LAS VEGAS — Messer (Booth No. 3665), a manufacturer of cryogenic freezers, debuted its newest freezing technology at IBIE 2022. The freezers aim to help bakers increase production and save on labor. 

Messer’s latest spiral freezer can increase throughput up to 20% and improve operating costs up to 15%, while also requiring 30 minutes less to clean, said Dan Morgan, director, food and beverage segment. The freezer can process a variety of foods including pizzas, gourmet snacks and burritos, and offers a freezing capacity of up to 10,000 lbs per hour. 

Messer also unveiled its Wave Impingement Freezer that combines nitrogen impingement freezing with adjustable wave action. The patented technology can increase production of individually quick frozen (IQF) foods like pasta, pizza toppings, desserts and inclusions by 50%, Mr. Morgan said, while also improving product quality and reducing labor needs. 

In addition to capacity and workforce improvements, the freezers are a response to growing consumer demand for IQF foods. The U.S. frozen bakery products market is expected to hit $33.3 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 4% from 2021-2028, according to a report from The Insight Partners. 

And as the baking industry continues to grapple with limited CO₂ supply, Messer’s freezers aim to introduce and convert bakeries to using nitrogen as their cooling solution, Mr. Morgan said. In addition to more widespread availability, nitrogen is colder than CO₂, meaning bakers can freeze products faster, he said. 

Mr. Morgan emphasized it’s critical that baking technology adapts to the ever-changing needs and challenges bakers face.  

“We not only have technologies in our portfolio available today, but we have an innovation team to ensure that they’re current, to ensure that they’re fresh, and innovate for future trends,” he said.