Storage Classes Guide
Fresh assigns a storage class to every container based on its type and location. Better storage slows aging, extending the effective shelf life of your goods. This guide explains how the system works and how to make the most of it.
Note: This documentation was generated with AI assistance and may contain inaccuracies. If you spot an error, please open an issue.
The Six Storage Classes
Each storage class applies a multiplier to the base aging rate. Lower multipliers mean slower aging and longer effective shelf life.
| Class | Multiplier | Effective Shelf Life | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exposed | 1.5x | 67% of base | Outdoors, no protection from elements |
| Sheltered | 1.0x | 100% of base | Covered or partially protected |
| Indoor | 0.8x | 125% of base | Enclosed building |
| Cooled | 0.3x | 333% of base | Refrigerated storage |
| Frozen | 0.10x | 1000% of base | Deep freeze, nearly stops aging |
| Disabled | 0x | Indefinite | Aging completely stopped |
What This Means in Practice
A product with a 6-month shelf life at Normal difficulty:
| Storage Class | Effective Shelf Life |
|---|---|
| Exposed | 4 months |
| Sheltered | 6 months |
| Indoor | 7.5 months |
| Cooled | 20 months |
| Frozen | 5 years |
The difference between leaving strawberries on an outdoor pallet versus putting them in cooled storage is dramatic.
You can view these effective shelf lives in-game: open the Fresh Menu → Shelf Life tab. When Storage Class Aging is enabled, it displays a table with per-storage-class values for every product.
How Storage Classes Are Assigned
Fresh automatically detects the storage class based on the container type:
| Container Type | Default Class | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Pallets | Exposed | Sitting on the ground, no protection |
| Big bags | Exposed | Open-topped, outdoor storage |
| Open-top vehicles (fill volumes) | Exposed | Trailers, tippers with exposed cargo |
| Enclosed vehicles | Sheltered | Covered trailers, tankers |
| Bales | Exposed | Left in the field or yard |
| Feed troughs (husbandry food) | Sheltered | Under roof at husbandry |
| Silos and storage (placeables) | Indoor | Enclosed building storage |
| Production point storage | Indoor | Factory/processing buildings |
| Object storage (warehouses) | Indoor | Enclosed building storage for items |
| Milk storage (husbandry milk) | Cooled | Refrigerated milk tanks |
Max Benefit Class
Each product has a maximum benefit class that caps how much it benefits from better storage. This models real-world behavior - freezing milk doesn't preserve it the way freezing meat does.
| Max Benefit | Products (examples) | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Sheltered | Straw, chaff, forage, grass windrows | No benefit from Indoor, Cooled, or Frozen storage |
| Indoor | Grains, flour, oils, canned goods, sugar, chocolate | No benefit from Cooled or Frozen storage |
| Cooled | Dairy (milk, cheese, eggs), juice, onions, sugar beet | No benefit from Frozen storage |
| Frozen | Fresh produce, fish, baked goods, mushrooms | Benefits from all storage classes up to Frozen |
How It Works
When a product is stored in a class better than its max benefit, the effective multiplier is capped at the max benefit class:
- Strawberries (max benefit: Frozen) in Frozen storage → uses 0.10x multiplier (full benefit)
- Wheat (max benefit: Indoor) in Cooled storage → uses 0.8x multiplier (capped at Indoor)
- Wheat (max benefit: Indoor) in Indoor storage → uses 0.8x multiplier (full benefit)
- Milk (max benefit: Cooled) in Frozen storage → uses 0.3x multiplier (capped at Cooled)
This means there's no point in building frozen storage for grain - a dry indoor silo gives the same benefit. But fresh produce benefits enormously from the best storage you can provide.
See the Shelf Life Table for every product's max benefit class.
Storage Class Strategy
Fresh Produce and Dairy
These products expire fast (1-5 months) but benefit from Cooled or Frozen storage. Prioritize:
- Move fresh harvests to Cooled/Frozen storage quickly
- Don't leave pallets sitting outdoors - Exposed storage ages them 50% faster than baseline
- Dairy products max out at Cooled, so a fridge is sufficient
Grains and Processed Goods
These products have longer shelf lives (6-24 months) and max out at Indoor storage. Standard silos and production buildings provide full benefit. No need for refrigeration.
Bales
Bales default to Exposed class. Fresh grass windrow bales (1-month shelf life) are particularly vulnerable:
- Wrap grass bales for silage as soon as possible - fermentation pauses aging
- Dry grass bales last much longer (18 months) but still benefit from sheltered storage
- Consider using storage class overrides if you have a covered bale storage area
Animal Feed
Feed in husbandry troughs is classified as Sheltered. Most feed types (pig food, fish food) have moderate shelf lives and won't benefit from better storage beyond Indoor.
Storage Class Overrides
If the automatic detection doesn't match your situation - for example, you have a covered area for pallets or a refrigerated mod building - you can override the storage class.
Open the Fresh Menu (Right Shift + F) → Settings tab → Storage sub-tab. Each tracked storage shows its detected class and an override dropdown to change it.
Interaction with Difficulty Presets
Storage class multipliers stack with difficulty presets. The difficulty preset scales the base shelf life, and the storage class multiplier scales the aging rate:
Example: Strawberries (1-month base shelf life)
| Difficulty | Storage | Effective Shelf Life |
|---|---|---|
| Normal | Exposed | 0.67 months |
| Normal | Indoor | 1.25 months |
| Normal | Cooled | 3.3 months |
| Easy (×2) | Exposed | 1.3 months |
| Easy (×2) | Cooled | 6.7 months |
| Very Easy (×4) | Cooled | 13.3 months |
At Very Easy difficulty with Cooled storage, even strawberries last over a year - giving casual players plenty of breathing room while still adding the freshness mechanic.