Williams launch market’s first mobile refrigerated prep well
Williams has launched an entirely new refrigeration concept, designed to help with the makeup of pizzas, salads and sandwiches. The mobile Prep Well is a highly flexible, compact unit – it’s ideal for sites that have to replenish ingredients from the coldroom and have no room for a conventional prep counter with wells.
Accurate controls mean there’s no need for regular temperature checking of the ingredients and it can be wheeled-in and positioned where it’s needed most, such as alongside an existing work counter or prep area. Its footprint of just 769 x 450mm means it is also small enough to fit into confined spaces.
Whilst the concept of counters with wells and table tops is established in the foodservice market, the Williams Prep Well is the first to offer a mobile option. “Its mobility is a key benefit, since it allows caterers to be more flexible with valuable floor space,” says Williams marketing manager Martin Laws.
The Prep Well is equipped with a powerful refrigeration system which, together with its new airflow design, ensures a constant temperature of 1 to 4°C is maintained for the medium-term storage of ingredients. An integral chopping board, can be used as a lid over the wells to retain freshness for even longer periods, or removed when not required.
The unit’s special airflow design provides constant cooling to the chilled ingredients through a combination of convection cooling below the gastronorm pans and a protective 1°C air-curtain above the ingredients.
The Prep Well is designed to be easy to clean to ensure maximum hygiene. Thus it features many removable parts, including a removable overflow tray for the collection and disposal of spillages.
Sustainability Built In
The new Prep Well uses R290 hydrocarbon refrigerant and high density polyurethane foam insulation, which have a minimal Global Warming Potential and zero Ozone Depletion Potential. As the hydrocarbon refrigerant is below the 150g threshold, the unit can be placed in any location.
The combination of the hydrocarbon refrigerant and the Prep Well’s highly efficient EC fans reduces energy consumption by up to 15%, compared to traditional systems. The Prep Well’s CoolSmart controller also minimises energy consumption, by up to a further 15%, through processes such as fan and heater pulsing, intelligent defrost and the independent management of evaporator and condenser fans.
The use of the Prep Well rather than taking stored pans of ingredients directly from a coldroom will save staff time. For example, there’s no need for the constant checking of ingredient temperatures and it avoids regular trips to the coldroom or other preparation areas to replenish supplies.