AoFrio Launches Ask iQ to Enhance Beverage Industry Fleet Management

AoFrio, a company with over two decades of experience in commercial refrigeration, has introduced Ask iQ, an AI-enabled feature designed to enhance the management and analysis of connected cooler fleets. This new tool aims to provide personalized insights to beverage brands managing large fleets of cold drink equipment assets.

The launch of Ask iQ comes in response to a growing demand for AI in the beverage industry. According to AoFrio's 2026 industry survey, 77% of beverage company respondents expressed interest in trialling AI-driven predictive maintenance within the next six to twelve months. This indicates a significant shift towards leveraging advanced technologies to improve the performance and return on investment (ROI) of cold drink equipment.

AoFrio's CEO, Greg Balla, highlighted the importance of Ask iQ in making cooler fleet data more accessible and actionable.

Ask iQ is specifically designed for commercial refrigeration, providing tailored insights based on each customer's unique fleet data. The feature allows fleet managers to create custom reporting or find answers outside standard dashboards, thereby tailoring insights to their specific business needs. This tool is intended to help identify issues across asset protection, maintenance, commercial performance, and sustainability.

The AoFrio SCS 800 Controller, a key component of the system, captures rich, always-on telemetry from equipment in the field. This data feeds directly into AoFrio iQ, providing customers with greater visibility into the performance and location of their coolers. The controller and the secure software used to manage the fleet are part of the same system, ensuring seamless integration and improved data quality.

AoFrio's approach to delivering insights on connected coolers brings together hardware and software, designed to work as one secure and intelligent system. The company has more than 3.7 million coolers connected to its platform, giving it significant visibility into cooler performance. AoFrio's deep domain expertise is applied to the customer's own fleet data, improving decision-making and helping asset managers and users find relevant information faster.

Ask iQ applies AoFrio's machine learning algorithms to the customer's data, creating value in four key areas: 1. Asset Protection: Location information and alerts to identify potential theft, misuse, or incorrect placement. 2. Coolers Run for Less: Early fault indicators and remote diagnostics to help service teams investigate problems before equipment downtime or more expensive repairs. 3. Sell More: Usage and performance data to help identify at-risk outlets, underperforming assets, and opportunities to improve cooler placement. 4. Cut Energy Use: Whole-cooler power measurement gives better information for managing energy consumption and reporting against sustainability targets, including Scope 3 emissions.

Balla emphasized the importance of reliable data in the effectiveness of AI solutions.

AoFrio's integrated model is intended to improve the quality and usefulness of the data available to customers, while reducing the need to piece together different solutions from multiple vendors. The demand for richer, cellular-enabled data is already visible across the industry, with 66% of beverage company respondents surveyed expressing interest in trialling or adopting always-on connectivity in the next six to twelve months.

AoFrio's innovative approach to commercial refrigeration management is set to revolutionize the way beverage companies handle their cold drink equipment assets. By providing personalized insights and actionable data, Ask iQ is poised to enhance operational efficiency and drive sustainable growth in the industry.