GEA has equipped a new controlled-atmosphere facility for South African apple and pear producer Betko Fresh Produce, extending fruit storage to up to 14 months while reducing peak power demand by 20 percent. The facility enables Betko to process approximately 50,000 additional fruit bins annually. More than 37,000 bins passed through the facility during its first season, exceeding the original design capacity.
The Western Cape complex has 24 controlled-atmosphere stores, each holding 1,200 bins, with provision for another 24 stores in a second phase. Bins are stacked 11 high instead of the industry standard of 10 within a 5,000-square-meter (approximately 53,820-square-foot) footprint. The facility also uses insulated floors.
The refrigeration plant includes three GEA Grasso V series reciprocating compressors and a fourth identical standby unit. Variable frequency drives regulate compressor speeds between 500 and 1,500 RPM, supporting smooth ramp-up without power spikes and lower-speed operation during quieter winter months. The compressor configuration and high-pressure liquid subcooling contributed to the targeted reduction in peak power consumption.
GEA’s Adaptive Suction Set Point Control collects data from each chamber and recalculates its optimal operating point every 60 seconds. The refrigeration system, building envelope and storage layout were developed as an integrated design.
Construction began in March 2024, and the first fruit entered controlled-atmosphere storage on February 17, 2025. Betko and GEA have worked together continuously since 1992. “The starting point of this project was energy optimization,” said Shaun Kleb, Head of Project Sales Southern and Eastern Africa at GEA. “We examined every part of the operation for potential energy savings and challenged conventional assumptions about the facility design.”
