How an organic blueberry grower uses a seasonal cold storage rental every harvest

An organic blueberry grower in Eustis, FL, sells direct to consumers and needs cold for only three months a year: its harvest. Every season it rents a ZSTORE 3XL for blueberry cold storage right on the farm, uses it to cool, store and pick orders, then returns it when the season ends. No year-round cost for a seasonal need.

The challenge

Blueberries are fragile. Once picked, they need to be cooled and kept cold until they reach the customer. For a grower that sells direct to consumers, the farm is also the distribution center: orders are prepared and picked on site.

But the need is seasonal. The harvest lasts about three months. A permanent cold room would sit empty for the rest of the year, while still costing money to own and maintain.

The grower needed real cold storage capacity during harvest, and nothing at all the rest of the year. It also needed that capacity where the work happens: on the farm, next to the field and the packing area, not at a warehouse miles away.

The solution

Each season, ZGROUP rents the grower a ZSTORE 3XL: three XL modules connected side by side into one open walk-in cooler of 960 ft². Each module is built from a refrigerated shipping container with a Thermo King refrigeration unit.

The 3XL is placed right on the farm and does three jobs in one room:

• Cool the berries after picking
• Store them under refrigeration
• Pick orders for direct-to-consumer customers

At the end of the harvest, the unit goes back. The next season, it comes back to the farm. The grower has repeated this over multiple seasons.

The results

• 960 ft² of floor area on the farm
• Cooler for fresh blueberries
• Multi-season rental: cold only when it is needed

The grower pays for cold storage during harvest, and not during the months when there is nothing to store. Because the same room handles cooling, storage and order picking, the whole direct-to-consumer operation runs from one place during the busiest weeks of the year.

Blueberry cold storage: rent or buy?

For many berry growers, the right answer depends on how many months a year the cold room is actually used. ZSTORE XL units are available to rent or to buy, so the choice can follow the business, not the other way around.

When renting makes sense

• Your harvest is short and the room would sit empty most of the year.
• Your volumes change from season to season.
• You want to test on-farm cold storage before committing.

When buying makes sense

• You store product most of the year, or run several crops back to back.
• You plan to grow into a larger room over time. Modules connect side by side, from 320 ft² for one XL up.
• You want an asset you can move: modular units can be moved and reinstalled at another site.

Either way, speed matters for berries. ZGROUP also offers a 10-pallet berry pre-cooling unit that brings berries down in less than 2 hours, which can sit alongside a cold storage room. Humidity control from 50% to 95% RH is available, and ZTRACK remote monitoring reports temperature and alarms during the busiest weeks of the year.

What is a seasonal cold storage rental?

A seasonal cold storage rental brings a walk-in cooler or freezer to your site only for the months you need it, then takes it back. It suits harvests, peak seasons and short projects where a permanent room would sit empty most of the year. ZGROUP seasonal contracts run 3 to 12 months, and the same unit can come back every year.

Compare the options on our walk-in cooler page, or browse more cold storage projects in Florida.

Is it right for your operation?

If your cold storage need is seasonal, you do not have to carry it all year. See how ZSTORE XL modular cold storage is configured, or talk to our team about your harvest calendar and volumes.