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Home » Supermarket chain modernises store with eco-friendly refrigeration

Supermarket chain modernises store with eco-friendly refrigeration

By Nicole Collyer, edited by Eamonn Ryan

Just Refrigeration was notified early last year that a northern KwaZulu-Natal-based grocery business called Jock Morrison & Sons (JMS) would be revamping a non-operational store in Mbazwana with the latest energy-efficient, environmentally friendly supermarket refrigeration.

The façade of the JMS Food Hall.
The façade of the JMS Food Hall. Images supplied by Just Refrigeration

The franchise chain in northern Zululand, JMS Food Town, is owned by the Morrison family, a business which was established in the district in 1918 and is currently in its fourth generation with Rob, Mark and Nick Morrison. The business is well-known in the area.

More than 105 years ago, Jock Morrison was asked to take over a general dealer store in Zululand when the then-owner had suffered shell shock after returning from World War I. Morrison took the opportunity to establish a grocery business called Jock Morrison & Sons, which is still running to this day.

Just Refrigeration has supplied refrigeration to all of JMS’ stores; however, this project was of special interest as the firm was involved from day one – from initial site meetings to quotes up to handover on opening day.

“Just Refrigeration is a Proudly South African company. We manufacture our own refrigeration units from scratch – therefore no delays were experienced during production, delivery or installation. Continuous site meetings are certainly a help as plans change and one needs to keep abreast of them. Just Refrigeration as a brand has been going for over 25 years – we have our own specs which the client was happy with, and no difficulties were experienced throughout the project,” says Nicole Collyer of Just Refrigeration.

The deli stocking up.
The deli stocking up.

The company manufactured and supplied 22 self-contained refrigeration units for this project, as follows:

6 X WC250JC – wall chillers

10 X VT250 – visitop freezers

2 X CGDW2440 – curved glass deli warmer

3 X CGDF1830SC – curved glass deli freezer

1 X CGM2440SC – curved glass meat case

The deli stocking up.
The deli stocking up.

Exciting opening day

Collyer explains some of the challenges of such projects: “In KZN particularly, our retailers and clients are often located near the ocean, where high humidity levels and salt in the air can cause premature rust on units. Therefore, Just Refrigeration takes great pride in the high-quality stainless steel used to manufacture our units, making our products more durable within the South African climate and giving our clients peace of mind.”

Just Refrigeration was notified early last year that JMS would be revamping a non-operational store in Mbazwana. By mid-year, they were ready for Just Refrigeration to come to site to discuss what refrigeration they would require for their new store, at which point the store building was really just a shell and it was amazing to visualise the potential this site had, adds Collyer.

“I met with Terrance, the manager at Mbazwana to discuss the positioning of the deli area, butchery, frozen goods, fresh foods etc. Once we had established exactly what they needed and in what quantities, I headed back to Durban to proceed. By the end of October 2023 and after many discussions with JMS, we were ready for their units to go into production. All of the refrigeration units supplied to JMS were manufactured by Just Refrigeration at our factory in Hammarsdale, KwaZulu-Natal.

“Once the units were manufactured, our truck and driver headed off to Zululand. The units manufactured were self-contained (plug and play), so the installation was a breeze! I then headed off to Mbazwana once again, a few days before opening to assist JMS with pretty much anything that they required that would make their special day a success. Of course, the majority of the work was refrigeration, ensuring that all Just units were operating to their full potential, and even a little fun assisting JMS staff members with some packing and pricing, etc. The store opening was the following day. We all got there bright and early, by which time all of our refrigeration units were fully packed and operational, and we were good to go. The store opening itself was something amazing!”

The festivities get under way.
The festivities get under way.

Collyer continues: “The hard work and commitment could be seen on everyone’s faces; I couldn’t help but be proud to have been involved with such a community. Deadlines were obviously extremely important, but with Just manufacturing our units ‘in-house’, there were really no delays. We successfully managed to supply JMS their units ahead of time. I have since been in regular contact with JMS with regards to the refrigeration in their new store and all units are operating just as they should. They are very happy with the product and service received.”

Models of refrigeration units

The models of refrigeration units were selected as per the produce requirements of JMS.

VT250 (glass top freezer): Selected for all of their frozen produce such as frozen vegetables or pre-packed meat. These units can be easily lined up back-to-back, creating an island of freezers of any size. The glass lids (hence VT – Visi Top) allows the clientele to view the produce before opening the doors. The VTs supplied to JMS are self-contained units (plug and play) so the installation of these units was straightforward. These units are manufactured with polyurethane insulation and low emissivity glass yields power savings around 40% lower than conventional refrigeration units.

WC250 (wall chiller): Excellent for their fresh produce such as fruit and vegetables, along with milk and other dairy products. Just’s wall chiller range can also be lined up, side to side, providing a display of their fresh produce. The units come standard with night blinds, trolle

Nicole Collyer attending the opening day celebration.
Nicole Collyer attending the opening day celebration.

y bumpers, which are a fantastic way to protect supermarket units from shoppers bumping into them with their trollies. The wall chillers also come with adjustable shelves.

CGDW2440 (curved glass deli warmer): Selected for the supermarket’s cooked meals such as curries, stews, roasts and more. The curved glass warmer is designed with aesthetically pleasing aluminium sections used, front sliding glass for easy cleaning, adjustable feet for levelling the units – which is always handy if the store floor is not 100% level. It boasts a stainless-steel work top for extra durability, and as always Just’s units are insulated with polyurethane, including warmers. It comes safety-first with an automatic element burn out protection.

A glass top freezer.
A glass top freezer.

CGDF1830SC (curved glass deli freezer): Just’s deli freezers are designed for frozen fish, chicken and the like. The unit holds a temp of -14°C to -18°C forced air cooling to ensure cold air reaches all corners of the units’ interior and products, automatic defrost and rear sliding doors for easy packaging.

CGM2440SC (curved glass meat case): The curved glass meat case is perfect for fresh cuts from the butchery such as lamb, beef and other meats. It keeps meat chilled between -2°C to 2°C and comes with a rear plug point for electronic scale.

The environmental benefits

“With the market becoming more environmentally conscious, creating a ‘green’ product and an energy efficient business is of the highest importance to Just Refrigeration,” Collyer says.

Advancing technology: Just’s continued focus on improving the performance and reliability of its commercial refrigerators is driven by a commitment to the environment. Improving its production efficiency, the longevity and the overall power consumption of products all contribute to reducing the company’s carbon footprint. Partnering with leading international component manufacturers gives it direct access to the latest global technology, which it rigorously tests under real-world local conditions to verify the improvements. It has also developed a host of innovations which contribute to the durability and ease of servicing its commercial refrigerators.

EMD (energy management device) equipped: EMD is a breakthrough technology that replaces a conventional thermostat with an advanced electronic energy management system to cool quicker and maintain a more consistent temperature, while saving electricity.

Green advantage: By combining EMD control with ECM (electronically commutated motor) fans, electronic expansion valves and high-performance coils, Just Refrigeration is able to further reduce energy consumption while improving cooling performance.

Ready to braai.
Ready to braai.

Swift swop: Just’s trademarked swift swop technology enables easy replacement of the refrigeration deck without unpacking the contents of the fridge and without any skilled labour.

Low e-cabinet: A superior combination of LED lighting, polyurethane insulation and low emissivity glass yields power savings around 40% lower than conventional refrigeration units.

The relationship between Just Refrigeration and JMS is one that began many years ago. Collyer says: “I take great pride in the relationships between myself and the directors and managers of JMS. My utmost respect goes to Mark, Nick and Rob Morrison, to be the fourth generation of the Morrison family and to continue with their family’s legacy is truly something to be proud of. Just Refrigeration has made it its mission to ensure that JMS and all of our clients for that matter, are happy with the loyalty from us and the satisfaction that they receive after engaging with our product and team. It’s important to us that our clients have their needs met regularly, at the right time and in the right way.”

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