Producing, shipping, storing and selling foods comes with risks at every step of the supply chain. These risks include temperature fluctuations as well as potential problems with power and equipment reliability and, of course, the loss of profits for your foodservice business.
The catering industry hugely benefits from commercial cold rooms. Cold rooms provide ample storage space for large amounts of food to be kept fresh to extend shelf-life and reduce food wastage.
We explore the risks of not renting a cold room for your food business and the benefits of cold and frozen storage units.
Lack of Cold Storage: Risks
Improper food storage and poorly ventilated conditions can lead to several food hygiene problems, including;
- Bacteria and mould growth contaminating produce, food production and catering equipment
- Food spoilage through natural decay (including food spoiling before its used-by date)
- Food loss and waste (costing billions of pounds annually worldwide)
- Consumer complaints, potential product recall for your foodservice business and even loss of contracts
How Cold Storage Works
Cold storage is the storage of any temperature-controlled substance that prevents that substance from decaying, subsequently prolonging its life. Chilled storage works by slowing or stopping molecules of bacteria and microorganisms from growing and frozen food storage kills the bacteria completely.
Food spoilage is caused by oxygen in the air, light, moisture, and bacteria. As soon as food is harvested, it begins to decay. Most of the time, food’s protective barriers (like the skins of fruit), help slow this process, but we only have days or weeks that the food is still fresh and OK for us to eat. Food must be kept in proper containers and refrigerated when necessary to slow the rate of spoiling and reduce food waste.
By properly monitoring food temperatures, food businesses can cut down on bacteria and mould growth, food spoilage, and shortages.
Benefits of Cold Storage
Cold room rental offers long and short term leasing options for modular cold room storage solutions. Storing food in the correct environment such as a cold storage unit or a walk-in freezer offers many advantages, such as;
- Reduces the wastage of perishable products
- Off-season commodities can be offered at affordable rates
- Offers processed or packaged food to customers
- Frees up space in your kitchen
- Offers backup capabilities and accessibility
- Saves money on cooling costs
Temperature Adjustable Cold Storage
Cold rooms refrigeration technology has developed to the point where many different sizes and types are available for your particular need. You may not need a unit that is constantly working at a freezing temperature to keep your products frozen.
Cold storage rooms are temperature adjustable and can be used for different functions by adjusting the temperature to change from a drying room – to help control the moisture content of the products being stored – to a blast freezer. These units are airtight and will also help to protect your products from extreme temperature and weather changes that will happen outside of the unit.
A temperature-controlled cold storage room lets you create ambient storage, a cold store or frozen storage depending on the required environment. This ensures food remains fresh, whatever temperature ranges they need.
Considerations for Cold Storage
Before renting a cold storage unit for your delivery kitchen, commercial kitchen or catering kitchen, we’ve listed the following points to consider;
- Good clear access to load and unload the units in a fast, effective manner to reduce exposure to temperature differences
- Ensuring the space is optimised for effective and consistent cooling of all the products throughout the space
- Selection of the most appropriate racking materials that are resistant to adverse conditions
- Have an intelligent layout within the cold storage area for it to be used to its’ maximum
Our flexible cold storage in London is used by businesses of all sizes, from pop-ups and food delivery services to manufacturers and large-scale restaurants. Our purpose-built chilled and frozen storage containers are in the right location for your business to cater to any requirements.
