Refrigeration Reimagined: AHT’s Vision for the Future of Supermarkets
Today, we’re speaking with Fokke Moolenaar, Director Sales at AHT Cooling Systems, a leading provider of turnkey refrigeration solutions and part of the DAIKIN Group. In this interview, we explore the current trends in supermarket refrigeration, sustainability, and how AHT is helping food retailers all over the globe to achieve their efficiency and environmental goals.
Questions
Company & Industry Overview
Can you give us a brief introduction to AHT and its mission in the supermarket refrigeration industry?
AHT has been an innovative partner to the food retail industry for over four decades. We provide turnkey refrigeration solutions for both system-based and standalone installations. From plug-in cabinets to full waterloop and remote system integrations, our focus is on delivering sustainable, high-performance solutions tailored to the evolving needs of the food retail sector. Our mission is to support retailers in optimizing energy usage, improving food safety, and achieving long-term operational excellence.
As a member of the DAIKIN group, how does AHT integrate its technology with DAIKIN’s expertise?
Being part of the DAIKIN Group gives us access to an extensive portfolio of HVAC and refrigeration technologies. This enables us to offer a broad spectrum of integrated solutions to our food retail partners—from plug-in equipment to system-based refrigeration with heat recovery and beyond. While we operate independently in terms of product development and innovation, we benefit from a strong technological backbone and the ability to provide diverse, customized setups to meet market-specific demands.
Technology & Innovation
What are the latest trends in supermarket refrigeration, and how is AHT addressing them?
We’re seeing clear momentum in three areas: the shift to natural refrigerants, a demand for flexible, modular systems, and easier installation and maintenance. Energy efficiency continues to be a key driver, but we also see growing interest in digitalization, including predictive maintenance and temperature monitoring. AHT addresses these needs with solutions that are modular, regulation-ready, and designed for minimal complexity during installation—all while maintaining a strong focus on sustainability.
Can you share details about your most recent or innovative refrigeration solutions for supermarkets?
One of our most recent developments is the KIGALI XL, a large-format refrigeration solution specifically developed to meet the versatile needs of all different store formats in the food retail industry. It incorporates a patent-pending AHT-developed cross airflow system that ensures maximum temperature stability and product protection while minimizing energy use and increasing the Total Display Area (TDA). With that we can offer one of the highest TDAs on a plug-in cabinet. We’ve also expanded our portfolio with the SPI Circumpolar – a modular pump station for SPI (Semi-Plug-In) /waterloop systems. It’s engineered to deliver maximum flexibility in installation, connectivity, and control, helping our partners roll out or expand SPI systems with unmatched ease and adaptability.
How does AHT balance energy efficiency with high-performance cooling?
We focus on developing systems that prioritize optimized heat exchange, intelligent defrosting, and precise temperature control, all tailored to the product being cooled. Whether in a full SPI setup or a plug-in unit, our goal is always to reduce energy consumption without compromising food quality or system reliability. By using natural refrigerants like R290 and R744 and designing our units to work seamlessly in various layouts, we support both energy and operational efficiency for our clients.
Sustainability & Regulations
Sustainability is a hot topic. What steps is AHT taking to reduce environmental impact?
At AHT, sustainability is embedded in product design and lifecycle thinking. We exclusively use natural refrigerants and prioritize low energy consumption across all product categories. Our systems are also built to be easily recyclable, and we offer remote monitoring capabilities that allow us to optimize usage and identify inefficiencies before they become issues. Additionally, our turnkey approach means we help retailers transition to sustainable solutions without disruption to their daily operations.
How do your refrigeration systems comply with current and upcoming global regulations?
All AHT solutions are compliant with current EU Ecodesign and F-gas regulations and are designed to exceed future efficiency and emissions targets. Thanks to our use of natural refrigerants like propane and CO2 (R290) and our forward-looking product development, retailers choosing AHT can be confident that their investment is both future-proof and environmentally responsible.
What role do natural refrigerants play in your solutions, and how do they compare to traditional options?
Natural refrigerants—especially R290—are central to our product philosophy. They offer extremely low GWP, strong thermodynamic performance, and are already approved under long-term regulation frameworks. Unlike synthetic refrigerants that are increasingly being phased out, R290 allows our systems to deliver consistent cooling, long service life, and regulatory certainty. For our customers, that means less risk and more stability over time. AHT has early on focused on natural refrigerants and was one of the first companies to offer a full portfolio only utilizing natural refrigerants. Just last month we had a very interesting webinar offered to the public under the name AHT Expert Talk were we explored in detail the history, properties and myths around R290.
Supermarket Challenges & Solutions
What are the biggest refrigeration challenges supermarkets face today, and how does AHT help solve them?
Retailers are navigating challenges like rising energy costs, increasing complexity of regulatory compliance, and the need for system flexibility. AHT addresses these through scalable, turnkey refrigeration concepts—from SPI systems, remote systems to classic plug-ins—that are quick to install, easy to maintain, and designed to reduce total cost of ownership. Our global service network and digital monitoring options also help reduce downtime and streamline maintenance, keeping operations smooth and cost-efficient.
Can you share a case study where AHT helped a supermarket improve efficiency and reduce costs?
There are many coming into my mind but I will talk about one that we did in Germany for a supermarket. This project was special because we have installed our AHT PLUS SPI HYBRID system which is unique in the market. It is a SPI/waterloop system in full scope. We are able to connect remote units directly into this system without the need of additional remote units like a gas cooler and compressor rack. This allowed us to integrate a R744 serve over counter directly into our SPI system. All of the produced heat is recovered and used for support of the heating system. On top we have installed the Active Monitoring Systems of AHT to control device performance, ensuring optimal functionality and energy savings for your customer.
Future Outlook
How do you see supermarket refrigeration evolving in the next five years?
We expect continued acceleration toward modular, low-GWP systems and increased use of data-driven insights to improve performance and reduce costs. The convergence of energy recovery, smart building integration, and connected refrigeration will shape the future of food retail. AHT is well-positioned to lead in this space with solutions that are flexible, scalable, and environmentally focused.
What future innovations or technologies is AHT currently developing?
We are developing solutions that make SPI systems even simpler to deploy, with smarter control interfaces and modular platforms like the SPI Circumpolar. In addition, we are expanding our digital services, including remote monitoring, predictive analytics, and AI-supported diagnostics—all aimed at helping our customers optimize performance, reduce downtime, and achieve greater sustainability goals.
Conclusion
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
We’re proud to be a partner that helps food retailers meet their business, regulatory, and environmental goals without compromise. Whether through plug-in, SPI, or centralized systems, our mission remains the same: make refrigeration simple, efficient, and sustainable.
Thank you for your time and insights.
Thank you. It’s a pleasure to share our perspective on the evolving refrigeration landscape.
It’s been great learning how AHT is driving energy efficiency and sustainability in supermarket refrigeration. Thank you for sharing your insights!
