Refrigerated Trailer Hire for Butchers

Refrigerated Trailer Hire
27-Oct-2016

As a butcher, you probably know better than most how important temperature can be when maintaining the quality of food products. Meat and poultry are generally regarded to be the highest risk items in all food groups when it comes to things like foodborne illness, and temperature-based problems.

If a selection of meat is allowed to grow too warm, then it can act as a breeding ground for bacteria - which could lead to illness and disease that effectively destroys your business.

Unfortunately, if your butcher business is still growing, then you might find that you struggle to store enough meat to become a competitive force in your local area.

After all, as with many businesses, butchers often find that they end up losing custom to other competitors that have a wider selection to choose from. A good solution to this problem, may be to increase your capacity using refrigerated trailer hire.

Why Should Butchers Consider Refrigerated Trailer Hire?

Fridge trailers offer an ideal solution for butchers that have limited amounts of space, and a limited amount of revenue to spend. These cost-effective products allow you to maintain a healthy temperature throughout all your excess meat products that might not fit within the fridge space in your actual butcher shop.

This ensures that you can offer a range of fresh, and safe meats to the public, without having to spend all your profits on paying for the real estate required to buy a larger store, or preparation area.

Fridge trailers are clean, sterile, and effective, and they can even be maintained using generators to ensure that your meat remains fresh despite unwanted power outages and other problems that might damage the products offered by other butchers in your local area. Imagine being the only store in your town that can offer fresh meat products during a storm or outage.

Hiring a Freezer Trailer as a Butcher: Tips and Considerations

lamb carcasses in cold storage

Assessing Capacity Needs

Before hiring a freezer trailer, you should first assess your storage needs based on the volume of meat that requires freezing. It's crucial to choose a trailer that can accommodate current demands while allowing some flexibility for peak times or business growth. Overestimating slightly is better than running out of space, which can lead to operational disruptions and compromised product quality.

Considering Temperature Requirements

Meat storage requires strict temperature control to prevent spoilage and ensure food safety, so you should ensure that the freezer trailer offers precise temperature management that can consistently maintain temperatures between -18°C to -22°C, the recommended range for freezing meat. Additionally, the trailer should have reliable temperature monitoring tools to allow for regular checks and adjustments. You can also take a look at our tips for freezing meat for more details.

Evaluating Trailer Quality

The quality of the freezer trailer is paramount; high-quality trailers provide better insulation and more efficient cooling systems, which are key for maintaining the required low temperatures while reducing energy consumption. You should opt for trailers that are well-maintained and have a record of reliable performance, like us at Icecool Trailers.

Location and Accessibility

The placement of the freezer trailer is another critical consideration; it should be situated in a convenient, accessible location near your butcher shop to facilitate easy loading and unloading of products. Additionally, the site must be secure, level, and capable of supporting the weight of a fully loaded trailer. Consideration must also be given to power supply; ensuring the trailer can be easily connected to an electrical source is essential for continuous operation.

Cost Considerations

Cost is a significant factor when hiring a freezer trailer, so it’s a good idea to compare rental prices from different providers to find the most cost-effective option. However, it's important to balance cost with the quality of the trailer and the professionalism of the rental service. Sometimes, spending a bit more can ensure a better quality service, reducing the risk of breakdowns and potential loss of stock.

Regulatory Compliance

Finally, you’ll need to ensure that the freezer trailer complies with local health and safety regulations, and this includes official UK health and safety standards. Ensuring the trailer is capable of being thoroughly cleaned and is maintained to a high standard is also essential for passing health inspections and maintaining product quality.

How to Hire a Fridge Trailer

Convinced? All you need to do to make the most of refrigerated trailer hire is find a local provider - like us at Icecool Trailers - and arrange for your trailer to be delivered to your location for the set amount of time that works for you.

You can always ask to hire the trailer for longer if you find that business continues to grow thanks to your new selection of meats and cuts.

Fridge trailers can also be highly useful to you, as a butcher, if you decide to undergo renovations on your current store - as it means that you can continue to sell safe meat, even while your standard fridge is out of commission.

Got questions? Call 01635 250 950 or send us a message