The supermarket equipment evolution

For consumers, little to no thought is often spared for the commercial equipment found at their local supermarket.

But for retailers across the grocery channel, the full impact of their buying choices and the possibilities that new commercial equipment can offer will have drastic impacts on their profitability, efficiency and workplace safety.

Having worked in the commercial foodservice equipment industry for over 30 years, Comcater has been at the forefront of the evolving grocery industry, providing solutions to supermarkets looking for new opportunities to develop more market share and broaden their appeal to a wider audience.

Comcater’s initial involvement arose when supermarkets made the move away from pre-purchased barbeque chickens and old style rotisseries and instead started looking at bringing the production process in-house using smarter kitchen equipment. The old style rotisseries took longer to cook chickens, relied on staff checking the product to ensure consistency plus were messy to use and hard to clean. With the introduction of the RATIONAL combi oven into the grocery channel, retailers were blown away by the consistency, efficiency and labour saving benefits such equipment offered.

Now a supermarket staple, RATIONAL has since released its latest innovation to the grocery channel: The SelfCookingCenter which has not only improved the quality and consistency of the traditional supermarket chook, but requires no staff supervision, changes the temperature automatically based on your cooking preference, and even cleans itself! Thanks to the RATIONAL’s ability to cook mixed loads at the same time (without affecting product taste or impacting the efficiency of the unit), retailers are also able to use the unit to grow their bakery section – a key trend for the grocery channel in recent years.

With the smell of freshly baked bread and roasted chickens enticing more consumers into supermarkets and diversifying the grocery channel product mix, retailers are looking to international markets for a new, competitive edge. Based on the Whole Foods Market model found throughout the United States, the addition of cafés inside of supermarkets is set to be the next frontier. Supermarkets embracing the café concept see the potential in high density, city areas where grab-and-go lunches, breakfast snacks and freshly roasted coffee will act as a major influence in shopper preferences.

Retailers looking at expanding their operation to incorporate a café section may be surprised to learn that this can be done without installing a full commercial kitchen or hiring trained chefs.The Menumaster range of Speed Ovens is the hero piece, and uses three types of cooking styles to rapidly heat, toast and crisp items quickly and efficiently, from perfectly toasted sandwiches to reheated bakery items like pies. Menu items can be programmed into the unit, allowing for push button operation that ensures the same great results no matter what staff member is on.

Another flexible cooking option is the Lincoln Countertop Electric conveyor oven, small enough to fit on most work benches but offers far more menu diversity, from perfectly cooked pizzas in 4 minutes to grilled steaks, vegetables, and more.

Whilst multifunctional cooking equipment is a considerable trend for the future of the grocery sector, retailers are constantly striving for innovation in all areas of their store fit out – specifically when it comes to the store shelving. The preferred choice of major supermarkets, Cambro’s Elements Series Commercial Shelving holds up to 272kg per shelf, and features an antimicrobial component in the shelf plates which inhibits the possibility of mould growth and reduces bacteria. Shelves can be easily removed to be cleaned in a dishwasher or to allow cleaning of the floor and walls in cool rooms. Moreover, Cambro shelving will not rust, dent or crack, with superior load capacities and addresses all HACCP requirements for maximum compliance with OH&S guidelines.

As supermarkets move away from the traditional price wars and instead look towards providing consumers with even greater convenience than ever, the role of commercial equipment in the grocery market will certainly grow in years to come.

For more information on how Comcater foodservice equipment can help your grocery store , fill in the form.