When opening a cheese shop several criteria are to be taken into account so that your cheeses keep their shape and texture before being sold.
Static cold has long been the preferred system for cheese shops: affordable cost, easy maintenance, a cold sheet that diffuses slowly, without stress for products. But now, it is less efficient for the protection of cheeses than ventilated cold. Several criteria must be studied before making your choice.
Performance
The ventilated cold ensures a better temperature uniformity in the display case: this air bypasses obstacles more easily, temperature differences are more regulated. The cheesemaker can also arrange his cheeses higher up: the cold climbs up to 30cm (12in) against 15cm (6in) at most in static cold. The device is also more reactive to correct temperature variations, restores the set temperature faster than static air.
Possibility
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Static
The maximum depth of the showcase is around 70 to 80cm (27 to 31in). It is indeed necessary to provide the space intended for the evaporator, located on the service side at the height of the products, about 20cm deep.
Whether the glass is flat or bulging does not have much impact on the cold diffusion. On the other hand, in terms of practicality, the bulging glass leaves less space for sellers .
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Ventilated
The evaporator is located under the showcase, so the depth available for cheeses is more important: from 90cm to 1m (35 to 39in). The ventilated cold offers a much greater presentation capacity.
Purchase and use cost
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Purchase
Ventilated cold costs 15 to 20% more than a static cold.
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Use
Ventilated cold requires more energy: the cooling capacity required per linear meter is 800 to 900Watts against 350 to 450W for static. But translated into an electricity bill, the difference is smaller: the ventilated cold now benefits from low-consumption fans, a group whose refrigeration capacity is 2000W consumes only 1000W. Then its ability to cool the same air mass is shorter: it cools three times faster and therefore works less often. In the end, ventilated cold will consume 30 to 35% less energy on a horizontal display case. On a wall shelf, it all depends on its configuration. If it is open, energy overconsumption is of the order of 15% in ventilated.
If it is closed by swing or sliding doors, the ventilated takes a clear advantage: it allows to consume 30% less compared to the static.
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Maintenance
The costs are of the same order, ventilated air conditioning system require a little more intervention time.
You should also think about the additional revenue that the ventilated cold promotes by allowing you to have more stock in your cheese case and by slowing the drying process of the cheese.
Source: Profession Fromager