Cold in the kitchen

By: Trademagazin editor Date: 2024. 11. 19. 09:02

The need for functionality, the acceleration of the digitalisation process, changes in consumer trends and sustainability expectations have completely transformed the catering refrigerator offering in recent years.

This article is available for reading in Trade magazin 2024/11

Zsuzsanna Károlyfi
managing director
Interlevin Europe

Zsuzsanna Károlyfi, managing director of Interlevin Europa Kft. says: their company exclusively sells commercial refrigeration equipment from European manufacturers. For the HoReCa sector they offer refrigerators for almost all purposes – but as a distributor they don’t deal with individual refrigerators and refrigerated cabinets. Commercial refrigerators haven’t changed much, as the focus isn’t so much on the design, but on the durable stainless steel material, reliability and the high performance. Still, in restaurants a decorative fridge can generate up to 30% higher sales.

Digital control

Tamás Szabó
owner and sales manager
Assur

Tamás Szabó, owner and sales manager of Assur tells our magazine that they offer mid-range and premium Diamond and Liebherr refrigerators. They sell almost 450 different sizes and designs of refrigerators, freezers and wine coolers, and the company also offers refrigerated cabinets and refrigerated counters to partners. Traditional electromechanical control is disappearing and digital control has taken its place, plus touchscreen models have also been available for a few years. Manufacturers are starting to use advanced temperature data logging systems and smart solutions, allowing remote access and control. Kitchen and background coolers have become simpler and more robust in appearance, while interior lighting and the display of the product to be cooled have improved a lot in the case of restaurant fridges. Zsuzsanna Károlyfi adds that it is important to choose the ideal refrigerator for the right product in terms of temperature range, humidity or ambient temperature – it isn’t just a question of price. They have been selling commercial refrigeration for over 30 years, they give customers advice both before purchase and during use, have a nationwide service network and can also provide spare parts replacement.

Today’s refrigerators offer more energy efficiency, ergonomics and functionality than those 5-10 years ago

Heavy use

When choosing a fridge, the first question from catering industry customers is capacity, then come the function and the type of refrigeration task, informs Tamás Szabó. Price also matters but fortunately customers are becoming more and more conscious when it comes to buying refrigerators. In a catering environment refrigerators must be high-performing, so when choosing a model, customers should be aware of its reliability and durability – and that high quality minimises service costs. With nationwide service coverage and factory spare parts availability, the company provides warranty and out-of-warranty service for the appliances they sell. //