Determining How Many Commercial Fridges Your Business Needs

Deciding on the number of commercial fridges for your business involves assessing storage requirements, workflow, space constraints, and your industry’s unique demands. Here’s a guide to help you determine the ideal number of commercial fridges for your operation.

Table of Contents

1. Evaluate Your Storage Needs by Product Type

Different types of products have unique storage requirements, including temperature, humidity, and access frequency. Begin by listing out the types of items you’ll be storing, such as:

Perishable food items like dairy, meat, produce, and pre-prepared foods.
Beverages that require dedicated storage for quick access, particularly if you serve high volumes of drinks.
Frozen goods for long-term storage, such as meats, seafood, or bulk frozen items.
Specialty items like flowers, medical supplies, or specific foods that may need unique temperature and humidity controls.

Guideline: Separate fridges are often needed for items with specific storage conditions. For example, a dedicated meat fridge can prevent cross-contamination, while a beverage cooler may be necessary for high-turnover drinks.

2. Consider Your Daily Volume and Turnover Rate

High-volume businesses typically need more refrigeration units to meet demand and maintain efficiency.

High-Turnover Establishments: If you run a busy restaurant, grocery store, or café with constant customer flow, multiple fridges can help handle large quantities of food and prevent bottlenecks during peak hours.
Low-Turnover Businesses: Smaller cafés, boutique shops, or low-volume restaurants might manage with one or two fridges if they have limited inventory or only stock select items.

Guideline: The higher your daily volume and turnover, the more refrigeration space you will need to keep up with demand and maintain quick access to frequently used items.

3. Analyze Workflow and Accessibility Requirements

The layout and workflow of your kitchen or storage area will affect how many fridges you need and where they should be placed.

Station-Based Kitchens: If your kitchen has designated prep stations (such as a salad station, a meat station, and a beverage station), each station may benefit from its own undercounter or prep-table fridge for easy access.
Centralized Storage: For kitchens that operate from a central storage area, a few larger, well-organized fridges may suffice. However, some items may still need to be stored closer to prep areas for efficiency.

Guideline: In high-traffic kitchens, multiple smaller fridges placed near prep stations can reduce staff travel time and streamline operations, while centralized storage may be sufficient in smaller setups.

4. Assess Your Available Space

The space available for refrigeration can help determine the number and type of fridges you need.

Limited Space: For small kitchens or retail spaces with limited room, undercounter fridges, reach-in units, or compact models may be ideal. Installing multiple smaller fridges can maximize storage without sacrificing valuable floor space.
Ample Space: Larger spaces can accommodate walk-in coolers or multiple reach-in units, allowing for specialized storage and easier organization of different product types.

Guideline: Choose the type and number of fridges based on available space, ensuring enough room for ventilation, door clearance, and ease of movement in the kitchen.

5. Consider the Type of Business and Industry Standards

Different industries have unique requirements and standards that influence the need for multiple fridges.

Restaurants and Catering Services: Typically require a mix of fridges, including reach-ins, prep tables, and possibly a walk-in fridge, to keep ingredients organized, accessible, and safe.
Bars and Cafés: May need a dedicated beverage fridge for drinks, a back bar fridge for quick access, and perhaps an undercounter fridge for ingredient storage.
Grocery and Convenience Stores: Require multiple fridges for different product categories, such as dairy, produce, meat, and beverages, and often use display refrigerators for easy customer access.
Medical and Laboratory Facilities: May need separate fridges for different types of products like vaccines, blood samples, or sensitive medications, each with precise temperature control.

Guideline: Refer to industry standards and regulations that may dictate specific refrigeration needs, such as separate units for meat and produce to prevent cross-contamination.

6. Plan for Future Growth

If you expect your business to grow, consider how your refrigeration needs might expand in the future. Purchasing modular or additional units now can save on future costs as demand increases.

Scalable Options: Modular walk-ins, stackable or add-on fridges, and flexible storage options can make it easy to add capacity when needed.
Considerations for Seasonal Needs: If your business has seasonal peaks, such as holiday demand or summer drinks sales, consider how additional fridges might help you meet these temporary needs.

Guideline: If you anticipate growth, choose flexible options that allow for easy expansion or additional units without a complete redesign of your space.

7. Use the “One Fridge Per Category” Rule for Large Operations

For large operations with diverse product lines, a general rule is to have at least one fridge per category of item:

Cold Prep and Ingredients Fridge: For ingredients used daily in food prep.
Meat and Seafood Fridge: Keeps raw proteins separate for safety.
Produce Fridge: Maintains high humidity levels to keep fruits and vegetables fresh.
Dairy and Eggs Fridge: Keeps dairy products at a consistent temperature.
Beverage Fridge: For bottled and canned drinks, often located near customer service areas.
Desserts and Ready-Made Meals: A dedicated fridge can help keep finished items separate from raw ingredients.

Guideline: This rule helps prevent cross-contamination and allows for better temperature control for each type of product. Larger operations, such as hotels or grocery stores, may benefit from this approach.

8. Final Calculation Example

Use the following formula as a starting point to estimate your refrigeration needs:

Total Fridge Count = Number of Product Categories + High-Traffic Prep Stations + Daily Volume Needs

Example for a high-volume restaurant:

Product Categories:
- Meat (1 fridge)
- Produce (1 fridge)
- Dairy and eggs (1 fridge)
- Beverages (1 fridge)
Prep Stations:
- Salad station (1 fridge)
- Dessert station (1 fridge)
Daily Volume: High volume means you may need an additional fridge or a walk-in cooler.

Estimated Total: At least 5 to 6 fridges plus a walk-in cooler for bulk storage.

Conclusion

The number of commercial fridges your business needs depends on factors such as storage requirements, daily volume, layout, available space, and industry standards. A small café may only need one or two fridges, while a high-volume restaurant or grocery store might need a combination of several fridges, including specialty units.

By assessing these factors carefully, you can find the right balance of refrigeration units to support food safety, operational efficiency, and business growth.