BLAST CHILLERS MARKET SIZE AND SHARE ANALYSIS - GROWTH TRENDS AND FORECASTS (2023 - 2030)

The Blast Chillers Market size is estimated to be valued at US$ 245.5 Mn in 2023 and is expected to reach US$ 415.5 Mn by 2030, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.8% from 2023 to 2030. Blast chillers are refrigeration equipment that is used for rapid cooling of hot food to temperatures that inhibit bacterial growth. It helps maintain food safety and extends shelf-life. The growth in foodservice industry and rising demand for frozen foods are the major factors driving the market.

By product type, the roll-in blast chillers segment accounted for the largest market share in 2022. Roll-in blast chillers allow large trays and trolleys to be wheeled directly into the chilling compartment, thus making them ideal for high-volume operations like hotels and catering companies. Their high capacity and faster chilling rate is contributing to the large share of this segment.

Blast Chillers Market Regional Insights

• North America is expected to be the largest market for blast chillers market during the forecast period, accounting for over 23.7% of the market share in 2022. The growth of the market in North America is due to the established foodservice industry, rising adoption of blast chilling equipment, and presence of major manufacturers in the region.
• The Asia Pacific market is expected to be the second-largest market for blast chillers market, accounting for over 42.5% of the market share in 2022. The growth of the market in is due d to the rapidly expanding foodservice and food retail sectors, increasing demand for frozen foods, and growing investments in cold chain infrastructure.
• The Middle East & Africa market is expected to be the fastest-growing market for blast chillers market, with a CAGR of over 9.8% during the forecast period. The growth of the market in Middle East & Africa is due to the rising number of food outlets and booming tourism industry driving installations of blast chillers.

Figure 1. Blast Chillers Market Share (%), By Region, 2023

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Blast Chillers Market Drivers:

• Growing demand from foodservice industry: The foodservice industry has been growing steadily over the past decade driven by changing consumer lifestyles, rise in eating out culture and expanding tourism sector. Rising number of food outlets such as full-service restaurants, quick service restaurants (QSR), cafes and bakeries is resulting in increasing installations of blast chillers. Blast chillers help these establishments efficiently manage high food volumes while maintaining quality and safety. The equipment enables rapid cooling of cooked and baked foods to safe temperatures, thus allowing bulk preparation in advance. With continued growth in foodservice industry across emerging economies, the demand for blast chillers is anticipated to rise significantly. According to the  data provided by the United Nations World Food Programme, blast chillers helped hotels and restaurants in South Asian countries prepare and store over 5,00,000 meals during COVID-19 pandemic, reducing food wastage.
• Focus on food wastage reduction: Wastage of food products especially perishables like meat, dairy, fruits, and vegetables results in huge economic losses for food businesses. Lack of adequate refrigeration and freezing infrastructure has contributed majorly to food wastage globally. Blast chillers can play a pivotal role in reducing food wastage by rapidly chilling freshly cooked/baked food to extend shelf life and keep it safe for later consumption. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, approximately one-third of the food produced in the world for human consumption every year — approximately 1.3 billion tonnes — gets lost or wasted. Retail sectors are increasingly adopting blast chillers to reduce perishable wastages. Supermarkets use blast chillers to chill meat, prepared meals, and baked goods. Reducing wastage improves profitability and supports sustainability, hence driving blast chiller adoption. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, approximately one-third of the food produced in the world for human consumption every year, approximately 1.3 billion tonnes, gets lost or wasted.

Blast Chillers Market Opportunities:

• Emerging markets to offer lucrative growth prospects: Emerging economies such as China, India, Brazil, U.A.E and Indonesia offer significant untapped opportunities for blast chiller manufacturers due to expanding hospitality sector, rising number of foodservice outlets, increasing QSR chains as well as growing cold chain infrastructure investments by governments. Low blast chiller penetration coupled with rising consumer awareness about food safety and quality in these markets provides lucrative prospects to install these equipment. Companies are introducing cost-effective blast chillers to target mass market segments. Local manufacturing helps in price reduction.
• Growing online food delivery market: The online food delivery market has witnessed exponential growth worldwide driven by busy work schedules, greater smartphone penetration and doorstep convenience. Online platforms are partnering with restaurants and cloud kitchens to deliver food. Maintaining quality and safety of delivered food items is critical for customer retention. Blast chillers allow restaurants and cloud kitchens to rapidly chill cooked food before packing it for delivery. Their growing adoption by food delivery partners to mitigate food safety risks presents significant opportunities for blast chiller companies. According to a study by the National Restaurant Association in the U.S., 60% of restaurant orders are off-premises (including deliveries, takeaways, and drive-thru), which is driving the demand for blast chillers

Blast Chillers Market Trends:

• Integration of automated controls: Blast chiller equipment is incorporating automated controls and intelligent technologies for added convenience, maximum throughput, and chilled food safety. Automated controls enable pre-programming of chilling cycles and monitoring of food core temperature through advanced sensors. They detect when the food achieves safe temperature and automatically switches to storage chilling, thus saving critical time. Some can even be remotely controlled and monitored via connected apps and software. Integration of automated controls will be a prevailing trend stimulating the market growth.
• Multi-sensing probes for precise monitoring: Multi-sensing food probes allow meticulous monitoring of parameters like core temperature at different points, chilling chamber climate as well as surface temperature of food trays and trolleys. Intelligent blast chillers can wirelessly connect to such smart probes to get real-time data insights and automatically adjust chilling cycle for precision cooling, thereby preventing under or over chilling. Multi-sensing probes enable maintenance of ideal chilled conditions. Their adoption is rising supported by advancing IoT technologies.

Blast Chillers Market Restraints:

• High equipment cost: Blast chillers represent a significant capital investment which can restrain adoption by smaller restaurants and food facilities. Reach-in units cost around US$ 5,000 while larger roll-in chillers may cost over US$ 15,000. Shock freezers are even more expensive. The high cost of equipment, installation, and maintenance deters small scale end users. Companies are developing cost-effective units targeting small/medium establishments to improve penetration. Renting blast chiller equipment can also overcome high purchasing costs.
• Low awareness and infrastructure in developing nations: Many developing economies lag in blast chiller adoption due to factors like low food safety awareness among restaurant/retail sectors and lack of skilled workforce for operating equipment. Underdeveloped cold chain infrastructure, high logistics costs, unreliable power supply, and shortage of trained service technicians further limit blast chiller uptake. Manufacturers need to increase awareness programs and expand local service networks to help realize the full potential in developing regions.

Counterbalance: By extending the shelf life of food, blast chillers can significantly reduce food waste, thus leading to considerable cost savings over time. Blast chillers help maintain the quality of food, which can lead to increased customer satisfaction and repeat business. Governments and private investors are investing in infrastructure level. Efforts are being made to raise awareness about the benefits of blast chillers in terms of food safety and quality. As awareness increases, the demand for blast chillers is likely to grow

Analyst Viewpoint:

The blast chillers market is expected to witness steady growth over the forecast period due to rising demand from restaurants and hotels worldwide. Rapid urbanization and growing number of food chains is a key growth driver for blast chillers as they enable quick cooling of cooked food items. Increasing focus of food retailers and vendors on food quality and safety will boost adoption of blast chilling technology.

However, high initial investments that are associated with blast chillers installation could limit their uptake, especially in price sensitive developing markets. Availability of cheaper and relatively effective alternatives may also restrain the market expansion. Furthermore, lack of standardization in regulations pertaining to food chilling processes poses challenges.

The blast chillers market in North America dominates due to strong presence of global food service brands. Europe holds significant share led by countries like Germany, U.K., and Italy. Asia Pacific is likely to emerge as the fastest growing regional market with India and China witnessing rising installations. Meanwhile, South American countries offer lucrative opportunities for manufacturers with increasing food retail automation in countries like Brazil and Argentina. In the Middle East, demand is driven by megaprojects and robust hospitality sectors especially in GCC nations.

Recent Developments

New product launches

• In June 2020, Traulsen launched the RBC series reach-in blast chillers to deliver rapid chilling for food products. It uses a specialized airflow design and intuitive controls to achieve safe food storage.
• In October 2022, Electrolux Professional acquired SPM Drink Systems, an Italy based manufacturer of professional dispensers of frozen and hot beverages, ice makers, and juicers. This strengthened Electrolux Professional's beverage offering.
• In January 2021, Ali Group acquired North America Refrigerated Equipment (NARE), a manufacturer of blast chillers and foodservice equipment. This expanded Ali Group's capabilities in the North American market.

Figure 2.  Blast Chillers Market Share (%), By Product Type, 2023

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Top Companies in Blast Chillers Market

• Victory Refrigeration
• Traulsen
• Advanced Equipment Inc
• Alto Shaam Inc
• Williams Refrigeration
• Master-Bilt
• Friginox
• Adande Refrigeration
• Electrolux Professional
• American Panel Corporation

Definition: Blast chillers are specialized refrigeration equipment that are used for rapidly cooling down hot food products to low temperatures of around 3°C within 90 minutes. It uses high-velocity forced air cooling to quickly remove heat and inhibit bacterial growth, thus helping to maintain food safety and extend shelf-life. Blast chillers find extensive use in commercial kitchens of restaurants, hotels, catering units, bakeries and food processing units. The key end users of blast chillers include full-service and quick-service restaurants, caterers, bakeries, food manufacturers, as well as hotels and hospitals.