What should you display in a commercial multideck?

A commercial multideck gives customers a clear view of chilled products without taking up as much floor space as several separate cabinets. It works particularly well for food and drink people want to compare quickly, whether you run a café, convenience store, supermarket, deli or food-to-go business.

On this page, we walk you through the vast range of stock you could display in a multideck unit. Of course, these are ideas only – chat to us to identify the ideal units for your specific business and products.

Sandwiches, wraps and food-to-go products

Sandwiches, wraps, baguettes and similar products are well suited to a commercial multideck fridge because customers can scan fillings and formats at a glance. Open-front formats can be particularly effective here to maximise impulse purchases.

Keep labels facing forwards and give popular lines more facings so the display doesn’t develop obvious gaps during busy periods. If you offer meal deals, keep matching drinks and snacks nearby, ideally in the same unit or an adjoining multiplexed unit.

Bottled and canned drinks

Water, soft drinks, juices, smoothies and other chilled drinks work well because their packaging is easy to recognise from the front.

Group similar products together and adjust shelf heights to suit cans, small bottles and larger formats. This helps you use the cabinet efficiently without making the display look crowded. Don’t forget to leave space to allow the customer to pull the drink out without hitting their hand on the shelf above.

Salads, fruit pots and chilled snacks

Prepared salads, fruit pots, hummus and other chilled snacks often rely on visual appeal, making an open display useful for quick browsing.

Keep smaller containers towards the front rather than allowing them to disappear at the back of deep shelves. Positioning them near sandwiches and wraps can also make lunch combinations easier to spot.

Milk, yoghurt and dairy products

Milk, yoghurt, cheese and dairy alternatives can all be displayed in a multideck, making the format useful for convenience stores, farm shops and cafés as well as food-to-go outlets.

Larger cartons and bottles can sit lower down, while smaller yoghurts and cheese packs benefit from higher shelves where customers can see the different options more easily.

Chilled ready meals

Ready meals, chilled pizzas and prepared side dishes suit multidecks because customers can compare several options without repeatedly opening fridge doors.

Group them in a way that matches how people choose. That could mean separating Italian, Indian, Chinese and British-style meals, grouping vegetarian options together or splitting microwave meals from oven-ready dishes. You can also separate single portions from larger meals for two or more people. Keep similar pack sizes together where possible and leave enough shelf height for larger trays so packaging and price labels remain easy to see.

Fresh meat and packaged fish

Fresh meat can be displayed in suitable multidecks, including the TEFCOLD Galaxy+ GP10, GP14, GP20 and GP26, along with their glass-door FGD versions. The TEFCOLD PC1250B, PC1870B and PC2500B are also 3M1-rated and suitable for displaying packed fresh meat.

For fresh fish, check the storage temperature it needs and make sure the cabinet you choose can maintain it.

Keep wrapped raw meat, poultry and fish in a separate section from other chilled foods. Don’t stack products above the cabinet’s load line, as this can interfere with airflow and temperature control.

Desserts and chilled sweet products

Cheesecakes, mousses, dessert pots and other chilled treats can work particularly well near lunch products and drinks, where customers may add them to an existing purchase.

Avoid filling the shelf with too many similar options. A smaller, clearly presented range can make individual products easier to notice.

Fresh fruit and prepared produce

Cut fruit, prepared vegetables and other produce that requires chilling can also be displayed in a multideck.

Use the chilled space for products that actually need it rather than whole produce that can safely sit at room temperature. Keep packaging front-facing so customers can easily see the contents.

Make the most of a mixed multideck display

Many businesses use one multideck for several product categories. If you’re one of those, keep each group clearly defined rather than spreading individual products throughout the cabinet.

Avoid overfilling shelves or blocking the cabinet’s airflow. Leave enough space around products for the refrigeration system to work as intended.

Which Fridgesmart multideck range suits your business?

Fridgesmart supplies multidecks for all sorts of businesses, from small food-to-go displays through to larger chilled retail areas. Some of the options in our range include the following:

• TEFCOLD Galaxy+ multidecks – plug-in models with deep 400 mm shelves, available in open-front and glass-door versions
• TEFCOLD Galaxy+ low-height multidecks – 1.5 m-high models suited to island displays where you want to maintain sightlines across the shop
• TEFCOLD PC-B multidecks – black glass-door models with a low base and under-shelf lighting to maximise and illuminate the display area
• TEFCOLD MCX multidecks – open-front models with a lockable security shutter for securing stock when it isn’t being served
• Framec Super Sunny multidecks – five-tier displays with sliding doors
• TEFCOLD Trojan remote multidecks – remote-refrigeration models that reduce heat and noise around the cabinet and can be multiplexed into continuous runs

You can also browse our full range of commercial multideck fridges and chillers online. To discuss multideck options, sizes and customisation, get in touch with our team. Tell us what you want to display and how much space you have and we’ll help you choose a suitable cabinet.