A refrigerated van lets a food business go further than cool boxes and ice packs ever will. Getting the most from it, and staying within the law, comes down to a few habits everyone who drives or loads the van should follow. Here they are.
Know the temperatures
- Chilled food must be kept at 8°C or below in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Food Standards Agency recommends setting fridges to 5°C or below, so food stays cold enough even if the temperature changes (GOV.UK).
- Frozen food must be kept at -18°C or colder. During local deliveries it may rise briefly, but no warmer than -15°C.
The FSA’s guidance for businesses that supply food on the move also says a vehicle used to transport food must be kept clean and in good condition, be able to keep the food at the right temperature, and let you check the temperature where necessary. Raw and ready-to-eat food must be kept apart.
Choose the right van
Pick the van for what you carry and how cold it has to be: a chiller holds 0 to 5°C, a freezer -10°C, and deep freeze goes down to -25°C. If you carry chilled and frozen food, a bulkhead splits the load space into two compartments. Size it for the round you have now. See chiller, freezer or deep freeze? and what size fridge van do you need?
You can buy a used van that we convert and check for you, or have a new one converted to your spec; a conversion takes 7 to 10 days once the van arrives with us. See new or used?
Load it right
- Bring the load space down to temperature before you load. A fridge van is built to keep cold food cold, so load food that’s already at the right temperature.
- Don’t block the airflow. Leave space around the fridge unit inside the van so cold air can circulate.
- Keep raw and ready-to-eat food apart, in covered, clearly marked containers. A bulkhead or separate shelving helps.
- Load in drop order, so the doors are open for as short a time as possible at each stop.
Check and record the temperature
Check the temperature display before you set off and during the round, and keep a record. A load temperature recorder prints a receipt showing the goods were held at the right temperature, which is useful evidence if a customer or an inspector asks. A probe thermometer lets you spot-check the food itself.
Hot days and multi-drop rounds are when temperatures drift. Curtains across the doorway hold the cold in while you’re unloading. See our accessories.
Plan the round
On a multi-drop round, plan the order so food spends as little time in the van as it needs to, and so you’re not opening the doors more than you must. If the van will be parked loaded overnight, the fridge needs power with the engine off: that’s what electric standby is for, and it has to be specified when the van is built. See do you need electric standby?
Keep it clean
Wipe the load space down after every round and give it a thorough clean regularly, especially if you carry raw meat, fish or dairy. The smooth insulated lining is made to be cleaned; keep an eye on it for cracks or damage where water and dirt can get in. See common problems with refrigerated vans.
Plan for a breakdown
Know what you’ll do if the van or the fridge stops: who can lend or hire you a refrigerated van at short notice, and how you’ll move the stock across. Regular servicing of the van and the fridge unit is the best way to avoid needing the plan. See how long does a fridge unit last?
Starting out? Read what to know before you buy a fridge van. When you’re ready, see our fridge vans and freezer vans, or call us on 01444 245555.
