Grocery’s Greatest Show Is Back
By now, you may have seen the Hussmann Roadshow live on the road. It’s an experience in which the industry’s leading authority on refrigeration crisscrosses North America in a 75-foot tractor-trailer directly visiting customers — mostly retailers and service providers — and helping them get up to speed on the latest technologies and solutions in the food retailing industry.
If you haven’t seen the experience in action, Hussmann has a special treat in store this year.
The company has reimagined its Roadshow experience from a sales focus to a training emphasis to offer retailers a master class on stewardship and education called the Evolve Experience 2024. The trailer will offer a hybrid classroom/hands-on experience for education and training that features the latest CO2 and R-290 solutions from its Evolve Technologies portfolio. It also includes equipment for hands-on learning, including a protocol, an outdoor condensing unit, a monoblock and Micro Distributed technology. The experience also features the latest controllers, leak detection-connected technologies, cutting-edge sustainability solutions and next-gen tech. Each stop includes a customized agenda based on customers’ unique interests and needs.
“We have been in the industry for nearly 120 years, and we have the responsibility to help retailers become more comfortable with the ever-evolving landscape of refrigeration solutions,” says Tim Figge, CEO of Bridgeton, Mo.-based Hussmann Corp. “The Evolve Experience is all about stewardship. It’s about educating the retailers and contractors on the regulations, as well as providing basic training on the solutions that are coming to the market.”
Good Stewards
Those solutions include refrigeration systems and architectures that leverage transcritical CO2, R-290 and other emerging low-GWP options.
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“Our goal is to ensure that retailers understand that there are options, no matter what they’re trying to accomplish in their store,” adds Figge. “Whether it’s a new store or an existing remodeled store — we want to be their guide. As our industry evolves, we continue to innovate. We’re here to help our customers navigate the changing landscape and together build a better future.”
Helping Retailers Evolve
According to Figge, companies visiting the Hussmann Roadshow this year can expect two sets of curricula that will focus on refrigerant comparison, solution recommendations, controller compatibility and installation guidance.
“One course is for beginners, with a high-level focus on the basics of natural refrigerants and recent regulations,” explains Figge. “The other course is more advanced, with a focus on the systems, components and technologies. It also provides a deep dive into the low-GWP refrigerant options.”
Hussmann’s Evolve Experience 2024 launched Aug. 26, in Columbus, Ohio.
“As a leader in the industry, we wanted to take this opportunity to bring the training directly to our customers,” says Figge. “Through this experience, we hope to provide both insight and comfort to retailers, emphasizing that there are solutions that will allow them to continue to deliver in their stores in a safe and successful way.”
