A commercial cold room is one of the most important assets in any professional kitchen. Restaurants rely on consistent refrigeration to preserve fresh ingredients, comply with food safety regulations, reduce waste, and maintain uninterrupted service. When a refrigeration system is incorrectly designed or undersized, the effects are often felt every day through rising temperatures, excessive compressor run times, poor energy efficiency, and increased pressure on kitchen operations.
This case study highlights how Glotech Group successfully diagnosed and resolved a long standing refrigeration problem for De Grendel Wine Estate and Restaurant in Panorama, Cape Town. Rather than treating the symptoms, our technicians identified the root cause of the issue, corrected the original system design, and upgraded the cold room with a properly engineered refrigeration solution capable of delivering reliable medium temperature performance.
The project demonstrates the importance of correct refrigeration design and why selecting the right equipment from the beginning has a direct impact on efficiency, operating costs, and food quality.
De Grendel contacted Glotech Group after experiencing ongoing refrigeration problems that had persisted for several years.
The cold room consistently struggled to maintain the correct storage temperature. Although the refrigeration system remained operational, it never provided the cooling performance required for a busy commercial kitchen.
Staff regularly experienced inconsistent temperatures, forcing the refrigeration equipment to work harder while still failing to achieve reliable cooling conditions.
Rather than assuming a refrigerant leak or compressor failure, our technicians carried out a complete refrigeration system assessment.
Every commercial refrigeration breakdown begins with a proper diagnosis.
Our inspection included evaluating:
After completing the inspection, the root cause became immediately clear.
The refrigeration unit installed by the previous contractor was simply too small for the size of the cold room.
This meant the system had been operating beyond its intended capacity from the day it was installed.
One of the most common causes of poor cold room performance is incorrect equipment selection.
Many refrigeration failures are not caused by faulty compressors or refrigerant leaks. Instead, they originate during the design stage when the refrigeration capacity does not match the actual cooling demand of the room.
In this case, the existing refrigeration unit lacked the capacity required to cool a 3m x 2.2m x 2.3m restaurant cold room effectively.
As a result, the system experienced several operational problems.
The compressor operated for extended periods while struggling to satisfy the thermostat.
Temperature recovery after door openings was slow.
Cooling consistency varied throughout the day as kitchen activity increased.
The refrigeration equipment consumed unnecessary energy while still delivering inadequate performance.
This situation had continued for years because the underlying design problem had never been identified.
Replacing individual components would not have solved the issue.
The refrigeration system itself needed to be correctly engineered.
Following the inspection, Glotech Group recommended replacing the undersized refrigeration equipment with a properly specified 2.6kW medium temperature refrigeration unit operating at -5°C suction.
The recommendation was based on:
Selecting the correct refrigeration capacity ensures that the compressor can achieve the desired room temperature without operating continuously.
This improves both refrigeration performance and equipment lifespan.
Once the proposal was approved, our technicians scheduled the installation immediately.
The existing refrigeration equipment was carefully removed before preparing the new system.
The installation included:
The complete upgrade was successfully completed within a single working day, minimising disruption to restaurant operations.
The improvement was noticeable almost immediately after commissioning.
Unlike the previous installation, the upgraded refrigeration system reached the required operating temperature efficiently and maintained stable cooling conditions.
The compressor cycled correctly instead of operating continuously.
Temperature recovery after door openings became significantly faster.
The refrigeration equipment now operates within its intended design parameters, reducing unnecessary stress on the compressor while improving overall efficiency.
For the restaurant, this means dependable refrigeration every day rather than ongoing uncertainty.
Commercial refrigeration is not simply about installing the largest available condensing unit.
Every cold room must be engineered according to several technical factors.
These include:
Ignoring these factors often results in systems that are either undersized or oversized.
An undersized system struggles to cool the room effectively.
An oversized system may short cycle, reduce efficiency, and increase component wear.
The objective is always to install equipment that precisely matches the refrigeration load.
That was exactly the solution implemented at De Grendel Wine Estate and Restaurant.
Following the refrigeration upgrade, the restaurant now benefits from:
Most importantly, the refrigeration problem that had affected daily operations for years was permanently resolved by correcting the original system design.
Many commercial refrigeration companies focus only on repairing equipment.
Glotech Group takes a different approach.
With more than 15 years of experience in commercial refrigeration installations, repairs, upgrades, and preventative maintenance, our technicians understand that lasting solutions begin with accurate system design.
Before recommending any repair or replacement, we evaluate the complete refrigeration system to ensure the equipment is correctly matched to the client’s operational requirements.
This engineering first approach helps businesses avoid unnecessary repairs while improving long term performance and reducing operating costs.
Glotech Group designs, installs, upgrades, repairs, and maintains commercial refrigeration systems for businesses across Cape Town and throughout South Africa.
Our expertise includes:
We work with restaurants, hotels, wine estates, hospitality groups, retailers, food distributors, manufacturers, healthcare facilities, and commercial businesses that depend on reliable temperature controlled storage.
Every installation is engineered around the client’s specific operational requirements, ensuring the refrigeration system delivers consistent performance, maximum efficiency, and long term reliability.
The De Grendel Wine Estate and Restaurant project is an excellent example of why proper refrigeration engineering matters.
The problem was never a faulty compressor or an ageing refrigeration system. It was an incorrect equipment selection made during the original installation.
By accurately assessing the refrigeration load, specifying the correct 2.6kW medium temperature refrigeration system, and completing the installation within a single day, Glotech Group transformed a cold room that had struggled for years into a dependable commercial refrigeration asset.
Today, the restaurant operates with confidence knowing its cold room consistently maintains the temperatures required to protect fresh ingredients, support kitchen operations, and deliver the level of quality expected from one of Cape Town’s leading wine estates and restaurants.
For businesses planning a restaurant cold room installation, upgrading an ageing refrigeration system, or solving persistent cooling problems, Glotech Group provides complete commercial refrigeration solutions backed by 15 years of industry experience. From cold room design and refrigeration system selection to installation, repairs, servicing, and preventative maintenance, we deliver engineered solutions that perform reliably from day one and continue supporting businesses for years to come.
067 153 8332
info@glotechgroup.co.za
Gotech Group offers emergency repair, replacement and installation of industrial and commercial refrigeration units restoring efficient operations in Hermanus & across Western Cape.