27th October 2024
The future of supermarkets – has changing the way we shop, changed the way we store food?
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Taking place every two years, HostMilano is Europe’s largest international exhibition dedicated to the world of food service and hospitality. Despite the disruption and uncertainty of the last couple of years, the 42nd edition is set to take place at full scale just a few days from now, with a full complement of 2,200 exhibitors and expected visitor numbers in excess 200,000 travelling from all around the world.
If you’re in the industry, HostMilano has something for you, from equipment, to furnishings and tableware, food, technology, and of course gelato.
As always, True will be there, occupying a huge 250m2 booth (stand F43 – G50) in Hall 3P.
Like in previous years, we will divide the space into different concepts and trends which we are seeing traction with, building small installations which incorporate key products from our wide commercial refrigeration range.
Our booth at Host 2021 will include an “At Work” area modelled after a modern office setting. This will include a full MicroMarket installation showcasing our Glass Door Merchandiser products, the cooler of choice to many of today’s leading enterprise catering solution providers due to their superior temperature holding and full accreditation with current regulatory standards.
We will also debut a brand new self-contained and scalable unattended retail solution known as TrueGo. Visitors to the True booth can expect an exclusive look at the future of unattended retail.
Building on a concept from the last Host, our Micro Kitchen area (containing examples of fully commercial “forced air” refrigeration system equipment, but with a small footprint) has evolved into a food truck, as a nod to tenacious operators who are getting creative in the face of the spiraling rent costs of traditional brick & mortar premises.
As operators continue to search for smaller cooling solutions to offset shrinking space, we say these constraints don’t mean you have to restrict your menu or standards. Small footprint equipment can still offer full operational efficiency.
Food retail is in the midst of a major evolution right now, following restrictions mandated during the pandemic and an upsurge in demand for home delivery and click and collect services. At the same time, traditional supermarket operators are facing stronger competition from smaller C-store formats, and new wave of “quick delivery” start-ups, promising to be at your door within 15 minutes of ordering from a phone app.
True’s range of commercial retail refrigeration is suitable for all forms of operator, including glass door refrigerators and freezers, all exceeding the latest energy standards and built to perform consistently in environments which require frequent access and door openings.
Food ‘on the go’ operators were also badly hit during the pandemic, with fewer people commuting and travelling. Now that we are starting to return to normal, the crowds are returning for their morning coffees and working lunches, and eager to try something new after being cooped up for so long.
Operators have an opportunity to capitalize on this demand by offering something fresh and interesting. The ‘on the go’ section of True’s Host booth will showcase the latest in prep table technology and display solutions to merchandise the finished product.
Take out and delivery have been a huge disruptor in the restaurant industry during the pandemic. Operators that weren’t setup for these services quickly had to get onboard, since it was the only way for many to continue doing business, and those that already had a strong platform found demand going crazy, as consumers scrambled to get their food fix.
Already a thing pre-pandemic, the rise of the dark kitchen (also known as virtual kitchens, cloud kitchens, production kitchens, or delivery-only restaurants) has gone from strength to strength, as established operators and start-ups alike see the benefit of having kitchens which cook purely for delivery. Visitors to True’s stand at Host will see our own take on the dark kitchen, complete customized black powder coated pizza prep tables.
While the convenience of home delivery has been a boon to many, for others, nothing compares with the experience of dining out in a proper sit down restaurant. Pre-pandemic, more than 67% of us were eating out at least once a month, and 41% of us at least fortnightly.
The concept of “experience dining” is one way restaurateurs are trying to attract customers back, since eating out has the opportunity to ignite all of the senses in a way which delivery cannot. Open kitchens are still something which customers like to see (and smell), and in a beautifully decorated restaurant with ambient lighting, great looking decor, well trained staff and fantastic cooked-to order food, the atmosphere isn’t something most diners can get at home and are willing to pay a premium for.
The “dine in” sector of True’s Host booth combines the front of house experience with an open kitchen featuring our energy leading TCR counters and soon the launch 2-section TGN-2 upright cabinet.
Finally, the last section of the tour focusses on True’s color customization service (as highlighted in the custom design section of our website). Here and throughout the booth, visitors will be able to see examples of cabinets built in specific custom finishes to get inspired about adding a dash of color to their kitchens, bars, shops and offices.
At the last Host in 2019, we launched our BE READY campaign at a time when the world of professional refrigeration was starting to become highly regulated, with mandated phase outs of environmentally harmful gasses and setting Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS).
BE READY was True’s attempt to simplify the explanation of, and keep operators updated on, the regulatory changes which affect the development and availability of commercial refrigeration equipment. Since the last Host, there have been several more changes to the requirements, including the expansion earlier this year of the European Energy Labelling regulation to now require testing and labels on glass fronted and “doorless” commercial refrigerators and freezers.
The next big date for the industry is January 1 2022, when professional refrigeration products will no longer be able to be sold in Europe if they contain a refrigerant with a Global Warming Potential (GWP) >150. This includes R134a, a gas still used by many manufacturers’ todays.
True has completed its Natural Refrigerant development initiative for Europe, a largescale project which has seen the wholesale redevelopment of our entire product line to operate on an environment and energy-friendly R290 hydrocarbon platform.
True products are future-proof and align perfectly with the operators focused on responsible environmental practices.
HostMilano takes place 22-26 October 2021 at the Fiera Milano exhibition hall, Milan, Italy.
It is the perfect opportunity to discuss with our team of experts any refrigeration requirement you might have.
Temperature letting you down? Find out why True is the refrigeration brand of choice to many of the world’s leading foodservice and hospitality operators.
Got questions about any of the current or upcoming regulatory changes impacting commercial refrigeration? We’d be happy to explain.
Have targets to be more sustainable as an operator? Talk to us about the role that refrigeration plays and how we can help you reduce energy waste.
We’re looking forward to welcoming you to the World of True Refrigeration at HostMilano 2021
Marketing Coordinator EMEA
Seasonal menu changes are becoming a key trend in the restaurant industry, with Lightspeed reporting that incorporating “seasonal” items on your menu can boost orders by 26%.
At True Refrigeration, we’re always striving to provide not just the highest quality commercial refrigeration equipment but also exceptional customer service and support.