Cake Display Fridges

Before looking at the model and features, you’ll need to check the space you have available. As with any form of refrigeration, make sure to account for the fan and leave enough room for it to ventilate properly, along with adequate room for the power cable. From there, you can start planning what sort of configuration you’d like. There are models that are tall and more narrow, along with others that are wider and deeper for larger items. Make sure you plan how much space you need inside to make it look sufficiently stocked, without overpacking it and compromising the cooling capabilities.

When it comes to serving, you should also consider whether you want a display that can only be opened from the front, back, or both ways. Depending on whether you want customers to serve themselves, or for staff to do it, you can pick the best option for you.

To make sure you’re complying with local food health and safety regulations, you should maintain an internal temperature of 5℃ or colder to keep in line with the guidance laid out regarding the safe storage of potentially hazardous foods. Each cake display fridge we stock specifies the temperature range they can operate at, with most offering a range of 2℃ to 8℃.

Along with choosing the best position in the front of house area for your cake display fridge, there are a few features you can look for that help with presentation and practicality for customers. Features like curved glass can enhance visibility, while also reducing the amount of glare from overhead lighting. You can also get models with LED lights inside that help to illuminate your stock, all without compromising the temperature of your cakes and while using less power than conventional lighting.

If you’re in a more humid area, or have your cake display fridge located close to another appliance that generates steam or has some ambient heat, like a hot food display, anti-fog glass is a useful feature to have. They’ll keep the display clear and inviting even in humid or busy environments.

Finally, small internal features like adjustable shelving makes your cake display more versatile for different stock. You might also want back access doors, or sliding panels also make it easier for staff to replenish stock or for customers to serve themselves.

The best spot for you will depend on the layout of your store front, and you’ll also need to account for what the rest of your menu is. For bakeries, having your display front and centre, near the point of sale is always a logical and easy spot. For cafes where you offer hot food that’s prepared in the kitchen, having your cake display fridge in an adjacent location to where customers order and eat, or under the menu is a good idea.

From a food health and safety standpoint, avoid putting the fridge in direct sunlight or close to heat-generating equipment, as this can impact its performance and cause temperature fluctuations, compromising the safety (and quality) of your food. You should also make sure to leave enough clearance behind and above the unit for ventilation and easy restocking.

Australia often has extreme and variable temperatures, which is why condensation and fog are common concerns. Your cake display fridge might fog up when the doors are regularly being opened and closed, or it’s a humid day and your establishment doesn’t have air conditioning or a dehumidifier. Opting for a fridge with anti-fog glass, or built-in condensation management can help alleviate these issues, keeping the visibility good and maintaining the integrity of your stock.

Equally, regularly cleaning the glass and making sure door seals are in good condition will also help maintain clear visibility. It’s also worth periodically clearing away any dust and debris away from the condenser coils and ventilation panels, too.

Energy efficient refrigeration is a key priority for many establishments, both in terms of keeping operational costs down and choosing something with a lower impact on the environment. Modern fridges with eco-friendly refrigerants like R290 are great, along with features like thicker glass or insulation to retain the cold, and LED lighting will all contribute to lower operational costs.

They overlap. A cake display cabinet is usually a larger, free-standing unit with curved or square glass on several sides, built to be the centrepiece of a bakery or cafe counter. A cake fridge or commercial cake fridge can be that, or a compact countertop model that sits beside the till.

If you are building a new counter, a commercial cake display cabinet is normally the anchor, with a countertop display fridge beside it for grab-and-go items and cold food displays for sandwiches and salads.

For back-of-house storage, yes. A standard commercial refrigerator for cakes, such as one of our commercial upright fridges, holds whole cakes safely before they go on display. What it will not do is sell them. A dedicated cake display fridge manages airflow so cream and icing hold their shape, and puts the stock where customers can see it.

Many cafes run both: bulk storage out the back and a display fridge for the day's slices. For savoury lines alongside, deli display fridges do the same job for meats, cheeses and salads.