Smart solutions for the fourth dimension of the refrigerated counter
AICHINGER AI-amLight: New lighting system increases sales and reduces food waste
Lighting is the fourth dimension in shop design. AICHINGER, multi-specialist for fresh food worlds of experience, underlines its innovation leadership in refrigerated counters with AI-amLight. AICHINGER is the first manufacturer to offer a lighting system that is integrated almost invisibly into the refrigerated counter and where color, brightness and intensity are controlled segment by segment using a control panel or via Shop-IQ‘s digital price labeling. The digital solution, the only one of its kind to date, showcases fresh food in an even more sales-promoting way, increases flexibility in stocking and reduces food waste. AI-amLight will initially be offered for the SIRIUS® 3 refrigerated counter. AICHINGER refrigerated counters with integrated AICHINGER lighting system LED18 can also be retrofitted with AI-amLight.
The freshness of food in refrigerated counters is enhanced if the light intensity in or above the refrigerated counter is higher than the surrounding background lighting. LED lighting integrated into the refrigerated counter is ideal. This emits little IR and UV radiation, and no heat is generated at the light emission source. This avoids the undesirable drying out of product surfaces and the risk of germs. Both reduce food waste. The LEDs are particularly energy-efficient in the cool environment and have a very long service life.
AICHINGER has replaced the long-standing LED18 integrated lighting system offered, now with AI-amLight. With the control panel mounted on the back of the counter, the colour, intensity and brightness of the LEDs are individually adjusted segment by segment (30 cm). Made by lighting experts, the basic settings for fish, meat and sausage products, cheese and baked goods facilitate individual adaptation.
In addition, AICHINGER offers a smart solution for digital price labeling together with Shop-IQ, the specialist in the AICHINGER Group for digital POS marketing. With the web-based solution from Shop-IQ, the information on price labeling is supplemented with the parameters for lighting. This guarantees that the counter display is always optimally and consistently stocked, especially in operating structures with multiple outlets and many part-time employees.
The segment-by-segment control also allows the refrigerated counter to be flexibly stocked with different product groups for promotions or on a frequency and season-controlled basis – with ideal product illumination. This makes optimum use of the display area and eliminates the need for additional investment and operating costs for additional refrigerated display cases.
The changing illumination of the counter display emphasizes the product variety, promotions and specialties are optimally staged. If warm white lighting with 1,800 K is recommended for a sausage and meat counter, AI-amLight can now be used to illuminate segments of fresh minced meat with a maximum red component, while a stronger yellow component is emitted for light-colored meat and sausage products or poultry. In the cheese counter, too, cheese types can be presented in a more differentiated way: a high yellow component for matured cheese types, a higher white component for goat and fresh cheese. AI-amLight is ideal in the fish counter. While white fish can be illuminated with neutral white or cool white light color up to 5,000 K, tuna, salmon or lobster can be optimally staged with light with a high red component.