Choosing the right refrigerated vehicle for your business
In sectors where the cold chain is critical, the choice of refrigerated vehicle is not simply a question of volume or budget. Whether you're a butcher, caterer, greengrocer or pharmaceutical distributor, each business has its own constraints: health regulations, urban accessibility, the need for mobile storage, or compliance with temperature standards.
Petit Forestier, the refrigerated vehicle rental specialist, can help you meet these requirements with solutions that are perfectly suited to your business. Thanks to our business expertise and tailor-made range, you can run your business with confidence, with a reliable, high-performance vehicle that meets your field requirements.
Why adapt your refrigerated vehicle to your business?
All refrigeration professionals know an ill-adapted vehicle means a failed delivery round, compromised goods... and lost sales. The right choice depends on a number of very specific criteria:
- The temperature(s) to be maintained: depending on whether you're transporting frozen products, meat, pastries, medicines or fruit, the requirements change (positive, negative, single or multi-temperature).
- The rhythm of the rounds: short journeys with many stops in the city centre or long distances in the regions… the uses have an impact on the type of vehicle to be preferred.
- Business constraints: regulatory standards, brand visibility, etc.
With more than 80,000 refrigerated vehicles available for hire, Petit Forestier understands the operational realities of each business. Our role? To offer you the right solution, at the right time, in the right place, according to your needs. From tailor-made fleets to 24/7 assistance, telematics, driver training and additional insurance (such as Smart Protect), everything we do is designed to make your life easier.
Butchery, slaughterhouse, top-of-the-range meat: high standards and adapted vehicles
Transporting meat isn't just about keeping it cool. It means guaranteeing impeccable hygiene, strict temperature control and delivery without breaking the cold chain. Meat professionals - butchers, abattoirs, short distribution channels - therefore need vehicles that are robust, practical and comply with health standards.
What needs to be taken into account
- Reinforced interior fittings: to withstand heavy loads, damp and frequent cleaning, the body must be fitted with appropriate materials (stainless steel lining, reinforced roof, sheet metal on rear doors, non-slip floor, lashing systems).
- Efficient loading solutions: meat gantry, sliding rails, tail lift... so many options to make everyday life easier for our teams.
- Volumes adapted to each profile: a city-centre butcher will not need the same van as an inter-regional haulier.
Our Petit Forestier recommendations
- < 3.5 t - 2 to 5 m³: ideal for butchers or short distribution channels in urban areas. Easy access, no special permit required, optimised body.
- 3.5 t to 7.2 t - 6 to 8 pallets: perfect for abattoirs or just-in-time deliveries. More capacity, with integrated meat gantry. Example of equipment: bi-rails at central exit and wolf tooth bars.
- Heavy goods vehicles from 10 t - up to 23 pallets: for large volumes or long-distance rounds. Often used by specialist hauliers. Example: HGV with full wardrobe, tail lift.
Service that makes all the difference
Meat professionals are subject to intense operational pressure, particularly during the festive season. That's why Petit Forestier offers a range of services to make your business more secure:
- 24/7 assistance and a relay vehicle available in case of unforeseen circumstances.
- Regular maintenance and compulsory checks managed directly at the branch.
- Driver training in proper cold handling and load safety.
Refrigerated vehicle hire for bakeries and patisseries: what solutions for your business?
In the bakery and patisserie sector, cold management is just as important as product quality. Whether you're delivering speciality breads to hotels, fine pastries to city-centre chains or large-scale frozen products, you need a refrigerated vehicle designed for professional use.
That's the whole point of hiring a refrigerated vehicle from Petit Foresiter: to get a model that's adapted to your routes, volumes and production constraints, without having to manage maintenance or downtime.
The right choices for your profile
- < 3.5 t - 2 to 7 m³: ideal for retailers in urban areas, with easy access to city centres, particularly for early-morning deliveries. Example: internal combustion or electric vehicle, ideal for the EPZ.
- 3.5 t - 9 to 14 m³: a versatile format, perfect for bakery deliveries on a daily basis, with many useful options (side door, shelves, ventilation grilles, tailgate).
- 7.2 t - 7 to 8 pallets: for a larger load volume, potentially requiring a tailgate.
- 10 t to 12 t - up to 15 pallets: recommended for manufacturers or pastry wholesalers, with greater loading capacity for inter-site rounds.
A vehicle designed for your routes
In this sector, deliveries are often short, but numerous. A refrigerated vehicle for professional use must therefore guarantee:
- A constant temperature for sensitive products (creams, chocolate, frozen foods).
- Smooth loading ergonomics to optimise time on the road.
- Meticulous presentation: your vehicle is seen by your end customers and conveys the image of your brand.
Freshness, volume, seasonality: the right refrigerated vehicle for fruit and vegetable professionals
When you're a greengrocer, preserving fresh produce is a constant challenge. Too much heat, badly calibrated ventilation or a delay in delivery, and all the produce loses quality - and therefore value.
Whether you're a retailer, a distributor or involved in short distribution circuits, hiring a refrigerated vehicle suited to your business is essential if you are to meet your commitments, preserve your products and manage seasonal peaks.
The demands of the greengrocer's trade
- A stable temperature, often positive cold, with a ventilation system that protects the most sensitive fruit.
- Variable routes: from the last kilometre to inter-site delivery, with frequent stops or mobile sales outlets.
- Capacity adapted to the volume and type of packaging (fruit pallets, wooden crates, cartons).
Which vehicles should I hire for my fruit and vegetables business?
- 3.5 t - 15 m³: perfect for delivery from MINs or B2B deliveries to retailers. Features include a widened body, side door, tailgate lift and reinforced suspension to maintain good road holding under heavy loads, plus an optional folding rear curtain.
- HGVs from 10 to 19 t - up to 21 pallets: recommended for distributors or supermarket operators with large quantities to transport. Example: high-volume HGV - tailgate, optimised box for specific fruit & vegetable pallets (1200 x 1000 mm).
Good to know for fresh produce professionals
- A single-temperature box with a smooth floor is often sufficient, but the addition of a curtain or partitioning system can increase efficiency.
- For deliveries in urban or organic/local areas, a 100% electric refrigerated van for professional use can be a real marketing asset.
- Flexible rental (short or medium term) is particularly useful during the high season (April to October) or in tourist areas.
Hiring a refrigerated vehicle for a produce business must combine reliability, adaptability... and a real respect for the product. At Petit Forestier, that's our speciality.
Event deliveries or delivery: what refrigerated vehicle should you hire if you're a caterer?
Weddings, festivals, company seminars or meal delivery... the catering business is based on delivering services with no room for error. Your products have to arrive at the right temperature, at the right time, and in perfect condition. And often, the refrigerated vehicle also serves as a mobile storage area at the event venue.
In this context, hiring a refrigerated van adapted to the catering business means you can guarantee the cold chain while remaining flexible in terms of fleet management.
The realities of the catering business
- Dual use: transport + temporary storage on site.
- Variable routes: short distances, multiple stops, sometimes difficult access (city centre, private premises, etc.).
- Intense rush periods, particularly between May and September, and at the end of the year.
The right choices for your business
- < 3.5 t - 4 to 6 m³: ideal for small events or B2B/B2C meal delivery, a manoeuvrable vehicle with an optimised interior layout, perfect for urban areas.
- 3.5 t - 11 to 12 m³: for medium to large events (50 to 100 people). Example of equipment: tailgate, lashing rails, strip curtains, optional lift-up shelves.
And when it comes to key events, there's no room for the unexpected
In this business, hiring a refrigerated vehicle for professional use must be synonymous with maximum reliability:
- Relay vehicle available in the event of an incident.
- Made-to-measure configuration: shelves, ladders, side door, movable partition that can be raised for a multi-temperature vehicle.
- Possibility of adding refrigerated units or containers for peak periods.
Customised solutions, including alternative engines
To meet the challenges of every business, we offer refrigerated vehicles with electric, natural gas or biofuel engines. Our experts can advise you according to your constraints: an electric vehicle will be ideal in urban areas, but may reduce the payload. The right energy for every application, without compromising on performance.
Petit Forestier: refrigerated hire designed for refrigeration professionals
Each profession has its own constraints. A caterer does not have the same needs as a fruit and vegetable distributor, a pharmacist or a butcher. But they all have one thing in common: the need to keep the cold under control, whatever the circumstances.
Petit Forestier doesn't just offer a vehicle: we understand your business. That's what enables us to guide you towards the solution best suited to your use, with the right volume, the right equipment, the right configuration... and above all, flawless reliability.
Leasing then becomes much more than a practical choice. It's a way of gaining peace of mind, remaining flexible, coping with peaks in activity without tying up your budget. So you can concentrate on what you do best: serving your customers.
Looking for a refrigerated vehicle to suit your business?
Are you a caterer, baker, greengrocer or professional transporting sensitive products? Our team is here to advise you and offer you a tailor-made refrigerated van for professional use, ready to use, from 24 hours and for as long as you need.
Request a quote online or contact your nearest branch directly.
Petit Forestier. The cold you can trust.