Hillphoenix has accumulated a wealth of information over the years and we are eager to share it with you. From associations and universities to government agencies and industry experts – we are constantly looking for new trends, ideas, innovations, customer insights, and more that will give you a competitive advantage. Browse through our Insights Library below and be sure to check back often. We have new insights all the time.
You’re only as Good as the People That Surround You
Statistics show an emerging problem with the number of available qualified refrigeration technicians to serve the industry’s needs. Hillphoenix and Publix decided to take the call to action and do something about it. After collective discussions, they set out on a mission to significantly improve the skill level and performance of both Publix employees and […]
Making the World a “Yealthier” Place
“Yealthier”??? No, that’s no typo and your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you”. Jenny and James Marino set out on a mission to prove that yummy and healthy can coexist—people can eat “yealthy”. How could a refrigeration equipment company like Hillphoenix and contractor like Zone Mechanical make this any better?
Campbell’s New Refrigeration Flavors – Accelerate Article
By Michael Garry. Like many consumer packaged goods companies, Campbell Soup Company offers numerous versions of its products, including dozens of soups and countless cookie options. That penchant for diversity has now extended into natural refrigeration.
AdaptaPak Puts Grocers on the Path to Increased Profitability
Given that a store’s refrigeration is one of the single largest ongoing costs a retailer faces, (along with lighting and HVAC) these areas of power consumption together typically add up to two thirds of a store’s energy use, the need to find savings in this critical area is essential.
A Better Way to Store and Display Beef and Chicken
Food retailers have strongly vested reasons for making sure that their perishable meats are “happy” in their display case climate, not the least being profit and food safety. Failure to provide the needed climate for the meat can result in loss of sales, reduced profits, and in some cases, the introduction of microorganisms that can […]
Character Check … Do Your Meat, Poultry and Seafood Have Integrity?
Quite often in the retail food industry, you’ll hear the phrase, “product integrity”, thrown around. Ask ten different people what the phrase means, and you’ll get a number of different responses, each offering a nuance or two to add to, and further characterize, the overall definition.
Get the Right Case for the Job
Decisions … decisions … decisions. So often in business and our personal lives we are faced with decisions whose outcome could have a significant impact on us based on making the right choice up front. The retail food business is certainly not immune from this.
Research Shows Better Way of Storing & Displaying Meat, Poultry and Seafood
Today’s world of food retailing (grocery stores, supermarkets, etc.) is proving more competitive and complex to operate than ever. Fresh food product categories—fruits and vegetables, meat, fish, dairy, and baked goods—amount to 40% or more of the retailer’s sales.
Campbell Soup Company Extends Use of CO2 Systems Into Their Operations
The Campbell Soup Company needed to expand their frozen operations at one of their Pepperidge Farm manufacturing plants in Pennsylvania with the addition of a new spiral freezer. From a refrigeration perspective, they had three main objectives.
Meal Kits – 78% Shoppers Want Them – Infographic
Meal Kits – 45% of shoppers prefer to shop in-store rather than online. 42% plan on buying kits more frequently during the next 3 years. 32% plan to continue buying kits at the same rate during the next 3 years. 78% of shoppers want grocery stores to develop meal kits.
Adding Glass Doors to Multi-Deck Meat Case
Retailers are looking to save energy, and provide fresher products for their shoppers. Open multi-deck display cases, dumping cold air into the aisles, with traditional fluorescent lighting, are major consumers of supermarket energy. The open multi-deck merchandiser is typically used to display fresh meat. Meat is one of the highest revenue departments in the supermarket, but […]
Longo’s Supermarkets Distribution Center
When Longo’s Supermarkets set out to build a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certified head office and distribution center in 2009, they looked to Neelands Refrigeration Limited and Hillphoenix® for an environmentally friendly, cost-effective warehouse refrigeration answer. This case study looks at the Hillphoenix Second Nature systems as an alternative to ammonia […]
Alaska Aces Hockey Team’s “Green” Ice is a Winner
The Alaska Aces, a professional hockey team in Anchorage and winner of three league-championship Kelly Cups, is skating on “greener” ice this season. It’s not the color of the ice that’s changed, but the effect it has on the environment.
The Power of Produce: An In-Depth Look at Produce Through the Shoppers’ Eyes
Maximizing sales and profits depends on understanding consumer perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors regarding fresh fruits and vegetables. The Power of Produce is a unique study exploring purchasing patterns, consumption across meal occasions, visit preparation and instore decisions relative to produce, marketing and sales techniques, and possible improvements.
In late 2016, Hillphoenix and Sealed Air sponsored a study that compared consumer assessments of its new proprietary LED lighting technology to existing “cool” and “warm” levels of fluorescent lighting. This research supports efforts to encourage the adoption of vacuum packaging for fresh proteins.
Expansion and Relocation Brings Green Energy Opportunities to Independent ShopRite
The Kinsley family started with a blank slate and created one of the greenest, most energy efficient independent supermarkets in the US. With the nations largest ShopRite, the family designed a more energy-efficient, sustainable business with the help of Hillphoenix. This Case Study reviews the process and end ame for this project.
A Comparative Study Of Variable Speed Secondary Coolant Systems
Second Nature (SN) Medium-Temperature secondary systems have over 1000 installations across North America using propylene glycol as a secondary coolant. Second Nature systems allow customers to greatly reduce their initial refrigerant charge and dramatically lower environmentally harmful refrigerant leak rates.
A Comparative Study of Secondary Glycol & Direct Expansion Refrigeration Systems
Second Nature Medium-Temperature secondary systems have been widely applied in commercial refrigeration since their introduction in the late 1990’s. With more than 700 installations throughout North America using propylene glycol as secondary coolant, these systems have enabled customers to greatly reduce initial refrigerant charge and dramatically lower leakage rates of refrigerants that contribute to ozone […]
Industrial Refrigeration Systems offer an alternative to centralized systems
Commercial/Industrial systems designed and produced by Hill PHOENIX have handled applications as big as one quarter of a million square feet. By taking what is essentially a large-scale distributed refrigeration system approach to projects requiring more than 800 tons of refrigeration-compared to centralized systems-Hill PHOENIX is able to Reduce refrigerant charge, piping and joints and […]
A leader in sustainable retail, Overwaitea Food Group established strong goals for a green operation. With the help of Hillphoenix Advansor CO2 Booster System among other things, their Urban Fare Express store extends their continued commitment to sustainability. This Case study outlines the process.
Roundy’s Supermarkets Inc. Selects Hillphoenix for Its First CO2 Transcritical Refrigeration System
Roundy’s reinvigorated several of its brands in the Wisconsin area and the Menomonee Falls Store is no exception. Following the success of their Mariano’s store in Chicago, Roundy’s is using energy-efficient and green technologies in this current store. This Case Study details what was done in the store and what technology was employed to be […]
Public Health Food Safety Controls for Retail Hot Food Programs:Which Approach Works Best?
Food safety has long been a concern for food retailers, in particular, the Ready-to-Eat segment of the the business. This white paper explores the two approaches for maintaining hot food safety – Time Only or Time and Temperature, and which approach works best.
CO2 Transcritical Booster Systems
Refrigeration systems for supermarkets and other applications have been evolving toward the use of environmentally friendly natural refrigerants over the past couple of decades. This white paper covers CO2 Booster Systems, how they work and the great advantages they offer.
The DOE 2017 regulations apply exclusively to commercial refrigeration manufacturers, but they are likely to have significant impact on food retailers. This white paper cover the implications of theses regulations, and what steps retailers can take to optimize store environments, operations and case performance.
Destination Centers Succeed at Driving Sales
Today’s destination centers offer fresh, fast and convenient food options and are designed with flexibility and versatility. This white paper covers the key considerations when creating a destination center and the Five Factors that should be thought about when creating an effective destination center.
How to Avoid 6% of Fresh Meat Sales From Going Down the Drain
There’s no denying that the prices for fresh beef are high. And, to add to that, the trend for most consumers leans toward proteins (chicken and pork). But, believe it or not, retail beef sales still drive a significant portion of supermarket purchases. This white paper will delve into the importance of maintaining fresh product […]
Ice Cream Product Integrity and the Importance of the Cold Chain
Cold Chains are common in the foodservice industry and offer a temperature-controlled supply chain that is maintain throughout the process of production through distribution. This white paper specifically covers ice cream in the cold chain process and how the importance of the cold chain is relative to its product integrity.
The Effects of Lighting on Product Integrity
Lighting plays a pivotal role in every department of the supermarket. From ambient to display case lighting, light draws attention to products and attracts shoppers. This white paper discusses the effects of lighting on product integrity and solutions retailers can put in place to alleviate any problems that may occur.
DeCO2ded – Understanding ROI on CO2 Refrigeration Systems
Determining ROI on a CO2 system requires a number of variables. By analyzing those variables including the cost/benefit analysis, a retailer can gain a better understanding what they are going to get when they invest in a CO2 system. This white paper “decodes” understanding ROI on a CO2 Refrigeration system and what are its tangible […]
The Challenges of Retail Berry Marketing
More and more consumers recognize the benefits of berries – strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc. – as superfoods and shoppers equate freshness with health. But, among perishables, berries are challenging to keep fresh. This white paper explores the measures taken to maintain product integrity and freshness while ensuring standards and measures to get them from farm […]
Retail Meals-to-Go and the Battle for Dinner
The changing food retail environment is widespread and affecting supermarkets in a big way. With six different generations having different likes and shopping habits, retailers are trying to capitalize how consumers shop for food. This white paper outlines the trends going on in the marketplace and how retailers ar responding with fresh prepared meals.
Understanding Conduction Case Cooling
Conduction-cooling applications can improve product integrity, food storage and display. This white paper outlines the alternative approach to supermarket display case cooling and the benefits to a retailers bottom line.
Distributed Refrigeration – The Next Wave
In the case of distributed refrigeration systems, profitability and sustainability go hand-in-hand. This white paper illustrates the different approach of distributed refrigeration.
Refrigeration is getting greener. With supermarket retailers wanting a more energy-efficient and sustainable operation, an innovative approach to supermarket refrigeration enables stores to reach near-zero sustainable leak rates. This white paper goes over the use of Compact Chiller Module technology as a way to address environmental concerns.
First U.S. Ice Rink to Use Sustainable CO2 Refrigeration
The first U.S. ice rink to use sustainable CO2 refrigeration is benefiting from lower operational costs and reduced environmental impact just two months after opening.
Berry Sales Jump 22% after Driscoll’s Deploys Visual Attention Analysis
Visual Attention Analysis (VAA) enabled a thorough consideration of the customer perspective on the refrigerated display of high-quality berries. Utilizing the findings from the study yielded eye-opening results, as sales rose by 22% in three months!
Low GWP Alternatives in Commercial Refrigeration
The Lackland AFB Commissary in San Antonio, TX implemented a novel refrigeration system utilizing ammonia and carbon dioxide (NH3 and CO2) in a cascade configuration. The Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) anticipates adopting this technology at other commissaries located in warm climates.
Royal Farms Cuts Product Loss and Power Consumption with AdaptaPac Parallel Refrigeration System
The Royal Farms convenience store chain has been able to save money and boost sustainability by installing the Hillphoenix AdaptaPac refrigeration solution. A single, reliable vendor has helped them to simplify maintenance and avoid costly product losses.
Refrigeration 101 – Traditional and Secondary Supermarket Refrigeration Systems
We can best understand traditional and secondary supermarket refrigeration systems by looking at the differences between the two systems and how they operate. This white paper covers those differences and benefits in detail.
