How an avocado packer rented a walk-in cooler, then bought it

An avocado packer in Vista, CA had no space left inside for avocado pre-conditioning. It installed a ZSTORE XL outdoors for avocado cold storage as a walk-in cooler rental, to test the program first. Once the results proved themselves, the packer bought the unit.

The challenge

Adding a new step to a packing operation is a bet. Pre-conditioning avocados needed dedicated cold space, and the packhouse had none to spare.

Building a permanent room for a program that had not yet proven itself would have meant committing capital and construction time up front. The packer wanted a way to try the program for real, with real fruit, before making that commitment.

The packhouse also had to keep running. Any new cold space had to sit outside the existing footprint, so packing lines and current storage were not disturbed.

The solution

ZGROUP installed a ZSTORE 3XL outdoors. Three ZSTORE XL modular cold storage modules connect side by side into one 960 ft² cooler, placed outside the packhouse so it did not take space from existing operations.

The unit started as a rental. That gave the packer a working pre-conditioning room without a long-term commitment. When the program delivered, the packer bought the same unit, with no need to replace equipment or change the setup.

The rent-to-own path also removed a common risk. Because the packer ran the program on the same equipment it later bought, it knew exactly how the unit performed with its own fruit before committing.

The results

• 960 ft² of floor area
• Cooler for fresh storage
• Rent → own: proven, then bought

The packer turned a trial into a permanent part of its operation, on its own timeline.

Avocado cold storage: rent or buy?

For packers, both options have a place. The right answer depends on how certain the program is.

Rent when you are testing a new program, handling a seasonal peak, or not yet sure of your long-term volume. You get working cold storage without tying up capital, and you can scale or return it as the season changes.

Buy when the program is proven and the need is permanent. As this project shows, the same unit can move from rental to ownership, so the switch does not disrupt operations.

Either way, modular avocado cold storage offers the same practical advantages:

• Fast setup: delivered in under 60 days, installed in 2 to 5 days, with no civil works.
• Scalable: each ZSTORE XL module adds 320 ft² and about 20 pallet positions.
• Humidity control: ZGROUP's humidifier system, derived from its ripening rooms, can hold 50% to 95% RH.
• Monitoring: ZTRACK provides remote monitoring of temperature and alarms.
• Mobility: units can be moved and reinstalled at another site, and carry a 5-year warranty.

Outdoor placement is worth considering too. A packhouse with a free yard or dock area can add cold capacity without giving up indoor space, which is often the tightest resource during the season. And because the same unit can go from rental to purchase, the first decision does not have to be the final one.

How walk-in cooler rental works

A rented walk-in cooler is the same equipment as a purchased one: ZSTORE XL modules, Thermo King refrigeration and ZTRACK monitoring. You can rent a single module, 320 ft² and about 20 pallet positions, or several connected into one open room, indoors or outdoors. Add modules for the season or return the rental when you are done. If the program becomes permanent, the rented unit can be bought, as this packer did, so nothing has to be swapped out.

Compare rental and purchase on our walk-in cooler page, or see more cold storage projects in California.

Is it right for your operation?

If your packhouse is out of room or you want to prove a new program before committing, modular cold storage lets you start small and own it later. Explore ZSTORE XL modular cold storage or talk to our team about your fruit and volumes.