BETTER BUYING POWER FOR SCHOOLS school purchasing
Term 3, 2025 | Winter Issue
It’s hard to believe that Term 3 is already upon us.
As the pace of life continues to accelerate, the turn of the financial year is a pertinent time to reflect, not only on our business achievements, but also on our social contributions.
This year, ASCA has been able to donate a record amount to our Charity Partners. We were even able to facilitate a one-off donation to The Clontarf Foundation, who assist young indigenous boys develop improved self-esteem and confidence, which assists them to participate in education, employment and society in a positive way.
As we move through another dynamic school term, we recognise the growing pressures faced by educators and school communities. From managing evolving student needs to navigating funding constraints and staffing shortages, the challenges are real—but so is the resilience and innovation we continue to witness across our member schools.
At ASCA, we are proud to
ASCA PROFITS SUPPORT AUSTRALIAN CHARITIES
stand beside you, offering practical support through our supplier partnerships and purchasing arrangements. Your continued engagement not only strengthens your school’s operations but also contributes to a broader purpose. Every dollar spent through ASCA’s Preferred Supplier channels helps us reinvest in the education sector and extend vital support to the charities we proudly partner with. How do you do this? It’s simple: when looking for a supplier, start by visiting our website. This will not only save you time searching for a reputable supplier who understands the school market, but when ordering, ensure you make it known that you are an ASCA member to realise the full benefits we have negotiated on your behalf.
This edition of Smart Schools brings you fresh supplier offers, practical resources, and inspiring updates from across the ASCA network. Whether you’re looking to streamline your purchasing or discover new ways to enhance your school environment, we hope you find value in these pages.
Thank you for your ongoing support—it’s making a difference in more ways than one.
Christine Bucca, ASCA CEO.
While ASCA’s primary purpose is to maximise purchasing effectiveness for schools, we also have a secondary purpose which is to direct funds to charities which support the education and welfare of vulnerable school-aged children.
As a not-for-profit organisation, ASCA donates its surplus funds each year to a range of registered charities.
ACAS's School Supplier Partners
ASCA continually reviews the suppliers we recommend to bring your school savings and to assist with buying advice. If we can assist you in your procurement needs, please email office@asca.com.au – visit asca.com.au for more information.
EDUCATION RESOURCES
EDUCATION PERFECT
Online teaching and learning toolkit
ESSENTIAL ASSESSMENT
Numeracy and Literacy assessment platform
NÜDEL KART
Loose Parts Play Carts
OFFICEWORKS
General education resources
OFFICE SUPPLY and SERVICES
eFULFILLMENT SERVICES
Print and mailing solutions
ENQUIRY TRACKER
Enrolment management system
FLAGWORLD
Marketing and promotional flags and banners
JB HI-FI EDUCATION
Technology equipment and solutions.
LIVCOR
First aid training and equipment
OFFICEWORKS
General office products
ONSITE SHREDDING COMPANY
Secure document destruction
SCHOOLZINE
eNewsletters and digital communications
MORTGAGE CHOICE*
Mortgage brokers
THE GOOD GUYS COMMERCIAL*
Electrical equipment
THE SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHER ALLIANCE
photography, video and virtual tours
PARENT PURCHASES
CADBURY FUNDRAISING
Fundraising for schools
CAMPION AUSTRALIA
Printed and digital education resources
EDSTART
School fee management solutions
FLEXISCHOOLS
Online parent ordering and cashless payments
MY SCHOOL CONNECT
Online parent ordering and cashless payments
OFFICEWORKS
General home & office products
THE SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHER ALLIANCE
Photography, video and virtual tours
UMS
School uniforms
UNIFORM GROUP
School uniforms
PROPERTY, FACILITIES, and SERVICES
API ACCESS & SECURITY*
Locksmiths and security
BFX FURNITURE
Innovative furniture solutions
BUNNINGS TRADE
Facilities management and equipment
CHOICE ENERGY
Energy solutions advocate
CROWN PROPERTY SERVICES
Commercial cleaning and property services
FLAGWORLD
Marketing and promotional flags and banners
GYM AND FITNESS
Gym Equipment and fit-outs
HONEYWELL
Building management systems
JOHN DEERE
Turf care products
MAMACHI
Energy management – advisory and technology
RACV COMMERCIAL ENERGY SOLUTIONS
Solar energy solutons
STUDENT RIDE
Safe & Smart School Transport Solutions
THE GOOD GUYS COMMERCIAL*
IT and electrical equipment
SYSTEMS and TECHNOLOGY
CLASS CREATOR
Class creation software
ENQUIRY TRACKER
Enrolment management system
ESSENTIAL ASSESSMENT
Numeracy and Literacy assessment platform.
JB HI-FI EDUCATION
Technology equipment and solutions.
LEARNING WITH TECHNOLOGIES
IT and Computer hardware
RTG
IT equipment and services
SENTRAL
School Management System
SIMON
Learning management software for schools
THE GOOD GUYS COMMERCIAL*
IT and electrical equipment
CANTEEN and CATERING
See food and beverage suppliers in ASCA’s Canteen newsletter
ASCAplus STAFF BENEFITS
All school staff members are eligible to make personal purchases from our ASCAplus suppliers. See ‘*’ for those suppliers offering discounts and special pricing to your school staff.
STUDENTRIDE: SAFE, SMART, SUSTAINABLE SCHOOL TRAVEL
Transform Your School’s Transport with StudentRide + Exclusive ASCA Offer
Why StudentRide is the Game-Changer for Home-to-School Transport
Tired of fielding parent complaints about late buses or juggling driver schedules? StudentRide takes the wheel to make home-to-school transport a breeze. Our real-time tracking keeps parents in the loop with live bus updates, slashing calls to your office. AI-optimised routes cut travel times and fuel costs, while our vetted drivers and strict safety checks ensure students arrive safely. Plus, our sustainable practices reduce emissions, making your school greener. Say goodbye to transport headaches and hello to happy families and efficient operations with StudentRide.
Find the Perfect Transport Solution for Your School
Struggling with bus delays, driver shortages, or admin overload? At StudentRide, we’ve got you covered with four tailored school transport solutions to make your home-toschool runs and excursions safe, smart, and stress-free.
• Own Buses? Outsource Management: Keep your fleet, but let our Parent App, Driver App, and School Dashboard optimise routes, track buses live, and handle parent queries.
• No Buses? Fully Outsource: We provide compliant buses, vetted drivers, and tech for daily runs, sports, and camps—zero hassle.
• Have a Team? Upgrade Tech: Empower your staff with our web-based tools to streamline routes, safety, and bookings without changing your setup.
• School Network? Centralise Control: Unify transport across campuses with our School Dashboard, ensuring safety, savings, and sustainability.
Discover how we boost student safety, cut costs, and make parents smile at https://studentride.com.au/solutions/. Ready to transform your transport? Fill out our School Transport Questionnaire and we’ll get back to you for a discussion.
25% Discount on School Transport Audits for ASCA Members
As an ASCA member, you’re eligible for an exclusive 25% discount on StudentRide’s full transport audit and consultation! Our experts will assess your home-to-school and excursion operations, identifying ways to boost student safety, cut costs, and enhance efficiency. From driver compliance to route optimisation, we’ll craft a tailored plan to transform your transport.
How to Claim:
• Fill out our School Transport Questionnaire
• Mention your ASCA membership when speaking with our representatives
Don’t miss this chance to revamp your school’s transport at a reduced rate. Connect with us now!
Classroom Essentials Service
Choose from individual parent buy, school buy or a mix that works for your 2026 Back to School needs.
We’ve made it even easier for parents and guardians to purchase individual booklist items directly through our online School List Service. It’s the cost-effective option that gives you 10% back for every booklist item purchased. We’ll pay it back into your school’s Officeworks 30 Day Business Account. If bulk classroom supplies are the preferred solution, then we have you covered as well. Which method suits you best?
More benefits for your school community
Flexible payment options
A dedicated education team to help define your school booklist requirements
Easy online platform to review and confirm
Market leading prices delivering better value
No lock-in contract
Education Account support
Classroom
Flexible
•
Money back for the school† 10% of school approved booklist items purchased via the online platform is paid back to your Officeworks 30 Day Business Account†
Contributions collection
We’ll conveniently collect voluntary contributions on your behalf (free of charge)
To
Get wise to the BYOD Program for smarter schools
The savvy solution for schools that helps prevent square-peground-hole fumbles with your student technology.
We design your BYOD program with you, your parents purchase the devices direct from us, and we do everything else.
All parents want to equip their children with the latest and greatest technology available for learning. However, affordability and finding the devices that meet your school’s specific ICT processes and curriculum requirements can cause headaches for both the school and parents alike.
That’s where a professionally structured and managed Bring Your Own Device Program (BYOD) can make a world of difference.
Thankfully, JB Hi-Fi Education’s BYOD is as easy as pi(e)
JB Hi-Fi Education’s BYOD is the easy solution to ensure education-specific technology that’s compatible with your students and your school.
JB Hi-Fi Education
New BYOD portal!
At JB Hi-Fi Education, we’re constantly looking for ways to enhance our technology and services to provide you with the best possible experience.
The new portal incorporates a refreshed look and a mobile responsive design that will enable secure and convenient purchases for parents from any device.
JB Hi-Fi Education Bring Your Own Device Overview for Schools
Why choose JB Hi-Fi Education?
Take confidence in knowing one of the largest, most established and constantly evolving technology suppliers in Australia – with over 20 years specifically in the education sector – is helping you make the right decisions. We’re committed to supporting education to achieve more with the largest range of education-specific devices and services, commercial pricing, a dedicated team of Education experts, a portal for easy procurement and support, and a nationwide network for timely fulfilment.
“Having an established BYOD program and a great relationship with JB Hi-Fi Education has meant that the transition to remote learning has been straightforward – I feel that we were ready for it.”
Natalie Heath, eLearning / ICT Leader, Eltham High School
Benefits for your school
• Educate beyond expectations
Give students, educators and staff the tools that inspire engagement, learning and achievement.
• Simplify IT procurement and management
Focus on what matters most – education – while we manage device procurement, deployment and support.
• Keep pace with technology
Deliver the best education experience with technologies for today and the future.
• Reduce parent workload and stress
Know that your parent community is getting reduced run-around, increased affordability and compatible equipment.
Benefits for your parents and students
• Learn where and when you need to Enjoy technologies that work seamlessly and securely in the classroom, on the go and at home.
• Embrace the future
Engage in learning through the latest technology and arm your students with the skills for tomorrow’s workforce.
• Confidence and continuity
Know that you’re getting tech designed for education, priced for great value and supported by our nationwide team of Education experts.
Contact us to create your BYOD program:
www.jbhifi.education/education/byod
Call: 1300 746 752
Email: education@jbhifi.com.au
JB Hi-Fi Education
How does our BYOD Program work?
Step 1
Start by connecting with our education experts who listen to your unique requirements and then partner with your educators and IT team to design a BYOD Program with your school’s pedagogy and device specifications in mind.
Step 2
Once the equipment and accessories have been identified, we’ll create a code that you can pass to parents to log in to your school’s BYOD program via our online portal.
Step 3
Your parents browse products and purchase with the assurance the devices in your account are fully compatible with your school’s device specifications and curriculum requirements.
Step 4
All aspects of the purchase – from orders and payment to delivery – are handled by us, so you just concentrate on educating your students.
Our portal is also stacked with resources for getting the most from the BYOD Program including insurance and warranty claims, and other FAQs.
Parents also have the option to pick up from the participating JB Hi-Fi retail store of their choice.
Once it comes time for your students to upgrade their devices, we revisit and update the BYOD Program with you and make the necessary adjustments for new purchases.
qrco.de/JBEbyod
CHARITY PARTNER SPOTLIGHT- STELR
STELR is a ready-to-use STEM resource for schools from the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, an independent group of over 900 of Australia’s leading applied scientists, technologists and engineers. It’s a hands-on, inquirybased and in-curriculum program for secondary schools, to bring practical and relevant science and technology topics into the classroom.
STELR is designed to be taught within the curriculum so that all students participate in inquiry learning that engages and challenges them.
We offer twenty in-curriculum STEM topics with free downloadable PDF student and teacher booklets to guide classroom teaching. Equipment kits that support topics including renewable energy, wind energy, sustainable housing, electricity, and solar cars are available to purchase, with the teaching resources to match.
- Hands-on, inquiry-based and in-curriculum
- Shows students that science and maths are relevant to society and their lives
- Increases student enthusiasm for, and engagement with science, technology, engineering and maths
- Provides career profiles which highlight the study pathways necessary for jobs in STEM
Our world-class STEM career programs are shaping the knowledge-makers and innovators we need to tackle our most urgent challenges – now and in the future.
The program is aligned with the national science curriculum, and because it’s delivered in the classroom, all students have an opportunity to participate. Over its 15-year history, STELR has reached over 1 million students across Australia.
Find all the resources, kits and more from STELR at atse.org.au/ stelr.
IS YOUR SCHOOL INFORMATION SYSTEM (SIS)
RUNNING AT A 100%?
Discover the strengths and weaknesses of your SIS with our quick Health Check Quiz! Get insights on data, integration, user experience and more.
It takes just 3 minutes Unlock results immediately Receive your customised results report from a Sentral Representative
Simplifying Gym Fitouts
“The wide range of equipment that we were able to purchase was a major reason why we used Gym and Fitness and we have been extremely pleased with the quality of the equipment we have purchased, particularly when com-
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, UNLEY HIGH
“Best pricing and range of equipment”
TEAM LEADER, XAVIER CATHOLIC COLLEGE
“I was contacted pretty much straight away by someone just to talk through what I selected and if I needed any further help. Their prompt communication and willingness to assist showcased their exceptional customer service, making the experience seamless.”
HEAD OF P.E, MAREEBA STATE HIGH
“Made the installation and set-up process super easy”
HEAD OF PDHPE, SOUTHERN CROSS SCHOOL OF DISTANCE EDUCATION
Use less, pay less
Reduce your Energy Spend by Forward Contracting
What
is forward contracting?
By utilising forward contracting, Choice Energy saved Wyndham Marina $4,500 per annum, with their contract starting in 2026.
In its simplest terms, forward contracting is the securing of an energy contract in advance that will come into play after your current agreement has concluded. Not only does this prevent you from returning to costly default rates, but it also allows you to form an agreement based on terms available now, rather than a later date when the market may’ve risen.
Could it really make a difference?
Yes it could - by locking in a fixed price for future energy use, you can mitigate the risk of volatile market prices and create a more predictable budget.
Are there early termination fees?
There are early termination fees associated with cancelling your current contract, which vary depending on your retailer. But with forward contracting, there’s no need to cancel your current contract to secure rates.
How does this impact my current contract?
It doesn’t! The great thing about forward contracting is that you can line up an entirely new contract without impacting what you currently have in place.
When’s the best time to forward contract?
Historically, the best time to forward contract has been Autumn, as (simply put) energy use is at its lowest between Summer and Winter, so rates are traditionally lower, however, many variables could impact prices so it’s important to speak to an Energy Expert to see if it’s the right time.
We initially helped them in 2023, securing a competitive rate that resulted in $55,000 in energy savings over the three year contract term, which ends 30th April 2026.
Wyndham Marina has now taken advantage of the low market conditions and utilised Choice Energy’s market expertise to forward contract an energy agreement when their existing contract expires
We partnered with Choice Energy to tackle our growing energy costs at Wyndham Harbour, and the results have been remarkable.
-Bree O’Rourke, Financial Controller
Energy Assessment
To gain a complimentary energy assessment of your bills, send us your recent bill or call for more information.
Alycia McCarthy
Partnerships Specialist
0478 670 420
alycia.mccarthy@choiceenergy.com.au
WYNDHAM HARBOUR
Ensuring safety in education with API Access & Security solutions.
API Access & Security can ensure your site is lockdown and fire compliant.
We can offer a comprehensive safety and compliance site audit for your school.
Let API Access & Security help keep your students safe.
All school staff members are eligible for this supplier’s discounts
Assessments That Drive Whole-School Success
We support schools in creating a consistent, school-wide approach to assessment—one that’s meaningful, curriculum-aligned, and designed to empower both teachers and students.
With real-time reporting tools that track each learner’s progress and robust data views that make it easy for teachers to visualise long-term growth, Essential Assessment empowers schools to drive whole school growth and to unlock every student’s potential.
Trial EA today to discover how to empower your entire school to support every student’s growth.
FUNDRAISING, BUT WITHOUT THE FUSS
Think back to your last school fundraiser. It could be a pie drive, a colour run, or a raffle. Whatever the event, chances are it involved spreadsheets, crumpled notes in school bags (that never saw the light of day), loose change and a lot of chasing up. By the end, your amazing idea had been buried in admin…and your volunteers? Burnt out. But what if you could run that same fundraiser without the chaos?
That’s where My School FundMe comes in. It’s simple to set up, easy to use, and puts everything you need in one place: no paper forms, no cash collections, no drama. Whether you’re running a one-off event or planning a year’s worth of fundraising, FundMe gives you the tools to raise more money with less stress. Let’s take a look at why so many schools are making the switch.
What’s Holding Your Fundraiser Back?
Fundraising should be fun! It’s an opportunity to bring the school community together and raise money for a great cause. But all too often, it turns into a logistical headache.
Traditional school fundraisers come with plenty of familiar problems:
● Endless paper trails: Order forms go missing, handwriting is hard to read, and collating everything becomes a time-consuming nightmare.
● Handling cash: Notes get lost, envelopes go missing, and counting coins after school is nobody’s idea of fun.
● Chasing payments: Volunteers end up spending hours following up on late payments or trying to match orders with the right family.
● Limited reach: If people can’t make it to school, they miss out. That means missed donations, too.
By the time the fundraiser wraps up, everyone’s exhausted, and the idea of doing it again next term? Forget it.
Say Goodbye to Fundraising Headaches- Imagine running a school fundraiser where you don’t have to collect cash, chase up missing forms, or manually track who bought what.
minutes, your campaign is live and ready to share with families, friends and the
broader community. Payments are processed securely, campaign progress can be tracked in real time, and everything is neatly organised in one place.
You also have complete flexibility. Campaigns can run for a week, a month, or however long you need. And because FundMe sends real-time notifications, you’re always in the loop, whether it’s a new donation coming through or a reminder to thank a supporter.
Behind the scenes, their reporting dashboard keeps everything organised. You’ll know exactly how much you’ve raised, who contributed and what’s outstanding. Plus, it’s easy to rinse and repeat the following term! No jumping between apps. No reinventing the wheel for every event. Just one simple, centralised system that handles everything in one place. Once you’ve used the platform for one fundraiser, you’ll know exactly how to run the next one. The layout, tools and setup are intuitive, which means less time spent on training and more time focused on what matters…raising funds.
Real Fundraisers, Real Results: How Schools Are Using FundMe
One of the best things about My School FundMe is how adaptable it is. Whether you’re raising money for new library books or planning the biggest colour run your school has ever seen, FundMe fit your event. Here’s how:
Mother’s Day Stall- Mother’s Day is usually a flurry of hand-written orders, cash envelopes and last-minute stock checks. With FundMe, it becomes a streamlined online store. Parents browse and pay ahead of time, organisers track sales live, and students still get to choose something special on the day.
Colour Run- Traditionally, collecting pledges and managing sponsorships is a huge task. But FundMe makes it effortless. Schools can set up custom donation pages, share links instantly with families and friends, and watch contributions roll in online.
Pie Drive- From ordering to payment to pickup, everything runs through FundMe’s central dashboard. Volunteers aren’t bogged down in admin, and families get a fuss-free way to support the school.
Built for Collaboration- In schools, change is constant. P&C committees roll over, staff take on new roles, and volunteers come and go. The problem? So much school fundraising knowledge gets lost in the handover: spreadsheets disappear, login details are forgotten, and no one’s quite sure how last year’s event was run.
My School FundMe takes the guesswork out of transitions. Because everything lives securely online, handovers are simple and seamless. The new team can log in and instantly see past campaigns, reports and communications without reinventing the wheel.
Need to pass the baton from one P&C to the next? Easy. A quick update on user access, and the new committee has full visibility. New staff member stepping into a leadership role? They’re up to speed in minutes. Even volunteers can be looped in, so everyone knows what’s happening, without being overwhelmed.
You’re Never Doing It Alone Behind every great school fundraiser is a team of people who care. With FundMe, you’re not just getting a tool, you’re getting a partner. Whether you’re launching your first online fundraiser or need help tweaking a campaign mid-way through, the My School Connect team is just a phone call or email away.
So if you’re ready to ditch the spreadsheets, simplify the process, and create a fundraiser that’s easy to run and impossible to ignore, it’s time to give My School FundMe a try.
Fundraising just got a whole lot easier.
FundMe takes the entire fundraising process online. With a userfriendly interface, anyone can set up and manage a campaign – from P&C committees to teachers and volunteers – in just a few clicks. Within
Human Kind Technology for Schools
We bridge the gap between people and technology, delivering smart, seamless solutions that work for you. With a vendor-agnostic approach, we tailor the right technology to your needs—not the other way around. ✅ Managed Print & Document Solutions ✅ Smart HR & Payroll Solutions
✅ Smart Contracts: Sign, Send, Simplify
✅ Records Management: Preserve, Protect, Access
✅ AI capability uplift program
✅ and more...
Streamline School Communication with Schoolzine
Create Newsletters and School websites that celebrate student achievements, and WOW parents
Join over 1,600 Australian schools and discover the power of Schoolzine – the ultimate tool for creating engaging school communications. Say goodbye to the hassle of creating newsletters. Our platform offers intuitive features that make it a breeze to put together professional and engaging eNewsletters, even if you’re not a tech expert.
Bridge the Gap between Schools & Parents with Schoolzine
An industry leader since 2007, Schoolzine is the ultimate community builder for schools. We are not simply a parent engagement platform but a trusted community builder bridging the gap between schools and parents. Our mission is to connect all people with the heart of the community - the school.
Join the 1 in 4 Australian schools that are already benefiting from Schoolzine’s E-Newsletters.
� Built by Schools for Schools
� Unlimited Support & Training
� Simple and Efficient
� Government Compliant
� Plans to suit your budget
� Customisable templates
� Powerful Calendar
� Content Done Your Way
� Insightful Analytics
Newsletters Website SZapp Session Keeper Control Centre
A NEW APPROACH TO SCHOOL FEES
ONSITE SHREDDING COMPANY
We keep your data safe
World’s Best Practice secure document destruction.
We shred your confidential information ONSITE.
Victoria’s #1 rated shredding company with 600+ 5-star reviews.
We shred all paper and eWaste including hard drives and laptops.
We shred
- AVOs
- Exam results
- Student medical records
- Financial statements
Everything is shredded before we leave
Our equipment is approved by FBI and ASIO
Certificate of Destruction
Insurance compliance Certificate
We service all schools, large and small including
- Scotch College: Hawthorn
- St Kevins College: Toorak
- Bialik College: Hawthorn
- St Cecilia’s Primary School
Special projects for regional schools including Lavers Hill College in Colac.
Member benefit:
- First three months free for a regular service.
How to order
- Mention you are a ASCA Member when requesting a quote.
Contact:
- Tel: 1300 074 733
- Email: dkelly@onsiteshreddingcompany.com.au
- Web: onsiteshreddingcompany.com.au
Watch how 600+ schools transformed their admissions and marketing with our award-winning solution.
SUPPORTING CHARITIES
As a not-for-profit organisation, ASCA donates its surplus funds to the following charities:
THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMERCIAL REFRIDGERATION IN SCHOOL CANTEENS
BY BROMIC
School canteens aren’t just about serving food-they’re part of how we care for students every day. Whether it’s a warm lunch on a cold day or a cold drink on a summer afternoon, what’s on offer (and how it’s stored) makes a difference. That’s why having the right refrigeration in your school’s canteen is so important. If you’re a school principal, part of a leadership team, or sit on the school council, you likely already know the challenges of running a safe, efficient, and welcoming canteen. Investing in commercial refrigeration helps meet those challenges-while supporting health, safety, and long-term savings.
Commercial vs. Domestic: What’s the Difference?
Domestic fridges are built for home use. They’re designed to store food for one household, opened a few times a day, in a quiet kitchen with moderate temperatures. That works fine for families, but school canteens are a completely different environment.
Canteens deal with high volumes of food, fast-paced service, and heavy daily use with fridge doors being opened constantly during lunch and recess. Staff rely on consistent temperatures to keep food fresh and safe. In this setting, a domestic fridge simply isn’t designed to cope.
Commercial refrigeration, like the units designed by Bromic, are built specifically for these conditions. They’re robust, reliable, and ready for daily demand in busy service areas like school kitchens.
Safety Comes First
Food safety should never be left to chance, especially in a school. Perishable foods, like meat, dairy, and fresh produce, need to be kept at consistent temperatures to avoid spoilage and the risk of food-related illnesses.
Domestic fridges often struggle to hold safe temperatures when they’re full stocked or frequently opened, which is exactly what happens in school canteens. Commercial fridges are built to cope with these pressures. They maintain steady temperatures even in hot kitchens, recover quickly when opened, and are made for frequent access.
If your canteen is serving fresh food to students, commercial refrigeration is the safer, more dependable option.
Built to Handle the Pace of School Life
In a typical school day, the canteen operates under pressure. Staff and volunteers have limited time to prepare and serve hundreds of meals, often within short periods of time. Fridges are opened constantly, and there’s little room for equipment failure.
Domestic units, though less expensive up front, aren’t built for this level of use. Their compressors wear out faster, temperature regulation suffers, and breakdowns are more common.
Commercial refrigeration is built for performance and durability. At Bromic, our fridges and freezers are designed to run all day, every day. They feature heavy-duty components, self-closing doors, and easy-clean surfaces and comes with a market leading warranty for peace of mind.
It’s equipment you can count on-even in the middle of the lunch rush.
Smarter Layouts and More Storage
Domestic fridges are laid out for family groceries. But that layout doesn’t translate well to busy canteens. Cramped shelving, limited space, and awkward access can slow down staff and make food harder to organise.
Commercial units are made with service in mind. From wide, adjustable shelves to upright displays and underbench storage, they give staff better visibility and easier access. This means faster service and less waste.
Whether you need a compact prep fridge or a large glass-door display for drinks and snacks, Bromic’s refrigeration range is designed to fit the way your canteen actually operates.
Real Savings Over Time
Domestic fridges often have shorter lifespans when used in high-demand environments. They consume more power when overloaded. And they’re not covered for commercial use, which means they aren’t covered by warranty. On top of that, frequent breakdowns or food spoilage adds to ongoing costs.
By contrast, commercial refrigeration is more energy-efficient, longer lasting, and built to perform. Bromic fridges use energysaving technology like LED lighting and natural refrigerants, helping to reduce operating costs without sacrificing cooling power as well as supporting a sustainable future.
Peace of Mind With Long-Term Support
When you buy domestic, you’re on your own if something goes wrong. Most warranties don’t cover commercial use, and replacement parts can be hard to find. But with commercial refrigeration, especially through Bromic, you’re backed by a team that understands school environments and supports you every step of the way.
We offer local service, reliable warranties, and expert help when you need it. With over 30 years in the industry, Bromic are proud to support schools across Australia with equipment that’s as dependable as your team.
If you’re planning an upgrade or expansion Bromic are here to help you get it right the first time. Get in touch with our team for guidance tailored to your school.
Choosing commercial refrigeration over domestic models isn’t just about better equipment, it’s about building a canteen that works for your school, your staff, and your students. It’s about safety, reliability, and being prepared for the pace of school life.
To see what’s possible for your school, visit our full article: The Importance of Commercial Refrigeration in School Canteens.
ASCA MEMBERS
15% off 12 & 18 month memberships*
ASCA15
*T&Cs apply.
All school staff members are eligible for this supplier’s discounts
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