[Solving issues in the retail industry] Liquid freezing machines that should be introduced in supermarkets

In the highly competitive supermarket industry, how to make a profit is a difficult problem. In order to increase profits, the challenges are to increase sales and reduce costs.

One of the solutions is to introduce a quick freeze machine. By introducing a quick freeze machine, you can create attractive products, improve work efficiency, and reduce waste.

There are various types of quick freezing machines, but I would like to focus on liquid freezers, which have a fast freezing speed, and consider the benefits that lead to increased sales and cost reduction.

Amazing features and benefits of liquid freezing machines

A quick freezer is a machine that allows food to pass through a temperature range of -5°C to -1°C, where the water in the food freezes, within 30 minutes, then rapidly lowers the temperature and freezes the food. By freezing the food all at once, you can prevent the destruction of cells within the food, allowing you to freeze the food while preserving its quality.

It maintains the same flavor, texture, and nutrients as before freezing, so it can be stored for a long time with freshly harvested quality.

Unlike quick freezers that use cold air, liquid freezers freeze food by soaking it in antifreeze, which does not freeze even at minus temperatures. Freeze the sealed food by soaking it in an alcoholic solution cooled to -35°C.

The biggest advantage of liquid freezers is their fast freezing speed. Liquids have a thermal conductivity 20 times higher than air, so they can be frozen much faster than quick freezers that use cold air.

Furthermore, since the liquid is stirred, the temperature can be made uniform throughout the tank, and the liquid hits the entire food, making it possible to freeze it evenly. The liquid used is an alcohol solution used as a food additive, so it is not harmful to the human body.

A wide range of foods can be frozen, including meat, fresh fish, vegetables, noodles and rice, processed foods, and cooked foods. Since it is airtightly packed, it is suitable for freezing thick side dishes, boiled dishes, soups, etc.

Because the freezing speed is fast, even perishable foods that lose their freshness during the freezing process, as well as large, thick foods that are difficult to freeze, can be frozen while maintaining their freshness.

Shellfish such as oysters, large fish such as bonito and tuna, chunks of meat, and chunks of ham can be frozen while preserving their quality.

Among the many types of quick freezers, liquid freezers can shorten the time required for freezing, so they are a great advantage for supermarkets where work efficiency is important.

Challenges and solutions to increase profits in supermarkets

How can you increase profits by introducing a liquid freezer?

The issues we want to solve in order to increase profits are divided into two: increasing sales and reducing costs. In order to increase sales, you need to increase the number of customers and get them to buy your products.

In addition, in order to reduce costs, it is necessary to have a production system that increases work efficiency and reduces losses such as waste and raw material loss.

I would like to think concretely about how such issues can be solved.

to increase sales

1. Creating attractive products

【assignment】
In order to increase the number of customers and have them purchase products from your store, you need to create products that are unique to your store. In order to create attractive products, we need features and commitment that other stores don't have, and the added value of being more delicious than other stores.

[Solution]
By introducing a liquid freezer, it becomes possible to store food for a long period of time, so we can always provide products that use ingredients that are only available during a limited season. Also, vegetables and seafood have seasonal periods. By freezing and storing foods at their most delicious and nutritious, we can create products that are particular about deliciousness.

In addition, since it can be stored while maintaining its freshness for a long period of time, it is possible to create products that use as few food additives as possible.

2. Responding to the consumption needs of seniors

【assignment】
As the population ages, the purchasing power of seniors is increasing. A high percentage of seniors are looking for healthy, high-quality products that are easy to eat and do not require the hassle of cooking. In particular, there is a growing need for handmade prepared foods, so responding to these consumption needs will lead to increased customer attraction.

【solution】
Unlike convenience store side dishes, supermarket side dishes are made in-store, so they have the advantage of being able to serve freshly prepared food. However, considering the time and effort involved, it is difficult to cook many times a day.
Also, if the product turnover rate is poor, it will be difficult to sell freshly made products.

However, you can save time and effort in cooking by thawing and reheating prepared foods that have been stored in rapid freezing. Since you can make just what you need when you need it, you can increase the frequency with which you can serve freshly prepared dishes.

Also, you can have a wide variety of products so you don't get bored. As the variety of products increases, the amount of waste increases accordingly, so a strategy is often adopted to sell only a limited number of products.

However, by cooking in batches and making them in advance, you no longer have to make all kinds of products every day, and you can handle the production of a wide variety of products in small quantities.

to reduce costs

1. Reducing disposal losses and sales opportunity losses due to unsold items

【assignment】
Products are manufactured based on sales forecasts, but sales forecasts and actual sales do not always match. If sales are poor, products will remain unsold and there will be a lot of waste. Conversely, if sales are good, sales opportunities will be missed.

【solution】
By thawing and reheating foods that have been stored in rapid freezing storage, you can produce according to sales. You can make adjustments such as reducing the amount produced if sales are poor compared to the sales forecast, or increasing the amount produced if sales are good.

In this way, you can eliminate waste loss and increase sales without missing any sales opportunities. Additionally, since the daily production volume can be kept constant, there is also the benefit of leveling out the work.

2. Reduce discount losses

【assignment】
As the demand for high-quality products increases, we have no choice but to discount the prices of fresh produce as they tend to drip over time and deteriorate in appearance and taste. Also, if there are many items that are likely to go unsold, such as side dishes, the number of items to be discounted will increase accordingly.

[Solution]
Liquid frozen meat and seafood can be kept fresh for a long time without dripping when thawed. This means that sliced meat and sashimi can maintain their high quality, freshness and flavor even after a long time.

In addition to sales forecasts, products such as prepared foods can be produced based on customer traffic on a given day, which reduces not only unsold losses but also discount losses.

3. Reducing purchasing value losses

assignment】
The purchase price of vegetables, seafood, etc. fluctuates depending on the season, weather, etc. In particular, if the harvest volume decreases, the purchase price will rise significantly due to price hikes, which can result in losses.

[Solution]
By purchasing vegetables and seafood in bulk when they are cheap and storing them in the freezer, and then using them when prices are higher, we are able to provide products without being affected by fluctuations in purchase prices.

Also, purchasing in bulk makes it easier to negotiate prices. Demand for vegetables and seafood is increasing due to the health boom, so it is a problem to somehow reduce the purchasing prices of these foods.

4. Production of side dishes at low cost

【assignment】
While supermarkets are increasing the demand for prepared foods and are increasing their focus on prepared foods, prepared foods have the disadvantage of being expensive to produce and having a high loss rate. There is a need for side dishes that can reduce production costs without sacrificing quality.

【solution】
Freezing the ingredients used in prepared foods extends the expiration date and makes inventory management easier.

Additionally, by freezing and storing side dishes that have been prepared in bulk, you can eliminate the need for half-cooked ingredients and reduce raw material loss.

You can work efficiently by cooking by making effective use of the time you have and the time you have available staff. Improving work efficiency can lead to shorter working hours and lower personnel costs.

By reducing raw material loss and work loss, you can manufacture prepared foods while reducing costs.

Conclusion

In this way, by introducing a liquid freezing machine, you can increase sales, reduce losses, and increase profits.

Additionally, if you are using a central kitchen format where food is prepared in batches at a factory and served at each store instead of being cooked in-house, you will need to freeze it.

Freezing technology is important in order to provide freshly prepared side dishes and freshly cut perishables in good quality. Rapid freezing machines, including liquid freezing machines, are increasingly being introduced in order to produce high-quality, delicious, and safe products.

In order to increase profits, each company and store is making efforts to strengthen its production system, including marketing strategies and creating sales areas that increase purchasing power.

As part of this, we hope you've found that installing a liquid freezer is a worthwhile capital investment.

If you have not yet adopted it, why not consider it once?