Fasting seasons: how to adapt your display fridges for fish and fasting products
Why adapting display fridges during fasting seasons matters
Religious fasting periods — Lent, the Nativity Fast, as well as the regular Wednesday and Friday fasts throughout the year — bring significant shifts in customer demand. Fresh fish, seafood, vegetables, cheeses and other dairy-based fasting products suddenly occupy more shelf space, while certain meat categories are reduced or temporarily removed from display. For grocery store owners, supermarkets and restaurants, this transition requires careful planning of refrigerated display arrangements.
Incorrectly configured refrigeration equipment means losses: spoiled products, an unappealing appearance and dissatisfied customers. Conversely, a display fridge set correctly for the type of product on show extends freshness, maintains commercial presentation and reduces waste.
Fresh fish: special temperature and display requirements
Fresh fish is one of the most sensitive food products. It requires very low temperatures, close to the freezing point, to retain its quality in a display fridge. Ventilated display fridges for meat and fish have adjustable temperatures ranging from 0 to +8 °C; for fresh fish, the recommended setting is in the 0/+2 °C range, similar to that used for fresh meat.
A few practical points for displaying fish:
- Temperature: keep the display fridge at 0/+2 °C throughout the entire display period.
- Product separation: do not display fish in the same unit as dairy products or other fasting foods that readily absorb odours.
- Stock rotation: fresh fish has a short shelf life; check products daily and remove them immediately at the first signs of spoilage.
- Presentation: displaying on crushed ice inside the fridge improves appearance and maintains surface temperature, but make sure the unit allows drainage as the ice melts.
The ventilated display fridges in the MODACO range allow precise temperature control, making them suitable for both fish and other perishable fasting products.
Dairy fasting products: cheeses, brine cheese and yoghurt
During fasting periods, cheeses and dairy products often replace meat at daily meals, and demand for these products rises noticeably. Dairy items require temperatures between +2 and +6 °C and an orderly display that allows customers to easily see the available options.
Open horizontal display fridges are a popular choice in grocery stores for displaying dairy and cold cuts. The MODACO product catalogue includes the VF1000, VF1000D and VFX1000 series display fridges, manufactured in Romania at the company's own workshop in Găești — solutions perfectly suited to this type of horizontal display in shops and supermarkets.
Reorganising display fridges during fasting periods
Adapting your display does not necessarily mean purchasing new equipment. Sometimes an efficient reorganisation of the existing space is enough. Here are a few practical recommendations:
- Check the set temperatures on each display fridge before changing the type of product on show; do not display fish where the temperature cannot drop to 0/+2 °C.
- Thoroughly clean the display fridge before switching product categories — residual meat odours can affect fasting products.
- Clearly label fasting and non-fasting sections, especially if your store combines both categories in the same space.
- Increase restocking frequency for fish and dairy during peak periods to keep shelves full and products fresh.
When you need additional equipment
If the volume of fasting products exceeds the capacity of your existing display fridges, purchasing additional refrigeration equipment may be a temporary or permanent solution. MODACO dispatches in-stock products quickly — generally within 24–48 hours — and shipping costs are calculated at checkout.
Products sourced to order from import are delivered within 15–25 working days, so if you know in advance that you will need extra capacity for Lent or the Nativity Fast, plan your order well ahead of time.
Companies purchasing equipment for their own operations can request a wholesale volume quote, available for larger orders. If you are a distributor, online retailer or installation company looking to resell refrigeration equipment, you can apply for the B2B Partner Programme — approved partners benefit from personalised discounts and direct delivery to the end customer, with all documentation in order.
Prepare your store in advance
Fasting periods are predictable on the calendar, which gives you the advantage of planning ahead. Check your refrigeration equipment in advance, clean the display fridges, reconfigure temperatures and make sure you have sufficient space for products with increased demand. If you need new equipment or advice on choosing the right display fridge, contact the MODACO team at 0727.324.787 — our specialists can recommend the right solution for your type of business.