How Big Must My Cold Room Be?

A catering business must be able to choose the appropriate size of cold room. Not enough and you will run out of space. Too big, and you will spend money and energy. This is how to come up with the optimal size of your operation.

1. Know Your Storage Needs
   Begin by estimating just how much food and ingredients you have to store when at peak times. Think of how frequent are your deliveries, every day, every week, or every month? Businesses that make deliveries often can operate on a smaller unit whereas those with large storage of goods will require a larger space.

2. The Type of Cold Room One should consider.
   They are of two primary types: chiller rooms (0 C to +5 C) used to store fresh produce, dairy, and meats, and freezer rooms (down to -22 C) to store long-term frozen foods. Which type is right and as large will be determined by your menu, food safety requirements and turnover rate.

3. Size Guide
   As a guide, given average catering operations, the following might apply:

Small business (cafes, food vans): 2-4 m 2

Medium kitchens (restaurants, pubs): 4-8 m 2

Big caterers or central kitchens:10 m 2 and more

Never count only the raw storage space; always consider more needed airflow, shelving and walkway space.

1. Consider Future Development
   It is better to install a little bigger cold room today, should you intend to add to your menu or serve more people in the future, as you will not only need to upgrade, but also incur the overhead cost.

2. Consult The Experts
   Each kitchen design is unique. Our CaterServe UK provides free site visits to advise the best size of cold room to suit your requirements and budget.

Contact us now to have a customised recommendation and a quote without obligation.