How a Burbank supermarket added a quiet walk-in cooler on single-phase power

A neighborhood supermarket in Burbank, CA, USA needed more cooler space, but the store is surrounded by homes. More refrigeration could not mean more noise for the neighbors. ZGROUP connected a modular single phase walk-in cooler to standard power and fitted it with an acoustic box, so it runs quietly day and night.

The challenge

Neighborhood stores face constraints that big distribution sites do not. Space is tight, the building is close to residents, and refrigeration equipment runs around the clock. A loud condenser behind the store is the kind of problem that turns neighbors into complaints.

The supermarket needed extra fresh storage, and it needed that storage to be a good neighbor: quiet at night and compatible with the power the site already had.

The solution

ZGROUP delivered a ZSTORE 3XL (20') modular cooler with 480 ft² of floor area. Two details made it fit the site:

• Single-phase power. The cooler was connected to single-phase, standard power.
• Acoustic box. The refrigeration equipment was fitted with an acoustic enclosure, so the cooler runs quietly day and night.

The result is extra fresh storage that sits comfortably in a residential neighborhood.

The results

• 480 ft² of floor area
• Cooler for fresh storage
• Single-phase, standard power

The store gained cooler capacity while keeping the peace with the homes around it.

When a single phase walk-in cooler makes sense

Not every site has heavy industrial power. Retail stores, restaurants and small food businesses often work with the service they already have. A single phase walk-in cooler is worth considering when:

• Your site runs on standard power and you would rather not take on an electrical upgrade just to add storage.
• You have neighbors. Pairing the cooler with an acoustic box keeps noise down in residential areas.
• You need space fast. ZGROUP units are delivered in under 60 days and installed in 2 to 5 days, with no civil works and minimal site prep.
• You may move or grow. Modular units can be moved and reinstalled at another site, and XL modules connect side by side into one open walk-in as needs grow.

Monitoring and ownership

ZTRACK remote monitoring reports temperature and alarms, which helps a store team that is not watching the cooler all day. Units are available to rent or to buy and come with a 5-year warranty. Refrigeration is by Thermo King.

The best configuration depends on your power, your product and your space, so it pays to share those details early.

What to share before you get a quote

A few details make it much easier to configure the right cooler for a tight or residential site:

• The electrical service available where the cooler will sit.
• How close the nearest homes or neighbors are, and whether the unit will run at night.
• The footprint you can give up, and how staff will load and unload.
• What you will store and at what temperature. The cold storage line covers -40°F to +104°F (-40°C to +40°C).
• Whether you prefer to rent or to buy.

Sharing these points early avoids surprises at delivery. It lets the cooler, its power connection and any acoustic treatment be planned together, so the unit arrives ready to fit the site instead of being adapted after it is installed.

What is a walk-in cooler?

A walk-in cooler is a refrigerated room you can walk into, used to keep perishables such as produce, dairy, meat, flowers or prepared meals at a controlled temperature, usually between 33°F and 41°F. A built walk-in means construction inside your store. ZGROUP delivers it ready to run instead: a refrigerated container that works as a portable walk-in cooler, or a ZSTORE XL modular cold room like this one, made of modules joined into one open space. Both are available to rent or buy, indoors or outdoors.

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

Is it right for your operation?

If you need more cooler space on standard power, or close to neighbors, a modular walk-in can be sized to your site. Explore ZSTORE XL modular cold storage, or talk to our team about your power and noise constraints.