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Ice plays an important role in supermarkets, with many using large
amounts of flake ice for their fish and produce displays. Flake
ice keeps produce and fish properly hydrated and chilled for best
presentation and shelf life. It is the ice of choice for supermarket
applications because, unlike cubes, flake ice holds the product
securely and has no hard edges to bruise the fish, fruit or vegetables.
Modular ice makers
The section on modular
ice makers and flake
ice provides an overview of the type
of equipment available and selection considerations.
Ice storage equipment
An individual supermarket may have one or more flake ice makers
in the store. Some opt for a large central ice maker located in
the back room. Others may have multiple flake ice makers located
closer to the points of use. All supermarkets will require some
type of ice storage equipment to use with the flake machine. Because
store employees will interact with the ice bin, not the ice maker,
many times during the course of the day, the selection of the bin
may be even more important than the selection of the ice maker that
will fill it.
There are many types of ice storage equipment. Some are little
more than insulated storage boxes; others deliver a wide range of
labor saving, sanitation and safety features. Those that are particularly
appropriate for supermarket use are:
While we encourage you to use the above links for information about
the different types of ice storage equipment, a discussion of supermarket-specific
concerns is provided below.
In reviewing the different types of storage equipment available,
keep in mind that:
- The average back injury costs employers $10,000 in direct costs
- Supermarket employees hate to “do the ice”
- Labor not used for “doing the ice” is available
for other tasks
Important pre-purchase considerations should include:
- The ease or difficulty of ice removal
- Features that provide safety, convenience, or time savings
for staff
- An assessment of how far ice will need to be transported from
the bin and how that can be safely accomplished
Supermarkets face a number of challenges related to ice. The storing
of the ice is the easy part. It’s the difficulty of removing
large volumes of ice from the bin and the substantial distance between
the production area and the cases and the displays that present
the challenge for store employees and management alike.
Upright ice storage bins
Upright ice storage bins are heavily used in supermarkets and, depending
on the design and features, can address some of the sanitation,
efficiency and safety concerns faced by supermarkets.
For example, some upright bins are equipped with features that
control ice flow into the bottom access area, making shoveling easier
and allowing staff to break ice bridges safely. Other safety features
can include polyethylene access doors that have no sharp corners
and that stay open until actively pulled closed. Click
here to see bins with these features.
But employees still have to shovel the ice from an upright bin.
And they will still be faced with moving large volumes of ice from
the bin to the point of use. Some of the ice transport issues can
be addressed by using an ice transport cart. Carts are available
to allow the transport of up to 240 lbs of ice at one time, making
the filling of distant fish or produce cases much more manageable.
Some carts are equipped with inner ice totes that allow employees
to pour ice into the cases, eliminating the need to shovel ice.
A variety of carts are available to meet the specific needs of the
facility. Click
here to see examples of ice transport carts.
Gravity-feed
ice storage and transport systems
A higher level of safety, sanitation and efficiency is provided
by gravity-feed ice storage and transport systems. Models appropriate
for use in supermarkets for flake ice are elevated ice storage bins
with a chute centered in the bottom of the storage area. When a
gate is opened, ice drops by gravity into large-capacity ice transport
carts positioned below the chute.
Click here
to see examples of gravity-feed ice storage and transport systems
that will accommodate flake ice.
Advantages of gravity-feed ice storage and
transport systems include:
- Safety - The elimination of shoveling and carrying buckets
of ice reduces the risk of employee back injuries. With less spilled
ice, the potential for falls and slippage is reduced.
- Efficiency - Gravity-feed dispensing and cart transport of
up to 240 lbs of ice at one time is much faster than shoveling
and saves substantial labor.
- Sanitation - No shoveling means the elimination of a potential
contamination point. Dedicated ice carts deliver clean and sanitary
ice. And because ice is dispensed from the bottom of the bin,
the first ice in is the first ice used. This ensures a constant
turnover and aeration of ice. This means that there will be no
old ice sitting in the bottom of the bin developing an unpleasant
taste, odor and appearance.
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