How Kelley’s Market Quietly Saved Money With Smarter Refrigeration

Oct 29, 19 | Cold Chain, Foodservice

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The family-owned Kelley’s Market chain, founded in 1926 and based in Rockford, Ill., prides itself on running crisp, clean stores offering top-quality products and outstanding service. They’re also astute businesspersons, highly focused on operational issues such as energy efficiency, maintenance and product protection. But they had another priority when designing and building a new store in their hometown: being a good neighbor. Read the full Convenience Store News article here.

 

How Kelley’s Market Quietly Saved Money With Smarter Refrigeration

 

Kelly’s Market put a high value on finding a refrigeration solution that would be efficient, attractive and quiet for the best possible customer — and neighborhood — experience. So when their refrigeration contractor walked them through the energy efficiency, maintenance and product protection of the Emerson product line, one aspect of the Copeland™ outdoor refrigeration unit, X-Line Series caught their attention: their ultra-quiet operation. They operate up to 16 dB quieter than traditional outdoor units — roughly the difference in volume between a vacuum cleaner and a friendly conversation. They were intrigued by the idea that by moving units outdoors they would also reduce noise in both their neighborhood and their store and wanted to learn more.

Lowering the volume while lowering energy costs

Emerson’s Copeland scroll outdoor walk-in refrigerator technology offered energy-efficiency levels that could lower their energy bills by nearly 33 percent, plus built-in diagnostics to enable better service. Their ultra-quiet, variable-speed fan motors and internal baffling cut compressor noise by more than 50 percent.

Advances in walk-in refrigeration technology in a single unit

The Copeland outdoor refrigeration unit, X-Line Series ranges in power from ¾ to 6 HP, making them a great fit for the needs of Kelley’s Market. They chose one X-Line unit to power their walk-in freezer, one for their walk-in cooler, and one dedicated for a merchandising display case. By using outdoor units instead of self-contained or other indoor refrigeration systems, they would lower the heat load on their building’s HVAC system — further lowering energy bills.

Designed to be great outdoors

The new X-Line units were encased in a lightweight, slim enclosure that could be wall mounted, so they could place their units in locations previously not available, without the need to rent a crane for installation. In addition, the clean design of the outdoor units offered a more aesthetic atmosphere for neighbors and customers alike.

Walking into savings

The Copeland outdoor refrigeration units, X-Line Series at the new Kelley’s Market store was their first foray into scroll compressor technology. From the day the store opened, the company saw major operational benefits. In just one year, the X-Line Units delivered energy savings of 29 percent compared to their legacy store technology, with the three Copeland X-Line units inside saving about $2,500 in energy costs per year — a significant long-term savings for a company operating nearly 50 stores.
In the market and throughout the neighborhood, the energy efficiency and optimum performance of the Copeland outdoor refrigeration unit, X-Line Series is humming along quietly — just the way Kelley’s Market likes it.