As part of their sustainability roadmap, Waitrose explored alternatives to traditional remote systems, aiming to reduce refrigerant charge and cut energy use. They have championed Water-Loop self-contained refrigeration for over a decade.
Pure Cold partnered with Waitrose to develop a new generation of water-loop refrigeration, delivering a scalable, very low-GWP solution perfectly suited to modern retail demands. By circulating heat through a water-loop rather than a conventional plant room, stores benefit from reduced refrigerant risk and highly efficient operation.
Our collaboration with airflow specialists and Waitrose represented a pioneering partnership in refrigeration innovation, combining motorsport-grade CFD expertise, shelf-edge design and advanced case engineering. The result: Waitrose Belgravia, the first ‘from the ground up’ Advanced CFD designed case.
Waitrose needed a refrigeration approach that could:
Water-loop technology offered the potential, but it required precise engineering to meet Waitrose’s performance standards.
Pure Cold collaborated closely with airflow specialists to produce an advanced computational fluid dynamic designed case with Shelf-Edge Technology, combining:
We managed to optimise airflow, reduce thermal losses and lower energy consumption without the need for large plant infrastructure. This engineering precision made water-loop refrigeration not only viable, but exceptionally efficient for Waitrose stores.
This new water-loop technology combined the energy benefits of a door fixture with the retail benefits of an open fixture, including:
Following this collaboration, we have now installed our cabinets in over 50 Waitrose stores.