also need reliability that you can depend on – reliability that will see you through tougher times.

What Benefits Can Be Gained from Commercial Refrigeration? There are many benefits that you can get access to by simply choosing commercial refrigeration for your restaurant, café or coffee shop. Not only does this type of commercial appliance make finding what you need easier, but it also keeps produce and all food items fresh, crisp and cold for longer periods of time. Even prepared foods will maintain their integrity much longer when kept in a commercial refrigerator. It is possible to purchase a commercial refrigerator in a variety of sizes to help you meet all of your needs. If the storage of food id integral to your business, commercial refrigeration is the ideal option. What is the Big Difference? Some restaurant, café and coffee shop owners might be tempted to save money by opting for residential refrigeration over commercial refrigeration. However, this is not a good way to cut costs. In the long run, residential refrigeration is much more costly and will not be sufficient for storing your food. Residential refrigeration is inferior because it does not offer the same amount of space or power that commercial refrigeration provides. There are even legal and safety guidelines that stipulate commercial refrigeration is the necessary option. Why Commercial Refrigeration is Essential Investing is a commercial refrigerator allows you to meet all safety and legal business codes. The cove design of the interior allows for easy cleaning and increases organization. Finding what you need quickly only increases overall efficiency. The design of commercial refrigerators is also up-to-date with current health code requirements and the power that is provided allows you to keep your refrigeration system set within two degrees of the temperature. This type of refrigeration is also constructed using only commercial-grade materials that are resistant to bacteria and designed for commercial heavy use. Failing to choose commercial refrigeration could lead to a variety of problems that you want no part of.

This is the first article in a new Q&A series by ACL Refrigeration & Air Conditioning, which aims to answer clearly the many questions that our customers have about the refrigeration and air conditioning industry. Today’s question, ” Is commercial refrigeration in schools different to other industries?”, is commonly asked by our education-based clients seeking bespoke commercial refrigeration solutions.

Q: Is commercial refrigeration in schools different to other industries? A: Not really, commercial refrigeration in schools is usually very similar to other industries: Schools are a unique proposal for us as decision-makers tend to be extremely conscious of concerns surrounding health and safety and hygiene – this usually translates to the customer being educated in the latest commercial refrigeration equipment and any best practices that need to be implemented. In schools, the types of equipment are however the same as many other industries, such as the hotel and leisure industry, hospitality industry, catering industry, and distribution industries. Catering fridges, commercial freezers, display fridges, and under counter fridges are common in schools, colleges, and universities, from brands such as Porkka, Sadia, Williams, Foster, Gram, and Caravell – these types of equipment and brands are the same as in any other industry, favoured by organisations who wish to have the latest refrigeration equipment and technologies such as cold rooms and commercial freezers. Interestingly, the education sector tends to be much more vigilant with regard to commercial refrigeration servicing and maintenance. This is due to the fact that serving off food to children, or experiencing a breakdown in a school and thus being unable to cater for thousands of children and teenagers, is a far more daunting and embarrassing prospect than a similar case in a restaurant. Schools also tend to hold onto equipment and installations longer than other industries due to having a very limited budget, but because of their vigilance with regard to servicing and maintenance, older commercial refrigeration equipment in schools tends to last a long time. Get in touch with ACL Refrigeration & Air Conditioning for commercial refrigeration in schools ACL Refrigeration & Air Conditioning offers the fastest turnaround time for cold room installation, air conditioning installation, and the installation of all other commercial refrigeration equipment. Get in touch with us on 0113 350 2989 to find out more about our commercial refrigeration solutions for schools, colleges, and universities, as well as our servicing and maintenance solutions.

Most of us are used to the fact that technology has changed and enhanced our lives in some way. Internet on the move, smart phones and 3D TV’s are just some of the entertaining ways that technology has changed our lives over recent years.

What we don’t usually consider is how much every day gadgets around our home now perform better thanks to advances in technology. Many households now have kitchens packed full of gadgets that have been changed in some way thanks to technology – including refrigerators.

Refrigeration Systems Working Better

One way that refrigeration systems have improved since they were first started is in just how well they work.  When you consider that cars work better than they did when they were first introduced it stands to reason that something as basic as a refrigerator will have seen the same improvements thanks to technology. This means that now you’ll often find that refrigerator systems have to work less hard in order for items that have been stored to be kept cool.

Energy Efficient

This advancement in technology has led to machines becoming much more energy efficient. These days we all need to be more aware of the environment and how our actions have an impact on it. Most of us are aware of the fact we should be recycling goods where we can – using energy efficient goods is just another way to do your bit.

Of course you also have the added bonus that energy efficient goods mean that they cost less to run which can help to bring down the running cost of your business, which is always a good thing. These days you’ll find that most commercial refrigeration systems come with an energy efficiency rating so buying the most energy efficient system should not be a problem.

Making Life Easier

Technology has brought us a number of gadgets and gizmos over the years too, some of which have proved to be more useful than others. When you’re looking for new commercial refrigeration you should look for the latest innovations that can help make life easier – doors with better seals, better ways to stack items, temperature controls and much more!

We might not realise that simple items such as refrigerators have been enhanced by technology but when you look at how much they have changed over recent years, you’ll see just how much technology advancements have made a difference.

If you work in the hospitality or catering industry (or indeed any industry where food or other products need to be kept cool) then it stands to reason that you are going to want refrigeration systems that are up to the job. When you’re refrigerating items in bulk the fridges that we’re all so used to seeing at home just aren’t enough, even just from the point of view of not having enough space!

So, if you’re someone that needs commercial refrigeration you might want a little guidance on which is the best purchase for you and your needs. What should you be expecting from a commercial refrigeration supplier?

Knowledge and Experience

When you are investing in something like commercial refrigeration you probably want some help on what to buy and why that would be the best purchase for you. Speak to the supplier about your requirements and what they might have to suit your needs. Their experience in this industry should give them a good background as to what would work well for your circumstance and what you might want to avoid.

Make sure that you ask plenty of questions about their products and why they are suitable. If the refrigeration supplier doesn’t seem to know or be willing to share their knowledge then it could be worth moving onto a supplier that will tell you more.

A Range of Products

When it comes to refrigeration everyone will have different needs and ideas of what they feel is perfect. When you contact a refrigeration supplier they should have a range of products on sale, so that there is something for everyone.

Of course, a range of products is all well and good but unless you know about them all it can be hard to choose what is best. Ideally you want the commercial refrigerator supplier you are dealing with to give you advice on their products and recommendations on what is best for you.

Services To Suit You

With anything that you buy you probably look for value added services and making sure you get the most for your money and commercial refrigeration should be no exception. Find out about their delivery services and how they can get your units to you – it could be worth looking at what installation and set-up services they offer. Make sure you speak about any warranties and guarantees that they offer too, because you should expect your products to last a long time and a guarantee can give confidence in this.

No one wants to think about their freezer at home breaking, let alone a commercial system not working as it should. At the end of the day, the chances are you have lots of expensive food stored ready to serve to your customers so when a freezer stops working this is far from ideal.

The good news is that if your freezer breaks, it isn’t going to ruin all of your food completely – because the inside of the unit will stay frozen for at least a little while. It is hard to say exactly how long a freezer will stay cold once it stops working, simply because there are so many conditions that could affect it.

How Long Will My Freezer Stay Cold?

If the weather is very warm then this could have a massive affect on how long the freezer works. When the weather is warm freezers have to work harder in order to freeze food thoroughly, so it stands reason that if this doesn’t work then the food inside could be ruined quicker.

The amount of food you have stored in the freezer will have a massive affect on how quickly it defrosts too. If the freezer is packed solid then foods will keep each other cool and keep everything frozen much longer.

How Can I Keep It Colder For Longer?

The conditions in which you keep your freezer will also affect how quickly it defrosts. You really want to make sure that warm air is not let into the unit wherever possible. Try to avoid opening the freezer door unless you really need to. If you do need to open it then get everything out of it that you need so you don’t need to keep coming back to open it again.

If you notice that food is left on a shelf  on its own then try to move this so that it is near other food as this will help everything to be kept as cold as possible.

It goes without saying that if your commercial freezer unit stops working then you need to look at getting this repaired or replaced as soon as possible. Make sure you have details of freezer maintenance companies and suppliers on hand, so if you ever need them you know you can call them without having to spend ages hunting out and researching the number.

If you own or run a food or catering business, you will already know just how vital it is to have reliable and efficient refrigeration equipment. These appliances are vital if you wish to store food at the right temperature, as well as helping you to avoid cross contamination and spoilt foodstuffs. In this article, we will take a closer look at why buying the right commercial refrigeration unit for your business is crucial.

The Various Types of Refrigeration Equipment

There is without doubt a vast array of different types of commercial refrigeration units that are available to buy or rent, and the appliances you choose should depend on what your needs are. Most restaurants for example will need refrigeration and freezers that are located in or near to the main food preparation area, where they can be accessed easily. However, smaller cafe’s and coffee shops may also have a need for display fridges, which showcase the range of canned or bottled drinks that are available to buy. There may also be a need for a cake display or patisserie display unit, which are a great way to show and store food whilst at the same time keeping it free from germs and dirt.

It is for these reasons that commercial refrigeration is an extremely specialist area, and you will need to find a supplier who has a very good level of knowledge about the need for refrigeration units within the catering industry.

Other things to consider

There is much more to commercial refrigeration than simply buying an appliance, as there are a number of rules and regulations relating to the safe storage of foodstuffs that need to be adhered to. Another additional consideration is the energy efficiency rating and safety rating of the equipment, due to the fact that they will be in operation 24 hours per day, 7 days of the week.

Durability is also a necessity, as these are going to be refrigeration appliances that come in for a lot of daily use, which means the ones that you buy, should be built to the highest possible standards as possible.

Finally

The very best suppliers of commercial refrigerators and freezers will be able to advise you on the most suitable appliances for your business, as well as offering you advice on where to locate the units within your establishment.