The automated convenience store systems (shown below, left and middle) were designed by an international manufacturer and built by Air Innovations for North American distribution. They are free-standing, self-service outdoor units that provide 24-hour access to as many as 200 items in a refrigerated environment, from fresh milk to soda to snacks, plus health and beauty aids. They also deliver products via robotic controls so there's no need for round-the-clock supervisory personnel. The systems automatically relay sales information to vending machine providers for real-time sales activity monitoring form remote locations. Show 24's are now being installed in major airports across the U.S. for the convenience of busy travelers on-the-go. They can also be located outside, for instance, at college campuses and in shopping plazas, sheltered from weather by customer-specific enclosures.
Air Innovations recently developed a cooling system for an original equipment customer that sells banana quality control systems to supermarkets and wholesale food clubs (below, right). The prototype is a turnkey solution that provides uniform temperature control to manage the ripening process and help eliminate handling damage for fragile product at the store level. The end result is that the bananas, which are a grocer store's #1 selling item, can be displayed at optimal ripening levels, reducing waste and labor costs to the supermarkets.
