AoFrio launches Ask iQ for cooler fleet data queries

AoFrio has launched Ask iQ, an artificial intelligence feature in its cooler fleet software platform that lets beverage companies query connected cooler data in plain language.

The New Zealand-listed refrigeration technology company said the feature sits within its AoFrio iQ software and draws on data from more than 3.7 million connected coolers across customer fleets.

Beverage brands use connected cold-drink equipment to track cooler locations, check whether units are operating correctly and monitor field performance. Ask iQ is intended to help fleet managers find answers without building reports or navigating multiple dashboards.

The launch comes as beverage companies show growing interest in using artificial intelligence in cooler fleet management. In a 2026 survey of 152 original equipment manufacturers and beverage brands conducted by AoFrio, 77 per cent of respondents said they were interested in trialling AI-driven predictive maintenance within the next six to 12 months, while 66 per cent said they were interested in trialling or adopting always-on connectivity.

According to AoFrio, Ask iQ is designed specifically for commercial refrigeration rather than general-purpose use. It analyses a customer's own fleet data and returns responses tied to that customer's assets and operations.

The software is aimed at asset protection, maintenance, commercial performance and energy use. Users can create custom reports, identify underperforming assets, investigate faults and monitor energy consumption, the company said.

Integrated system

AoFrio links the software to its SCS 800 controller, a device installed inside coolers that captures telemetry from equipment in the field. The data is fed into the AoFrio iQ platform, allowing customers to monitor temperature, location, operating status and usage.

AoFrio said this differs from software services that sit on top of third-party hardware. By combining the controller and software in one system, customers can link what appears in the platform with what the equipment is doing on site, it said.

That integrated model also underpins the company's argument that artificial intelligence tools are only as useful as the data going into them. AoFrio says richer, continuous equipment data makes it easier to detect early signs of faults and identify operational trends across large fleets.

Greg Balla, Chief Executive Officer of AoFrio, said the product had already been tested with customers in several regions. "Through early pilots we onboarded more than thirty customers in Latin America, North America, Europe and APAC onto AoFrio iQ. We've spent the past twelve months working closely with our industry partners to improve and build on AoFrio iQ, and now we're launching Ask iQ to make fleet information easier to explore and improve the overall user experience," Balla said.

Data focus

AoFrio has positioned the new feature around the scale of data available through its network. The company said it has more than two decades of experience in commercial refrigeration and more than 14 years in Internet of Things technology for cold-drink equipment.

It says this history has helped it build machine learning models around patterns in cooler performance, including indicators that may signal service or operational issues. In practice, the company is seeking to turn cooler telemetry into practical prompts for asset managers rather than simple raw data feeds.

Balla said the volume of information being generated by coolers is increasing and becoming more commercially important for food and beverage groups. "Connected coolers are producing more and more signals on consumer behaviour and operational performance, and food and beverage brands are seeing the value of that data when it comes to increasing sales. AI is becoming an essential tool for analysing commercial data and distilling it into insights that businesses can use," he said.

The company identified four areas where customers are using connected fleet data and AI-assisted analysis: locating assets and flagging misuse or theft, spotting early signs of cooler faults, identifying poor commercial performance at outlets, and managing energy consumption and emissions reporting.

AoFrio said the feature can also help customers with Scope 3 emissions reporting by measuring whole-cooler power use. That places the tool within a broader push by consumer goods companies to gather more direct operational data from field equipment as they seek to improve compliance and reduce energy costs.

Balla said the usefulness of artificial intelligence in fleet management depends on the quality and relevance of the underlying information. "AI on its own does not solve fleet management problems. It needs reliable data from the equipment, relevance to commercial refrigeration, and alignment to the operational decisions customers need to make," he said. "Ask iQ brings those elements together. Our focus is to help customers move from collecting cooler data to using it, whether that means finding an asset, investigating a fault, lifting performance, or improving sustainability."