Adande refrigerated drawers deliver reliability and ROI

Adande’s patented refrigerated drawers are incredibly cool. And we’re not only talking temperature. They are a highly reliable piece of kit that preserves food quality, reduces waste, and basically give a strong return on investment.

Yet, these are only a few of the reasons this refrigeration is fast winning traction with convenience store operators around the world. Adande’s units are increasingly being adopted in the USA, where retailers including Sheetz, GetGo Cafe + Market and EG America’s Cumberland Farms are installing Adande refrigerated units to benefit their foodservice businesses

Maintaining a constant environment

Adande was founded in the UK in 1984 by design engineers Ian Wood and George Young with a very specific brief – to design a fridge-freezer for off-shore oil rigs, which could be used around the clock and maintain a constant environment and prevent food from being spoiled.

Adande Managing Director, Karl Hodgson picks up the tale.

“Ian brainstormed an insulated drawer container concept, which ensures no cold air is lost when the drawer is opened, in contrast to a traditional upright or under-counter refrigerator with a door, which allows cold air to fall out as you reach in.

“With an Adande drawer the cold air has no where to go when opened, instead the air sinks back into the drawer and means your food produce is kept at the right temperature and in the best condition.”

The refrigerated drawer design, which uniquely can be operated in fridge or freezer mode, was patented and the company went on to secure global patents in most countries around the world.

Initially, Adande had intended to license the technology. “It never intended to become a manufacturer,” Hodgson recalls.

However, when recession hit in 2008, the company recognised that manufacturing was the best route to successfully market the system and prove that it worked.

The company’s official breakthrough came in the same year when it landed a partnership with KFC in the UK, quickly followed by McDonald’s in both the UK and Europe.

Other fast food chains started to follow, along with numerous pubs. “We supply everyone from a QSR to a Michelin star restaurants.” Hodgson reports.

US and global reach

Today, Adande’s units are sold across Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and Australia and most recently the US, where it is now selling direct having originally set up a licensing deal with Randell.

Adande is adopting a rifle shot approach to expansion and the US fuel and convenience store sector is a specific target market since chains are typically smaller, family-run and therefore loyal, Hodgson says.

The company partnered with Sheetz four years ago, supplying 300-400 refrigerated drawers a year. Get Go Cafe + Market followed and more recently Dandy Mart and EG Group-owned Cumberland Farms.

Adande has also supplied EG Group’s Asda operation in the UK. Adande’s key message to c-store operators is that its refrigerated drawers will provide a return on their investment, as well as numerous operating efficiencies, Hodgson says.

Compact design

Whilst the superior temperature stability and humidity control of Adande’s drawers is a key selling point, retailers also appreciate their compact design, which provides a large internal footprint (25% more capacity on average compared with traditional refrigerators) but small external footprint.

As new stores are increasingly built on smaller plots, with smaller kitchens and food preparation areas, retailers appreciate solutions that make the optimum use of floorspace.

Additionally, the drawer units can be sited beneath food preparation counters.

As well as being space saving, this feature provides quick and easy access to products, which speeds up service, critical in a QSR environment.

Indeed, KFC has estimated that locating units under workstations saves the business 2.5 steps multiple times over the course of a day.

Greater flexibility

On top of the great ergonomics, Adande’s drawers give retailers great flexibility with the ability to set the temperature of each drawer from -22°C/to 15°C in 0.1°C increments, (+59°F/to -8°F in 1.0°F increments) permitting chilled and frozen storage in different drawers of the same unit. This allows the preparation of a wider range of ingredients, eliminating the need for separate fridges and freezers.

Adande’s drawers score in terms of energy efficiency too – they consume 35-40% less energy than conventional refrigeration equipment with the same storage capacity.

“More importantly, the reliability of the product is pretty good. It’s not working as hard as other fridges have to work,” Hodgson adds.

The insulated containers are also removable, while insulation in conventional refrigeration equipment is bonded and therefore units are more likely to end up in landfill.

Further, the drawers are low maintenance, which saves retailers money too.

By deploying seals (which are covered by a two-year warranty) horizontally, there is less wear than on vertical seals used in conventional refrigeration. Meanwhile, durable metal drawer runners protect against moisture and freezing issues associated with traditional equipment; while the positioning of Adande’s self-cleaning condenser means that it is isolated from dust, debris and food particles, which frequently cause higher energy use and compressor failure on standard equipment.

Longer lasting convenience foods

For convenience stores who prioritise the quality of their food and foodservice offers, Adande’s refrigerated drawers offer better storage due to the stability of the temperature. This means the drawers don’t dehydrate food, which means it lasts for longer, Hodgson says.

The technology is also providing c-store operators with millions of dollars of savings in the oil they use to cook their products because it stops ice clumping onto products and items sticking together.

That happens in traditional refrigerators when doors are opened and the cold air drops out but is replaced with warm air and therefore moisture. One leading retailer is reported to have made a recorded a 3.5% oil saving across its sites using Adande drawers.

More convenience retailers look set to reap those benefits.

Looking forward

Adande has recently returned from the NAFEM show in Orlando where it met with new clients including Whataburger and Wendy’s plus numerous regional accounts. The company will also attend the NACS Show in Atlanta in October.

As well as the US drive, the brand will continue pushing in the UK and Europe, with Ireland and the Nordics likely new target markets.

“The focus for the rest of year is driving the brand forward, taking on more staff for those markets in sales and marketing roles,” says Hodgson.

Return on investment and reliability will continue to be key selling points and should strike a chord with the convenience sector, he adds.

“We have the confidence to say “use our product, try it and you will be happy with it”, and no one ever wants to give it back,” Hodgson says.