Two rooms, two temperatures, two prices. Picking the wrong one costs money every month, or costs the product.

Frozen: held below 0°F

Meat, poultry, seafood, frozen vegetables, frozen meals, ice cream. Product is held solid. Shelf life runs months to a year or more. Freezer space costs more per pallet because it costs more to run, and it is the space in shortest supply in southern Minnesota.

Refrigerated: held below 40°F

Fresh meat headed to a plant, produce, dairy, eggs, beverages, deli. Product stays above freezing and moves through in days or weeks. Refrigerated rates are lower. Refrigerated rooms also handle tempering: bringing frozen product up to fresh for processing.

Both: why one building matters

A lot of food businesses need both. Frozen inventory for the year, refrigerated product for this week's orders. If those live in two warehouses, that is two trucks, two sets of paperwork, and two phone numbers. Kelley Creek Foods holds freezer and refrigerated rooms under one roof at 2309 Myers Road, so one truck makes one stop.

Three questions to ask before you book

  • What temperature does the room actually hold, and can I see the log?
  • Can I split a load between freezer and refrigerated on the same delivery?
  • Can product move from one room to the other without leaving the building?

The answers at Kelley Creek are on the cold storage page. So are the hours and the temperatures.