Decarbonization and Stewardship: It Just Makes (Dollars and) Sense

The DNA of Flō: Stewardship at Our Core

In an era when environmental consciousness is politically polarizing, Flō Energy Solutions focuses on innovation. Our company’s mission and vision extend beyond mere profit margins; they reflect our intrinsic belief in the power of good stewardship.

 

 

 

Regardless of political leanings, we find common ground in our commitment to improving our world — particularly through food retail ecosystems. At Flō, this ethos is embodied in what we call the “4-Ps” : People, Products, Planet, and Profit.

 

People: The Engine of Innovation

We are a company made up of problem solvers and innovative thinkers. Our company was born when, in 1998, founder and CEO Bryan Elliott was asked to solve a problem for a grocer. He solved it and the rest, as they say, is history.

Ever since, we have done our best to foster an environment of innovation, giving our people the runway to use their creativity. After all, we believe there’s always A Better Way(™) to create products that enhance your customers’ shopping experience. Crisp, clear freezer doors; safe, dry floors; efficient, optimized mechanical systems – all contribute to the overall comfort and shopper experience that encourages prolonged visits and repeat business.

 

Products: Engineered for Results

With over 25 years of specialization in food retail, we tackle climate control challenges head-on. As the sole provider of DOAS+ with Adaptive Multi-Path ™ Technology , we have revolutionized the way food retail environments manage indoor climate.

Our unique approach:

  • Adapts to various loads and climates, ensuring optimal balance of HVAC performance and energy usage
  • Makes it simple to prototype, creating the perfect store environment
  • Solves humidity problems in a manner that guarantees customer satisfaction

But we go beyond just dehumidification and in-store climate optimization.

Way beyond, in fact.

With the global push for decarbonization, many food retailers are feeling the pressure to switch to low-GWP refrigerants and are facing mandates to electify their stores. One key innovation that addresses these pressures is a natural offshoot of our approach to HVAC design for food retail.

Put simply, we have the ability to:

  • provide free cooling as a by-product of dehumidification
  • provide free heating as a by-product harnessing waste heat from your CO2 refrigeration system

The amount of free cooling and heat is dependent on several variables, but it is almost always significantly impactful. We do this with no additional equipment, no costly increase to electrical service, and while usually reducing the tonnage on your roof.  Importantly, a key side-benefit to this innovation is that it improves the performance of the other mechanical systems in your stores.

We call this good stewardship.

 

Planet: A Collective Responsibility

Every member of the Flō team is a steward of their roles, their unique gifts and the company as a whole. So naturally, we believe we should also be good stewards of our planet. Our calling is specifically in the food retail space. The technology we deploy focuses on dehumidification, ventilation, and decarbonized climate control,while enhancing energy performance.

The short term benefit is clear freezer doors, safe and dry floors, and a comfortable shopping environment — but longer term, this naturally helps you meet or exceed decarbonization benchmarks.

 

Profit: The Ultimate Synergy

Flō’s HVAC technology simplifies and optimizes rooftop systems, and can integrate with CO 2 refrigeration systems to improve the overall performance and energy position of the entire food retail ecosystem.

These innovations not only improve retail environments but also lead to increased profitability for store owners and decreased costs for customers. This creates a cycle in which every stakeholder benefits — proving that profitability need not come at the cost of responsible stewardship.

 

Conclusion

At Flō, we believe that good stewardship is an individual mandate. It’s woven into the fabric of our company. As we continue to innovate, provide solutions that benefit people, protect our planet, and generate profit, we’re grateful to lead and empower our customers to become better stewards themselves. In doing so, we fulfill our mission of always finding A Better Way™ — to better steward the resources we’ve been given.