The Future of Commercial Kitchens: Energy Efficiency and Smarter Equipment  

 A Smarter, Greener Future for the Food Industry

Commercial kitchens are evolving faster than ever. Rising energy costs, sustainability targets, and advances in smart technology are reshaping how professional kitchens run. The next generation of equipment is not only built for performance but also for precision, insight, and accountability. These shifts are changing how owners, chefs, and caterers think about energy, maintenance, and profitability.

At Herits, we see this as an opportunity. Energy-efficient and connected kitchen equipment allows operators to control costs, reduce downtime, and meet growing expectations for sustainability, all while delivering exceptional food quality.

Energy costs are rising

The food service industry consumes large amounts of electricity and gas, often in round-the-clock operations. Every wasted kilowatt translates into lost profit. For SMEs, small savings on each appliance can add up to thousands of pounds over a year.

Modern catering equipment uses intelligent power management to balance performance with sustainability. Technologies such as variable-speed fans, demand-controlled ventilation, and advanced insulation reduce consumption without compromising output. Refrigeration systems, induction ranges, and energy-efficient combi ovens are leading examples.

By switching to refurbished or new high-efficiency units, businesses can lower their carbon footprint while meeting regulatory goals for net-zero operations.

Smart Equipment: The Connected Kitchen Revolution

The rise of the smart kitchen is transforming how managers oversee day-to-day operations. Internet of Things (IoT) technology now allows ovens, fridges, and dishwashers to communicate data about their performance, usage, and maintenance needs.

Key benefits of smart systems:

• Predictive maintenance: Monitors wear and tear, alerting you before failures occur.
• Energy analytics: Tracks consumption in real time, revealing where savings can be made.
• Remote control: Enables operators to adjust temperatures, schedules, and cycles from mobile devices.
• Compliance logging: Automatically records critical food safety data for audits.

At Herits, we help clients choose systems that balance innovation with practicality. Not every site needs full automation, but many benefit from equipment that provides clear insights into efficiency and reliability.

Sustainable Equipment Choices

The shift toward sustainability is not just about energy, it’s about lifecycle. Choosing refurbished catering equipment is one of the most effective ways to cut embodied carbon. Refurbished machines reuse durable components, keeping metal, plastic, and electronics out of landfill while delivering like-new performance.

Each Herits refurbished unit is tested, repaired, and certified for safety and reliability. The result: lower upfront costs, reduced environmental impact, and equipment that performs as well as new.

For operators seeking greener credentials, Herits also advises on waste reduction strategies such as eco-friendly disposals, responsible recycling, and energy recovery systems.

Data-Driven Kitchens: The New Competitive Edge

Data has become the most valuable ingredient in a modern kitchen. Smart meters, cloud-connected appliances, and energy dashboards allow owners to monitor efficiency minute by minute. This transparency helps decision-makers identify trends, schedule maintenance, and prove sustainability performance to clients and regulators.

Example applications:

• Energy tracking: Monitor consumption across all equipment to find high-use items.
• Downtime logs: Identify patterns of failure before they affect service.
• Staff training insights: Evaluate how usage behaviour affects energy and maintenance.

The more data you have, the better your decisions, and the stronger your profitability.

Automation and AI in Commercial Kitchens

Automation isn’t just for large food factories anymore. SMEs can now access affordable automation tools for consistency and safety. From programmable cooking cycles to dishwashers that detect soil levels, automation reduces waste and improves quality.

Artificial intelligence is also reshaping kitchen planning. Predictive systems analyse order data to adjust workflow, reducing idle time and improving throughput. The result is smoother service and lower labour intensity.

Herits stays ahead of these trends, helping clients find technology that truly adds value rather than complexity.

Smart kitchens are already here

Across the UK, commercial kitchens are quietly becoming data-driven workplaces. Rational’s ConnectedCooking platform now links more than 5,000 UK kitchens to the cloud, feeding real-time performance, hygiene, and maintenance data back to managers. Hobart’s SmartConnect system does the same for dishwashers, generating temperature logs, energy use reports, and instant error alerts. These tools are no longer pilot projects; they are standard options on new professional-grade equipment.

Compliance and efficiency are driving adoption

UK food safety rules make continuous, auditable temperature control a priority. The Food Standards Agency’s latest Managing Food Safety guidance highlights the need for accurate, retrievable records, which smart sensors now provide automatically. Many operators are replacing manual checks with digital monitoring that satisfies HACCP standards and flags faults before food safety risks arise. The move toward compliance-driven automation is the real engine of adoption.

Waste and cost savings are the proof

WRAP’s Food Waste Reduction Roadmap shows UK retailers prevented 19,000 tonnes of food waste in 2022 worth £62 million, with hospitality businesses following suit. IoT-based monitoring helps commercial kitchens achieve similar savings by tightening stock control and reducing spoilage. Add to that the predictive maintenance and energy data now available through connected ovens, fridges, and warewashers, and the business case for “smart” becomes tangible.

Designing for Efficiency

Smart equipment is only part of the picture. Energy efficiency starts with thoughtful layout and integration. Designing for optimal airflow, lighting, and service flow ensures each machine works at its best.

Herits Tips: Simple design strategies that make a big impact:

• Position refrigeration away from heat sources.
• Install efficient LED lighting and automated dimmers.
• Use heat recovery ventilation to reuse exhaust energy.
• Combine equipment loads on shared circuits for balanced power use.

When every part of the kitchen works together, savings multiply.

Compliance and Government Incentives

For 2025 and beyond the UK government offers grants, loans and tax-reliefs to support businesses and property-owners in investing in energy-efficiency and low-carbon technologies.

For a business, you should check the capital allowances on energy-efficient items guidance (for tax relief) and look at grants/loans via the Energy Efficiency for Businesses portal.

Make sure any asset/equipment qualifies under the rules (e.g., meets the “energy efficient or low/zero-carbon” threshold) and keep documentation.

Also review regional/local schemes if you own properties or operate in sectors covered by special incentives (e.g., industrial decarbonisation).

Because eligibility and scheme details evolve, always check the latest guidance on GOV.UK or seek expert advice.

Herits helps businesses find which incentives apply to their purchases, turning sustainability into a financial advantage.

How Herits Supports Smart Transitions

Upgrading a commercial kitchen can feel daunting. Herits makes the process simple with tailored recommendations based on performance data, site audits, and long-term cost projections. Whether you’re building new, refurbishing, or expanding, we help you invest wisely.

Through our online tools, like the Total Cost of Ownership Calculator and Equipment Scorecard, you can see how modern, efficient systems compare against older units in real financial terms.

We also work closely with refurbishment partners to recover, renew, and redeploy quality equipment safely. It’s a smarter, circular approach to catering that benefits both business and planet.

The Next Step for Your Kitchen

Tomorrow’s kitchens are smarter, cleaner, and more connected than ever before. But they’re also more accessible. Whether you’re an independent café or a large-scale caterer, smart and sustainable solutions are within reach.

By investing in energy efficiency and technology now, you future-proof your business for years to come. Lower costs, smoother operations, and better compliance start with better choices.

Herits: where innovation meets reliability.

Explore sustainable, smart, and efficient commercial kitchen equipment at herits.co.uk.