Equipment in the Modern Deli

New technology is helping retailers reduce labor and improve safety.

The supermarket deli has become a more complex place to operate. Retailers are being asked to offer more prepared foods, build stronger grab-and-go programs, maintain high food safety standards, and create displays that compete with restaurants and convenience stores — often with fewer employees available to do the work.

All these factors are changing the equipment conversation. Today, retailers are looking at how quickly employees can learn a machine, how easily it can be cleaned, whether it eliminates manual steps, and how it fits into a department built around convenience.

Equipment is also becoming part of the merchandising strategy. Open-air cases can move prepared foods closer to shoppers; combination units can create compact meal-solution destinations; and automated systems can help operators produce and replenish food before peak periods.

LABOR SAVINGS START WITH WORKFLOW

Slicing remains one of the most labor-intensive jobs behind the deli counter, making automation an obvious place to start.

Daniel Tsiakos, vice president of sales and marketing for Univex Corp., Salem, NH, points to automatic carriage slicers (such as the company’s 8713S and 1000S) as equipment that can keep running without an employee continuously standing over the machine.

“One associate can keep the slicer running while also handling packaging or helping a customer,” he says.

Ryan Feasel, vice president of sales and marketing for Globe Food Equipment Co., Dayton, OH, also sees automatic slicing as a direct labor saver. He points to slicer food chutes that can process bulk quantities of tomatoes, onions, lettuce and other vegetables, as well as food fences that produce even slices faster than manual preparation.

“Automating as much of the preparation as possible helps these operations to be more efficient,” he says. “Planetary mixers and automatic slicers can speed production while reducing waste and improving consistency.”

Sliced2Go, Elgin, IL, is taking automation a step further by combining slicing with packaging, weighing and labeling. Michael Byers, president of Sliced2Go, notes its PX3 system can produce up to 120 packages per hour after an employee loads the product and starts the machine.

“Our goal is not to replace employees, but to help them become more productive,” he says.

That can be especially important because deli associates are asked to handle customer service, hot-food preparation, cleaning, stocking, and other responsibilities in addition to slicing.

Troy, OH-based Hobart (an ITW Food Equipment Group LLC brand) is taking some of the weighing work out of slicing. Carolyn Bilger, marketing director for Hobart Food Prep Products, notes the company’s HS Series portion scale slicers integrate a scale, so employees do not have to walk to a separate unit after slicing meat or cheese.

The automatic HS7-1PS also has a SmartSlice function that operates until it reaches a pre-selected product weight, while a Stack function helps employees portion product for packaging.

“After slicing and stacking product, it’s easy for the deli operator to package up the meats and cheeses,” she says.

Labor efficiency is also moving beyond physical equipment. Hugo Walker, head of marketing for mezzeIQ, Bristol, U.K., says AI-powered ordering can analyze sales trends, inventory levels and demand patterns to help prepared-food suppliers produce closer to actual demand.

“By automating demand forecasting and generating recommended orders, mezzeIQ reduces the amount of manual admin that customer service staff have to do, allowing them to spend more time on higher-value tasks,” he says.

FOOD SAFETY BUILT IN

The easier equipment is to clean correctly, the better chance employees will follow sanitation procedures consistently. Manufacturers are responding with removable components, smoother surfaces, automated reminders, and safeguards designed into the machine.

Globe, for example, offers a four-hour cleaning notification that alerts the operator as the cleaning window approaches and shuts the slicer down after four hours of operation until it is cleaned.

“The clear text graphic display will alert you as you approach the four-hour timer,” says Feasel.

Univex slicers use anodized aluminum housings with smooth, rounded transitions intended to route liquid and debris away from controls and operator touchpoints. A concave base casting and drip tray fence direct liquids toward drainage rather than allowing them to pool.

Hobart’s HS Series slicers include removable parts, including a removable knife that opens hard-to-reach areas. The knife can be cleaned in a three-compartment sink or dish machine, while a one-piece base reduces crevices where bacteria can collect.

Its CleanCut knife has a removable design with Zero-Knife exposure intended to prevent unintentional blade contact during cleaning and sharpening. The slicers also incorporate interlocks, an automatic 30-second shutoff, a close-to-stop feature and a no-volt release.

Technology can intervene when employees are not present. Anthony Tortoriello, director of sales, foodservice in North America for AeriTek, Kennesaw, GA, notes the company’s Minus Forty merchandisers can include SmartLock health timer technology. The system monitors compartment temperature and automatically locks the door if the temperature remains above the trigger point for 30 minutes, preventing product access until the food can be inspected.

MERCHANDISING BECOMES EQUIPMENT STRATEGY

As delis shift toward prepared foods and meal solutions, the equipment holding the food can be as important as the equipment producing it.

Tortoriello sees flexible merchandising equipment helping retailers move from a primarily made-to-order model toward a blend of counter service and prepackaged meals. Multi-purpose open-air merchandisers that support hot, cold, or ambient products can change roles throughout the day.

“It might hold salads and sandwiches at lunch, ambient snacks or bakery products in the afternoon, and hot prepared meals during the evening rush,” he says.

Holding technology matters, too. Tortoriello notes contact heat can help hot foods retain moisture and texture better than systems relying primarily on convection, while gravity refrigeration can reduce moisture loss by avoiding continuous airflow across cold foods.

Self-service slicing offers another way for retailers to bridge traditional deli service and grab-and-go convenience. Sliced2Go’s Byers says customers increasingly expect speed, but do not necessarily want to sacrifice freshly sliced product.

“Customers still want fresh deli products; they just don’t want to wait in line.”

— Michael Byers, Sliced2Go, Elgin, IL

Sliced2Go recommends placing slicing equipment where shoppers can see food being prepared throughout the day, reinforcing the freshness message much like an open bakery or visible food preparation area. The company also uses transparent packaging and suggests offering different slice thicknesses in self-service cases rather than limiting shoppers to one standard option.

Marjorie Proctor, senior marketing and design manager for Hillphoenix, part of Dover Food Retail, Conyers, GA, says self-contained display cases using R-290 refrigerant give retailers more freedom to change merchandising without a major remodel.

“A retailer can roll in a mobile spot merchandiser to a strategic location, plug it in and have a high-performing, energy-efficient destination within a few hours,” she says.

That flexibility allows stores to create a “dinner tonight” destination or test new programs.

Packaging completes the presentation. Salvatore Giglia, president of Ovtene, Marion, MA, says the company’s films are designed around fresh foods, with a matte, tactile finish rather than the high-gloss appearance common to many packaging films.

The film is designed to preserve taste, aroma, texture and appearance while adhering closely to meats and cheeses. Its fold memory helps packages maintain a neat appearance with less handling.

“The result is an attractive package that enhances product presentation while supporting operational efficiency and helping drive sales in the fresh food department,” he says.

BUY FOR FLEXIBILITY AND TOTAL COST

For retailers evaluating upgrades, manufacturers consistently point back to fit: equipment should match actual volume, available labor, menu strategy, and the department’s physical layout.

Univex’s Tsiakos recommends sizing equipment for the duty cycle it will actually face. A slicer rated for a few hours of daily use can wear quickly if operators push it continuously.

“Paying for one tier heavier than seems necessary almost always pays for itself in less downtime,” he says.

He also recommends considering total cost of ownership, parts availability, service support, and employee input before purchasing.

Flexibility will become even more important as menus and shopping habits change. AeriTek expects unattended and partially unattended merchandising to grow, increasing demand for displays that can accommodate different foods, temperatures and dayparts.

Dover Food Retail sees the same need for adaptability, along with more attention to workflow and refrigeration systems using natural refrigerants such as CO2 and R-290.

Walker expects AI to move beyond forecasting into production scheduling, labor allocation and real-time replenishment. He says retailers should look for cloud-based platforms that integrate with existing systems and produce measurable improvements.