It is easy to say that not much changes when it comes to equipment designed to keep food cold. The technology for cooling or freezing food works on the same scientific principles as ever, and when there is no sea change in refrigeration or freezer equipment then one might be tempted to think that any machine is as good as any other. That would be a mistake.
Nuances in equipment design, and incremental improvements over time, can lead to changes in how efficient, cost-effective, and versatile cold-side equipment can be. Foodservice operators – and the chefs who define the menu and the workflow – are always looking to make improvements to their operations, following new trends and differentiating themselves in the market. Cold-side equipment can be just as important to those efforts as the cookline, the layout of the kitchen, or any other factor.
“Cold-side technology is evolving rapidly, driven by stricter energy and environmental regulations,” says Jason Hartman, director of marketing for American Panel. “As these standards change, manufacturers must innovate with new refrigeration technologies and system designs to remain compliant while optimizing efficiency.”
Beyond the must-have of food safety, what are today’s operators looking for in cold-side equipment? “I am seeing more attention to – and requests for – point-of-use refrigeration,” says Laura Lentz FCSI, design principal at Culinary Advisors. “Chefs want to put refrigeration right beside the grill station, for example, and that has become best practice in many operations. Where refrigeration hasn’t been at point of use it has proven to be not so successful, so lots of people want it there as back-up refrigeration.”
Refrigeration at point-of-use can have a dramatic impact on workflow by cutting traffic through the kitchen, as there is less need to go back and forth to the walk-in refrigerator. Chefs want cold-side equipment to be more versatile, more flexible, and also more convenient.
The essence of convenience and efficiency is perfectly demonstrated by the widespread adoption of blast chillers, which have now become commonplace. “Pretty much all projects want blast chillers, so we have gone past the tipping point now with that technology,” notes Lentz. “It is an automatic choice now for every kitchen plan, and the pricing has remained stable, while the cost of other technology has gone up, so they are now more comparable to combi ovens in terms of expense.”
Flexible, sustainable, and built to last
Across the world, there is a drive for cold-side technology to be not only more flexible, but also more robust, as improving the lifecycle of any piece of expensive equipment dramatically improves its cost-efficiency over time. At the
same time, regulatory change – as well as a search for energy efficiency – are pushing manufacturers to make their equipment more sustainable.
“The emphasis on sustainability is driven by the desire to minimize energy consumption and reduce carbon footprint,” says FCSI Associate Heraldo Blasco, director and founder of The Fresh Id – Food & Retail Consultants, based in Buenos Aires, Argentina. “In the context of cold-side technology, this means looking for equipment that is designed to optimize energy usage while maintaining performance.”
“The demand for modular and flexible equipment is increasing as operators need to adapt to changes in supply and demand,” he adds. “In cold-side technology, modularity and flexibility are essential for operators to respond quickly to changing circumstances. At the same time, operators are looking for advanced control and monitoring systems to optimize performance and reduce waste, which is driven by the need for real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance.”
Manufacturers are certainly looking at making equipment that is not only kinder to
the environment, but also more durable.
“We find the biggest operator concerns revolve around reliability,” says Laura Gutkowski, director of marketing at Traulsen. “Cold storage is critical, as there are not a lot of options for keeping product safely cold if the refrigeration fails. Using sustainable materials and refrigerants is also a crucial design element when engineering refrigeration that is not only durable and reliable, but also supports longevity.”
For FCSI Associate Jack Luckings, senior design consultant at UK-based consultancy SHW, efficiency is very much at the forefront of thinking for consultants, manufacturers and operators alike, not least because it very much goes hand-in-hand with sustainability.
“Incentives like BREEAM complement this, too, particularly for contract catering in B&I sites,” he says. “It’s a no-brainer, considering rising energy costs, and ultimately it is a win-win for operators. Running a kitchen is expensive, and the pennies turn to pounds, which can make or break some concepts. It also allows businesses to become champions of a greener environment.”
In reality, however, he adds, “chefs want longevity and reassurance that downtime will be minimal for cold-side products. Nevertheless, it really does depend on the space, the client, and how far ahead they are looking. Efficiency, sustainability and cost are key drivers at the moment, but I think opex is often overlooked at the outset in favor of capex, but what use is specifying a cheaper product that has a terrible carbon footprint?”
Regulation affecting sustainability continues to evolve, the recent focus being largely on the phase out of HFC refrigerant gases in favor of alternatives with lower global warming potential (GWP) and ozone depletion potential (ODP), with R290 (propane) becoming a more popular choice among manufacturers.
“The industry has embraced this fully, and it’s a positive step towards a greener future,” says Luckings. “The next big one that will send ripples through the industry is TM65 [see p63] and embodied carbon in buildings. That will definitely open the eyes of us all as to how much carbon is in kitchen spaces.”
Consultants: keep up
Consultants act as a bridge between the vision of their client and the realities of regulations, equipment design, and cost. They must, therefore, look at every small change in trends or technology to understand how it affects the options in any design.
Whether it is the emergence of high-pressure freezing and cooling technologies, which can improve efficiency and reduce energy use, or the resurgence in popularity of cold wells on display in salad bars and deli stations, or any small change in local food safety requirements, everything is on the table.
“The most important thing we as consultants and manufacturers should all have in the forefront of our minds is to listen and to really understand what problems or challenges the operators are facing,” says Luckings. “As creative thinkers, we also need to be more understanding of the products we specify. We have a responsibility to challenge current technologies and how far their potential can be pushed.”
Ice is an area where many manufacturers are coming out with smaller counter-top machines, in a move away from manually filled units that are frequently used. Blast chillers continue to evolve, not only handling freeze and thaw processes, but also cook and hold.
“We could soon see actual bar freezers, and custom ice is still a big thing, so we need equipment that keeps the temperature inside the cabinet low enough to hold ice during the defrosting process,” says US-based consultant and FCSI Associate Linda Callahan, owner of Culinary Charm. “Our job is partly to optimize client needs with what is available, and partly to inform manufacturers about what our clients want, and we did that with bar freezers.”
The introduction of a “photoplasma technology-based integrated sanitization system offers a modern approach to maintaining hygiene in refrigerated equipment, and makes self-cleaning refrigerators possible,” adds Vant Tan FCSI of CKP Hospitality Consultants in Malaysia. “Isochoric freezing is another cutting-edge technology that operates with relatively low energy requirements, while preventing damage from ice crystal formation within the product.”
A smarter future
Change is the only constant, and while the evolution of cold-side technology may be slow and steady, it is inevitable that innovation will continue. So, what should we be looking out for in 2026?
One big innovation that has been talked about for years is magnetic refrigeration, which could significantly reduce energy use, and which requires no refrigerant gases. It is certainly an innovative, low-carbon technology, and the magnetocaloric effect on which it relies is well proven, but it requires rare and exotic materials – such as gadolinium and dysprosium – hence its failure to move into widespread commercial use. There are products on the market, but large-scale deployment is a long way off.
Perhaps more likely is the adoption of cold-side technology that is smarter.
“Chefs desire the capability to monitor and track temperatures online through IoT technology, receiving immediate alerts in the event of any malfunctions,” says Tan. “This ensures consistent food safety and quality by allowing for prompt intervention when necessary. They also want units that can automatically adjust temperatures and humidity levels in accordance with the products being stored and their unique storage requirements.”
“We live in a connected world, and I have a feeling that AI will soon be introduced into cold-side technology,” adds Luckings. “It is not an alien technology, and I am sure it could be put to great use for cold equipment, whether that’s an ice machine, freezer or cold store.”
The opportunities for cold-side innovation are many, but they will emerge gradually. The consultant’s job is to keep an eye out for incremental change.
Jim Banks
