One of the companies operating in the delicatessen segment, offering premium products such as mature cheeses, artisan cold cuts and food products requiring refrigeration, faced the challenge of controlling storage conditions. The high quality of the product range required stable temperatures and adequate humidity both in the back room and in the shop refrigerators accessible to customers. Exceeding the permissible temperature and humidity limits could lead to a deterioration in product quality or even spoilage, resulting in financial losses and consumer dissatisfaction.
The problem – daily monitoring, but a lack of comprehensive knowledge
Until now, temperature control in the company was carried out in the traditional way. Several times a day, employees checked the temperatures on refrigeration equipment, humidity in warehouses and display rooms, and manually recorded the results in forms compliant with HACCP requirements. Although this method was in line with procedures, it had its limitations.
Measurements were not taken at night or on weekends, which meant that during breaks in work there was no control over environmental conditions. The problem arose especially when one of the refrigeration units failed – before anyone noticed the temperature rise, the products stored in the cold store had already lost their properties and could be unsafe to consume. In addition, there was the human factor – sometimes there were gaps in the entries, which meant that the HACCP documentation was not complete.
The solution – CoolSens automatic monitoring
To meet these challenges, the company decided to implement the CoolSens environmental monitoring system. The system, based on wireless sensors, was installed at key points such as cold stores, display cases, warehouse racks and dry rooms. Temperature and humidity monitoring in the delicatessen operated continuously, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Thanks to the system, all data was collected automatically and stored in the cloud, accessible to designated system operators from any device – a computer or phone. Users could monitor temperature and humidity readings on an ongoing basis and check archived data for comparison of readings and in cases of inspection. Importantly, the system has an automatic notification function that informed users when the set temperature or humidity thresholds were exceeded. Alerts were sent immediately to the phone (push, SMS) or e-mail, allowing for a quick response in case of any irregularities.
Implementation results – quick response, better control
Just a few weeks after the system was implemented, the monitoring system demonstrated its advantages.
During the night, there was a problem with maintaining the set parameters in one of the cold stores. Thanks to the immediate notification, the staff were able to react quickly and restore the correct temperature. As a result, there was no damage to products that could otherwise have been spoiled by an uncontrolled rise in temperature.
For the company, this was the moment when the system fully demonstrated its value – instead of discovering the problem after several hours, they simply reacted in time. Such situations would be impossible to control if they were based only on manual records and sporadic measurements.
Organisational and quality benefits
Over time, the company began to see other, less obvious benefits. Thanks to the CoolSens system, employees were relieved of their daily duties of manually recording measurements. The documentation process became simpler and more transparent. Reports were generated automatically and available at any time, saving time and reducing the possibility of errors in the records.
The system also supports compliance with HACCP requirements – food safety standards that are required during sanitary and epidemiological inspections. Instead of manually filled-in sheets, the company was able to easily share the measurement history in the form of reports, which resulted in a positive audit result and increased the sense of security.
From a quality perspective, monitoring in delicatessens proved to be invaluable. It enabled precise control of product storage conditions, which translated into their freshness, appearance and taste. Premium products, such as mature cheeses and cold cuts, require special attention, and the CoolSens system made it possible to protect them at every stage of storage. The company also noticed a reduction in losses associated with products that were not stored properly – real-time monitoring helped to avoid such problems.
This case study shows how the implementation of an automatic temperature and humidity monitoring system such as CoolSens can significantly improve daily operations in a delicatessen.
The system has not only improved food storage standards, but also reduced the risks associated with manual measurement recording, offering a modern, reliable solution that improves food safety and quality.
With CoolSens, freshness and safety are under constant control.
