What is cooler purity?
Cooler purity is the share of the products in a brand-owned or brand-placed cooler that belong to the brand that placed it, as agreed in the placement terms; DashLeads reads coolers from date-stamped public photos across 20M+ venues. A pure cooler carries only the owner's range; an impure one has been filled with other brands. Some companies call it fridge purity or cooler compliance. The opportunity is knowing which coolers are yours, which are open to claim and which need a conversation.
The trusted intelligence layer for teams selling to Hospitality & Retail
The formula
Cooler purity (%) = facings of the cooler owner's products / all facings in the cooler x 100
A facing is one product front visible on a shelf. Some teams count products (SKUs) or shelves instead of facings; say which, because one rogue product spread across a whole shelf scores very differently on each. Placement agreements usually set a threshold, for example 80% or 100% of facings for the owner's portfolio, and some allow a fixed share of non-competing products such as water or juice.
Three related measures sit next to purity:
- Cooler presence: outlets with your cooler / outlets checked
- Cooler share: your coolers / all branded coolers in the same outlets
- Unbranded coolers: coolers carrying no brand, often open to a placement offer
Worked example
A drinks brand has placed coolers in four venues in one city district, with an 80% purity standard. A recent look at each:
| Outlet | Facings | Own-brand facings | Purity | Within standard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First venue | 24 | 24 | 100% | Yes |
| Second venue | 24 | 22 | 92% | Yes |
| Third venue | 32 | 24 | 75% | No |
| Fourth venue | 30 | 18 | 60% | No |
Across the four coolers the brand holds 88 of 110 facings: an average purity of 80%, exactly on standard. The average hides the problem. Two of four coolers are out of standard, and the fourth venue now gives 12 facings, two fifths of the brand's own cooler, to other brands. Those two outlets are the visit list, with the photo to show the owner.
Cooler purity vs cooler share
Cooler purity looks inside your own cooler: is it filled with your products? Cooler share looks across the outlets: how many of the branded coolers are yours? A brand can have perfect purity in very few coolers, or many coolers that competitors have quietly taken over. Report both.
Purity is also different from planogram compliance, which asks whether products sit in the agreed positions and quantities. On delivery apps the nearest equivalent is digital shelf share, which counts listings rather than facings.
Why purity matters, and how to check it
A cooler is an investment: the unit, the energy, the placement terms and the visits to keep it stocked. When the outlet fills it with other brands, the owner pays to chill a competitor's products. A falling purity score is often the first sign that a placement agreement needs a conversation.
Dashmote's AI reads date-stamped public venue photos and shows whose cooler stands in an outlet, whether a cooler is unbranded and open to claim, and which brands stand inside it, with the evidence photo and its date. Cooler reads are available in selected markets. Ask us about yours. A photo shows only the shelves in view, so read it as a flag for a visit rather than a full audit. See cooler detection.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good cooler purity score?
A good score is one at or above the standard in your placement agreement, commonly between 80% and 100% of facings for the owner's portfolio. Track the share of coolers within standard, not only the average.
Is cooler purity measured by facings or by SKUs?
Most teams use facings, because one competitor product spread across a shelf takes real space; some use SKUs or shelves. State the unit next to the number.
What happens when a cooler is not pure?
Usually a rep visit to restock and remind the outlet of the agreement. Repeated breaches can lead to renegotiated terms or the cooler being moved to a better outlet.
Can cooler purity be measured from photos?
Yes, for the shelves a recent photo shows clearly. It is a fast way to flag outlets for a visit, but a full audit still needs someone in the venue.
What is the difference between cooler purity and planogram compliance?
Purity asks whether the products belong to the cooler's owner; planogram compliance asks whether they sit in the agreed positions and quantities. A cooler can be pure and still badly arranged.