There were 5,120 supermarkets with transcritical CO2 (R744) refrigeration systems in North America (Canada and the United States) in 2025. While that’s just 6% of all supermarkets in North America, CO2 refrigeration has been growing rapidly in the sector, with installations jumping roughly 75% from 2023 to 2025. All of this growth has been driven almost entirely by racks, and [...]
Inflation is fundamentally rewriting the retail breakfast, lunch and dinner playbook. Some consumers are becoming exhausted by restaurant menu price inflation, service fees and tipping fatigue. On the other hand, cooking every meal from scratch can also be exhausting and it’s far from convenient. Shoppers are discovering “The Third Way.” It’s not cooking, and it’s not dining out. It’s retail [...]
DeCicco & Sons, which operates 11 high-end supermarkets in Westchester and Putnam counties, New York (north of New York City), is opening in May its first Connecticut store in Greenwich, its seventh new store to be equipped with transcritical CO2 (R744) refrigeration in the past decade, along with two converted stores. Only three stores remain without CO2, and those will [...]
Today more than ever, shoppers are eating dinner at home. A whopping 4 out of 5 people prepare dinner at home at least 4 nights a week, and more than 1 in 4 prepare dinner at home every night, according to the latest The Power of Foodservice at Retail Report. With more shoppers eating at home, meal planning is on [...]
Experienced food retailers know how much merchandising impacts shopper behavior. In the deli department, this is especially true. The latest Power of Foodservice at Retail Report reveals that 61% of shoppers learn about deli-prepared offerings just by walking through the store. That’s great news for food retailers looking to increase deli sales, because it means your shoppers are on the [...]
More shoppers are turning to retail foodservice, according to the latest The Power of Foodservice at Retail Report. Department, dollar and unit performance all increased for prepared foods and deli foodservice over the last year. But there’s still a gap between what shoppers are looking for and what they find. Half of shoppers report that their store’s prepared food is [...]
DOWNERS GROVE, Ill., March 4, 2026 – Hillphoenix, part of Dover Food Retail and Dover (NYSE: DOV) and a pioneer in designing environmentally sustainable refrigeration systems, today announced the launch of the Next Generation Flex Mini. This high-performance CO₂ transcritical system provides a versatile, future-proof refrigeration solution designed for food retail and industrial applications.
CONYERS, GA – Hillphoenix, part of Dover Food Retail, a pioneer in sustainable refrigeration solutions and a steadfast advocate for the frozen food industry, is proud to announce its featured participation at the upcoming AFFI-CON conference on February 22, 2026. Building on years of active partnership with the American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI), Hillphoenix will take the stage for the [...]
When a major national food retailer needed to upgrade 60+ sites across 20 different states, they faced a classic logistical nightmare: fragmentation. Typically, a project of this magnitude requires hiring dozens of different contractors, each with their own standards, timelines, and communication styles. Instead, this retailer turned to the Hillphoenix® AMS Group to act as their single engine for growth. [...]
Looking for inspired holiday display ideas that will really make an impact? The merchandising experts at Hillphoenix are here to help you take the everyday and turn it into something spectacular. Creating dynamic, attention-grabbing destinations in your store is key to drawing in shoppers, providing a memorable experience and driving those all-important repeat visits. The good news is, you can [...]
