In the supermarket refrigeration industry, it’s more common than not to prioritize price over quality. Stores considering a refrigeration remodel or especially when designing a new store often take a short-term approach to design and components rather than ask questions, talk to their contractors, and wisely determine, “How can we get the most value for our money in the long run?”

Yes, initial cost savings based on quantity (say, of racks or coils) will result in more grocery stores being built. But how will each store fare over time? That should be the bigger question.

Successful grocery stores remain open for many years, which makes the argument for quality, well-thought-out refrigeration highly compelling. The downside with a short-term, low-cost approach to refrigeration designs usually means stores end up spending significantly more on refrigeration maintenance.    

When stores focus on reducing cost on the front end—by saving money per unit on components like racks, condensers, cases, and coils—they compromise design and can end up paying a ton more unnecessarily for future losses in refrigerant and a recurring need for repairs.

Our advice? Always focus on the long-term performance of your refrigeration system. Pay a little (okay, sometimes) more today to get something much more durable and reliable long-term.  

In other words, don’t be penny-wise and pound-foolish.

If you need someone to guide you toward smart commercial refrigeration investment, call Accutherm Refrigeration for a free, no-obligation quote. You can reach us at (800) 692-1228 or at [email protected].  

At Accutherm, we focus on doing things right from the start, so you spend the least amount of money on refrigeration over the lifetime of your stores.