On-site cooking: Efficiency, design and innovation at the service of food retailing
As part of its ambitious strategy of transformation and continuous improvement of the shopping experience, Vegalsa-Eroski has recently opened a new Eroski Center in Vilagarcía de Arousa (Pontevedra), marking a milestone in the food retail sector. One of the most innovative elements of this opening has been the implementation of an exclusive space called “Cocina in Situ”, an environment designed to offer healthy homemade food, prepared daily with local products. To carry out this differential bet, Vegalsa-Eroski has relied on Infrico Supermarket as a strategic technological partner for the development, manufacture and installation of a specialized and completely customized line of furniture, adapted to its operational and aesthetic needs.
COLLABORATION PROJECT: INFRICO SUPERMARKET & VEGALSA-EROSKI
Project location: Eroski Center Vilagarcía de Arousa (Pontevedra)
Opening date: June 2025
Total investment: 3 million euros (equipment, machinery and facilities)
Sales area: 1,570 m²
Staff: 57 employees
PROJECT OBJECTIVE
To develop a comprehensive refrigeration equipment solution for the new “On-Site Kitchen” section of the Eroski Center, intended for the daily preparation and sale of prepared dishes and healthy menus with local products, under a mixed model of self-service and assisted service.
TECHNOLOGICAL SOLUTION PROVIDED BY INFRICO SUPERMARKET
Product line: COMPACT 2025
Customization: Exclusive development adapted to Vegalsa-Eroski requirements
Design: Textured oak aesthetics with stainless steel, LED lighting and modular format in continuous line.
Infrico Supermarket’s technical response to this challenge has materialized in the integration of a customized version of its new COMPACT 2025 line, a modular display case system developed to the highest standards of energy efficiency, durability, food safety and ergonomics. This line represents the culmination of years of research in refrigeration engineering oriented to the food retail channel, and offers maximum configuration versatility to combine assisted and self-service, positive and hot cold, all in a single continuous linear display unit.
Detail of the installed equipment: types and functionalities
The design of the equipment installed in the “on-site kitchen” section of the Eroski Center is structured by means of the following solutions:
SVT HT (SemiVitrina COMPACT self-service for hot products): SemiVitrina cabinet designed for self-service sales of hot products, with shelves to enhance the capacity and visibility of the product on display. The innovative temperature distribution and maintenance system is independent for each display level and is complemented by a new general air distribution throughout the cabinet to achieve and maintain the optimum temperature for product preservation. Equipped with a high-precision digital thermostat and a high-efficiency LED lighting system, its design allows direct customer access without compromising product preservation.
VCT BM (Vitrina COMPACT traditional service Bain Marie for hot products): Display case assisted with heated display top with Bain Marie system, electronic temperature control with double probe and digital control panel. It incorporates high transparency tempered front glass, warm spectrum LED lighting to highlight freshly prepared food, and an AISI 304 stainless steel tank with a reinforced interior structure to support GN 1/1 and 2/3 trays to maintain the juiciness of the product in prolonged exposures.
VCT CP (COMPACT display case traditional service for refrigerated products): Ventilated refrigerated display case for assisted service with electronic temperature control with double probe and digital control panel. It incorporates high transparency tempered tempered front glass, neutral spectrum LED lighting to highlight the refrigerated food, and an AISI 304 stainless steel tank with an internal structure to allow excellent visibility of the exposed product, which allows the product to be displayed at different levels. The perfect combination of elegance in design, innovation in product preservation and excellence in the visibility of the product on display.
SVT 14 (SemiVitrina COMPACT self-service for refrigerated products): SemiVitrina cabinet designed for refrigerated self-service, with shelves to enhance the capacity and visibility of the product on display. It has an eco ventilated cooling system with R290 refrigerant for cold models with automatic hot gas defrosting. Equipped with a high-precision digital thermostat and a high-efficiency LED lighting system, its design allows direct customer access without compromising product preservation. Equipped with three rows of shelves plus the lower display plan to maximize the capacity and visibility of the sale.
Design, visual integration and commercial ergonomics
All the furniture has been developed in textured finishes similar to oak wood with stainless steel details, integrating with full coherence in the new aesthetic line of Vegalsa-Eroski. The choice of materials not only responds to image criteria, but also to durability, ease of cleaning and resistance to aggressive cleaning products or environmental humidity.
The linear layout has been designed to maximize the useful exhibition area without creating visual barriers, respecting accessibility from different angles and optimizing the circulation of both staff and customers. Special attention has been paid to ergonomics in the product loading and replenishment areas, reducing operation times and avoiding overexertion during handling.
Sustainability and energy efficiency: shared commitment
The project has been developed under operational sustainability criteria. All refrigerated units use ecological gas R-290 (propane), a natural refrigerant with low GWP (Global Warming Potential), which allows compliance with F-GAS regulations and anticipates present and future environmental requirements.
The units also include:
– Energy-saving, long-lasting LED lighting.
– High-density insulation systems in CFC-free ecological polyurethane.
– Electronic controllers that allow the management of ignition cycles, temperature, defrosting and alarms remotely.
– Possibility of integration with the supermarket’s energy monitoring systems.
Thanks to these characteristics, the new equipment installed can reduce energy consumption by up to 25-30% compared to traditional solutions, thus contributing to the reduction of the establishment’s carbon footprint.
Operating results and consumer acceptance
Since its launch, the “on-site kitchen” section has been very well received by customers and has become one of the busiest points in the supermarket. Users highlight the clarity in the presentation of the gastronomic offer, the quality of the freshly prepared hot product and the possibility of acquiring complete menus -composed of main dish, side dish, drink and dessert- for only 4.99 €, a highly competitive price within the healthy prepared food segment.
This positive experience has been reinforced by increased product turnover, improved consumer perception of value and increased sales of complementary products (cold beverages, bakery, refrigerated desserts), thanks to the cross-flow induced by the attractiveness of the area.
A forward-looking strategic partnership
The partnership between Infrico Supermarket and Vegalsa-Eroski represents a successful example of collaboration between manufacturing industry and modern distribution, based on active listening, knowledge of the operating environment and the ability to adapt to the new demands of food retailing.
This case, with the development of a line of modular furniture that can be extrapolated to future implementations of “On-Site Kitchen” in other centers, opens the door to a new generation of gastronomic spaces within the supermarket, where operational efficiency, design, sustainability and customer experience merge.
