EPTA COMPLETES A NEW TURNKEY PROJECT IN THE NORDIC REGION: K-SUPERMARKET KARJARANTA OPENS IN PORI
The recent K-Supermarket Karjaranta in Pori, Finland, officially opened its doors for customers last year, and is now fully operational. Epta is proud to have supported this launch, delivering a turnkey project in the Nordic region, by installing innovative Costan-brandedrefrigeration solutions, which adopt transcritical CO₂ technology, reflecting a shared commitment to sustainability and energy efficiency.
Set beside the extensive river-lake basin of Kumo, the K-Supermarket serves as a key destination for Finnish consumers, offering an ever-evolving range of local ready-made dishes and ingredients that celebrate the richness of the country’s culinary tradition.
With a network of over 250 K-Supermarkets on Finnish ground and a reputation for being Finland’s most customer-centric chain, Kesko has chosen Epta as its strategic technology partner to ensure optimal preservation of fresh and frozen products while maximisingstore profitability.
“Epta has proven to be a reliable and solution-oriented partner throughout the entire process,” states Jussi Valkama, Store Owner of K-Supermarket Karjaranta, who continues “Epta’s team was hands-on and professional from delivery to installation. The end result is a high-performing, visually appealing store that has been very well received by our customers and supports our business goals from day one”.
EPTA’S REFRIGERATION PRESERVES THE TASTE OF FINLAND
The flavours of Finland are showcased in every refrigerated cabinet of both fresh and frozen departments, harnessing Epta's most advanced refrigeration technologies. Key models installed include:
GranVista Next positive temperature remote upright cabinets from the GranFit family, available in both open and full-glass-door versions and with full-height doors, offering unparalleled product visibility and an exclusive design;
- GranValdaj semi-vertical cabinets for pre-packaged fresh products equipped with sliding doors, featuring innovative cross-merchandising solutions that incorporate dry products above the display;
- the traditional Velvet N assisted-service and Velvet N LS free-standing refrigerated display cabinets from Costan's Outfit range, dedicated to meat, cold meats and dairy products, delivering an excellent display area to floor space ratio;
- all-new layouts for the frozen food product area; harnessing a combination of transparencies, they utilize semi-upright negative modules such as the GranSesia, vertical units such as the GranBering, and horizontal ones such as the Tortuga2. All of which share a flexible layout and unrivalled energy performance.
FUNCTIONAL DESIGN AND TERRITORIAL IDENTITY: A TRIBUTE TO NORTHERN EUROPE
The project goes beyond technological innovation and achieves efficiency while showcasing the local cultural backdrop. The interior design of the store has been conceived to reflect the essence of Nordic tradition. It sees customised solutions down to the slightest details that reflect the territorial identity, featuring extensive use of natural wood, a material that represents local craftsmanship, and a cool colour palette inspired by the landscapes of the North.
In addition, LED lighting built into the store windows accentuates the focal points of the display, guiding the customer's gaze along an enticing path which ensures the store is an experiential hub in its own right.
"The K-Supermarket in Pori represents a benchmark for food retail in Northern Europe. A year after its completion, EptaService's remote monitoring shows refrigeration performance that exceeds expectations, confirming the robustness of the Group's integrated approach" states Juha Weckström, Area Sales Manager of Epta Finland Oy, who concludes "It is a replicable model that combines technological innovation, energy efficiency and experiential design, all crafted to support the competitiveness of retailers in evolved markets strongly oriented towards sustainability”.
