Aerofoils™: Shelf-edge technology for refrigeration cases

Why Aerofoils™?

The Problem:

Open refrigerated display cases depend on a stable cold-air curtain to keep products at temperature. This air curtain is blown down the front of the cabinet from a discharge in the canopy and into a return grille at the base.

However, as air passes over shelf fronts, price rails, and product edges, turbulence is introduced into the airflow. This disrupts the air curtain before it reaches the return grille, allowing warm air into the cabinet and cold air to spill into the aisle. The impact is higher refrigeration load, uneven temperatures between shelves, and reduced shopper comfort - so-called cold aisle syndrome.

No Aerofoils

What are Aerofoils™?

Aerofoils™ are patented shelf-edge airflow guides for refrigerated display cases. Fitted to the front edge of each shelf, they take the place of the existing ticket strip / POS. In cross-section they have an aerodynamic profile to help stabilise the cold air as it moves down the cabinet. They incorporate a front-facing transparent ticket strip to accommodate paper price labels.

With Aerofoils

How do Aerofoils™ work?

The Solution:

Each Aerofoil is profiled using advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to guide the cold air smoothly past the shelf edge. By reducing shear and turbulence at every shelf level, the airflow remains more laminar as it descends through the cabinet. This prevents premature mixing of warm and cold air and helps maintain the integrity of the air curtain across the full height of the case.

Because they work with the fridge’s existing airflow and fan systems, these improvements are achieved without increasing energy input, adding moving parts, or introducing new points of failure. The result is quieter, more efficient open refrigeration, warmer aisles, and improved food quality.

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What are the benefits of Aerofoils™?

Comparison with conventional cabinet shelving

Customer Experience

Before: Poor air curtain control and turbulence causes cold air to spill into aisles, leading to colder aisles and shopper / colleague discomfort.

With Aerofoils: Cold-air spill is virtually eliminated, leading to warmer aisles and improved customer journey.

Energy & Temperature Performance

Before: Cold air spill and warm air entrainment increases energy consumption and causes uneven product temperatures.

With Aerofoils: 25%–38% energy savings in real-store conditions, with more stable product temperatures and improved shelf-life.

Operational & Maintenance Cost

Before: Stores often require increased heating costs to offset cold aisle syndrome.

With Aerofoils: Passive technology with no additional maintenance, and reduced aisle re-heating requirement.

Trading & Merchandising

Before: Shopper discomfort due to colder aisles reduces browsing times and can negatively affect sales.

With Aerofoils: By preventing cold air spill and warming up aisles, browsing times and sales are positively impacted.

Compliance & Eco-labelling

Before: Likely that all conventional open-fronted cabinets will be outlawed by EU eco-labelling standards from 2028.

With Aerofoils: Open cabinets fitted with Aerofoil technology can move from an E-Rating to a C-Rating, permitting their continued compliance with legislation well into the future.

Alternative Technologies (Fridge Doors)

Before: Fridge doors are a high-cost option that fail to deliver on expected energy benefits, carry significant maintenance overhead and are a barrier to sales.

With Aerofoils: Aerofoils are much cheaper and deliver proven energy savings, a barrier-free shopping experience, and a pay-back within 18 months if not significantly earlier.

How can I adopt Aerofoils™?

Aerofoils are designed for fast, tool-free installation fitted in seconds without de-merchandising or interrupting store operations. There are a variety of Aerofoil sizes and lengths to accommodate different price label heights and shelf lengths.

A seamless upgrade that delivers energy savings from day one.

Frequently Asked Questions

Open cases use a continuous downward “air curtain” of chilled air to separate the cold interior from the ambient store environment. When this curtain weakens, due to turbulence, shopper browsing or draughts, warm air enters the cabinet and cold air spills into the aisle, increasing energy use.
Aerofoils stabilise and strengthen the air curtain so that cold air stays inside the case. This reduces energy consumption, improves product temperatures and eliminates cold-aisle discomfort, without adding a physical barrier.
Real-store results typically show 25%–38% energy savings on open-fronted cabinets, with additional reductions in central plant load. Pay-back is usually achieved within 18 months and often much more quickly.
By preventing warm-air ingress and reducing hotspots, Aerofoils help maintain consistent temperature bands across the cabinet, supporting longer shelf life and improved food quality.
Yes. Aerofoils are designed for fast, low-disruption retrofit across most major open-case models. Installation can usually be completed during trading hours.
Absolutely. We supply all OEMs with Aerofoils to fit to new cabinets in the factory, so they arrive at stores pre-installed.
In many real-store environments, Aerofoils deliver comparable or stronger energy and temperature stability, without the behavioural sensitivities associated with doors (door-opening frequency, seal wear, maintenance) or the trading barriers they introduce.
No. Aerofoils preserve the full open-front format of the cabinet, maintaining visibility, ease of access and merchandising flexibility. They are designed to be invisible to shoppers, improving their experience by creating warmer aisles and an enhanced customer journey.
Yes. Aerofoil Energy provides specialist aerofoil profiles and components such as Aeromirror for meat displays and sloped-shelf formats to ensure consistent airflow control across all cabinet types.
None. Aerofoils are a fully passive, non-electrical system with no hinges, seals or moving parts. Cleaning is performed exactly as it would be with any standard shelf-edge.
Yes. Aerofoils have recently enabled several previously E-rated open-case models to achieve a C-rating under the European eco-labelling scheme, demonstrating strong regulatory alignment without the need for doors.
With over 2.5 million Aerofoils installed across more than 10,000 stores worldwide, they have been proven to work with a full range of cabinet designs, store configurations, and in different and challenging climates.