Foodservice Equipment & Supplies articles from December 2004

Foodservice Equipment & Supplies archives from December 2004

I'll be seeing you.(editor's perspective)(Editorial)
December 1, 2004... It's time for a change. Those of you who turn to this column each month will probably look at the prior sentence and ask yourself: What is he going after now? Is a call being issued for a new approach by manufacturers to the way they...

MAFSI Business Barometer up in Q3.(people & events)(Manufacturers Agents Association for the Foodservice Industry)
December 1, 2004... MAFSI has released its latest Business Barometer, which measures manufacturers' representatives' sales for each quarter of the year. Following a 2.9% increase in 2004 Q2, the barometer reported an overall sales growth of 1.9% for the third...

Robertshaw recalling valves, heads.(people & events)(Robertshaw Controls Co.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Robertshaw Controls Co. in Carol Stream, Ilk, is voluntarily recalling more than 123,000 TS-11 thermal safety control valves and 37,350 magnet heads, as well as more than 398,000 units of its 7000 Series gas valves. Both the TS-11 and 7000...

CFESA, MAFSI release joint national directory.(people & events)(Manufacturers Agents Association for the Foodservice Industry)(Commercial Food Equipment Service Association)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... The first-ever joint directory of service companies and manufacturers' representatives for the foodservice industry has been released to 15,000 industry members including dealers, consultants, manufacturers, end-user/ operators, reps and...

Strahman buys American rubber & metal hose.(people & events)(Strahman Valves Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Strahman Valves, based in Florham Park, N.J., has announced that it has completed its acquisition of American Rubber & Metal Hose (AR&MH), Carteret, N.J. AR&MH specializes in the production of metal and Teflon hoses that are utilized in...

Hatco names new CEO, chairman.(people & events)(Appointment)
December 1, 2004... The Hatco Corp., Milwaukee, has announced changes in its posts of chairman, president and CEO. David Hatch, the firm's owner, president and CEO since 1990, is now Hatco's chairman of the board. He replaces Rod Chaudoir, who is retiring but...

SEFA holds national sales conference.(people & events)(Supply and Equipment Foodservice Alliance )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... The SEFA buying group has completed its latest national sales conference, which was held in Taunton, Mass., from Oct. 20 through 23. The conference, which was hosted by SEFA member Perkins Paper, was attended by 150 dealer sales...

NAFED names Vendors of the Year.(people & events)(National Association of Food Equipment Dealers)(True Mfg and Cambro Mfg awarded as best vendors of the year)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... The NAFED dealer buying group has named its Equipment Vendor and Supply Vendor of the Year, as determined by a vote of the group's members. This year, NAFED's Equipment Vendor of the Year is True Mfg. The group' s Supply Vendor of the Year...

Lee Scruggs passes.(people & events)(Obituary)
December 1, 2004... Lee Scruggs, former president of Scruggs Inc., now a division of dealer roll-up Strategic Equipment & Supply, has passed away from cancer. Scruggs, who had been battling the disease for several years, died on Nov. 11. A memorial service...

True Mfg. founder passes.(people & events)(Obituary)
December 1, 2004... Robert Trulaske Sr., one of the founders of True Mfg., has passed away at the age of 86. Trulaske starred True Mfg., along with his brother Arthur and father Francis, in 1945 after returning from duty as a combat pilot in Europe during...

CFESA, MAFSI hold training events.(people & events)(Manufacturers Agents Association for the Foodservice Industry)(Commercial Food Equipment Service Association)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... CFESA and MAFSI, the associations for service agents and manufacturers' representatives, respectively, have each conducted training events recently. CFESA has conducted several regional training classes. Information was presented at all...

NSF offers online training.(people & events)
December 1, 2004... NSF International has made its HealthGuard Professional Food Manager Certification training course available online. The course is based upon the original HealthGuard certification but, according to NSE "represents a new and more flexible...

NRAEF offering educator certifications.(people & events)(National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation)(Certified Secondary Foodservice Educator)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation has announced the establishment of the Certified Secondary Foodservice Educator (CSFE) program. According to the organization, the program was created in order to recognize those...

Northern changes top leadership.(people & events)(Northern Parts & Service)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Northern Parts & Service, Plattsburgh, N.Y., announced that its president, Les Miller, stepped down from that post to become the firm's new chairman, effective Nov. 1. In this position, the company stated, Miller will focus on long-term...

NSF standard 7 awarded to Dinex.(people & events)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... NSF International has awarded Glastonbury, Conn.-based Dinex a Certificate of Compliance with NSF/ANSI standard 7. Dinex is a manufacturer of foodservice equipment and specialized tray-top products for the healthcare industry. The...

Steritech's Eicher honored.(people & events)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Eric Eicher, current president of the Pest Prevention division at Steritech, has received the 2004 Leadership award from Pest Control Technology magazine. The award recognizes individuals who uphold standards of ethics and integrity in the...

Ahold reaches settlement with SEC.(people & events)(Securities and Exchange Commission)(Royal Ahold)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Netherlands-based Royal Ahold and its two former top executives have reached a settlement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in connection with a multibillion-dollar accounting irregularity. After the company agreed to...

Acorto execs acquire company assets.(people & events)(Concordia Coffee Systems)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Executives of Acorto, a Seattle-based manufacturer of espresso equipment, have acquired the assets of the firm and opened Concordia Coffee Systems. The new company said it plans to invest in technologies that will extend its offerings to...

Report: W. Va. firm buys Chicago-area BKs.(people & events)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... C.H. James & Co. of Charleston, W. Va., has acquired 37 franchised Burger King restaurants in the Chicago area, according to a Chicago Tribune report. The firm, which, according to the report, is said to be the country's oldest continually...

People Report honors six chains.(people & events)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... People Report, a provider of human resources data for the foodservice industry, has honored several restaurant chains for their HR practices. Four firms were honored with the group's 2004 Best People Practices award, which acknowledges the...

Chain update: Brinker, Panera and others.(people & events)(Brinker International Inc.)(Panera Bread Co.)(AFC Enterprises Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... A number of major restaurant chains have announced significant financial or operational news. * Brinker International has released its same-store sales results for the four weeks that ended on Nov. 3. The company's overall same-store sales...

Correction.(people & events)(Correction Notice)
December 1, 2004... In the November news story on the reformation of the Kelly-Mincks rep group, the headquarters location of MarkeTeam, the company with which Kelly-Mincks' principals had previously been associated, was incorrect. MarkeTeam is based in Vancouver,...

Proprietary specifications = no substitutions.(consultant's viewpoint)
December 1, 2004... Some of my distinguished colleagues in FCSI have recently prepared a "whitepaper" entitled, "Proprietary Specifications--In the Client's Interest, a Critical Need for a Set of Protocols." This position statement represents an important step in...

A view from the NRA: FE&S recently conducted an exclusive interview with Burton "Skip" Sack, chairman of the board of directors of the National Restaurant Association. Here, Sack assesses the state of relations between E&S companies and the operator community.(operator's opinion)
December 1, 2004... FE&S: What are your key objectives for the NRA during the rest of your term? (Sack serves until 5/05.) SACK: First, we need to grow our ranks. We have approximately 875,000 restaurants in the United States today, and only some 315,000 or...

Learning to excel by ensuring the success of others: having forged his principles of honesty and integrity in a crucible of 30 years of experience, DSR of the Year Lance Appleton relies on encyclopedic product knowledge, a genuine willingness to serve and a constant desire to help his customers look good to achieve his own success.(2004 DSR of the Year)(Interview)(Cover Story)(Biography)
December 1, 2004... Spending time out in the field with TriMark Marlinn's Lance Appleton, FE&S 2004 DSR of the Year, as he calls on accounts is like being swept up in the world's best-organized tornado. Appleton, 54, and a 32-year veteran in foodservice E&S sales,...

2004 tabletop performance award winner: Cayenne Bar & Grill: the winner in the Under $30 Check Average, Independent Restaurant category, Southwestern-themed Cayenne was designed with a sleek look and vibrant color scheme, making it a fashionable addition to Seattle's dining scene.
December 1, 2004... Cayenne burst upon Seattle's dining scene this past February, just two months after the opening of the Silver Cloud Hotel, the lodging facility that houses and owns this newly built 179-room hostelry, and which is located across from Seattle...

Q: what are the best ways to sell your company's "preferred" product lines?(DSR clinic)
December 1, 2004... Tony Almengual Beltram Food Service Group Tampa, Fla. "At Beltram Foodservice, we have 20 or 25 products on our preferred list. I sell customers items like refrigeration, cooking equipment, walk-ins and supplemental tabletops. I...

Earhart dining court at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind.: serving nearly 5,000 customers per day, this campus dining facility is equipped for just-in-time food production in both its marketplace-style servery and behind-the-scenes kitchen.(facility design project of the month)
December 1, 2004... In 2000, Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., initiated a $48 million dining services renovation and construction project. This enormous undertaking, which will be completed in 2007, is consolidating operations, reducing costs and...

DSRs can get 'smoking' sales with char grills: their ability to produce foods with a backyard barbecue look and taste continues to make char grills popular in many types of foodservice concepts.(product sales tips)
December 1, 2004... By allowing operators' staffs to place foods directly over open flames, char grills cook with a method that has been used for thousands of years. It is this simplicity of production, in fact, that makes foods cooked on such equipment so popular...

Mario Castallo: TriMark United East, South Attleboro, Mass.(DSR of the month)(Interview)
December 1, 2004... There's no doubt that Mario Castallo of TriMark United East knows how a DSR should service a customer: For the first part of his career, he was the customer. "I spent 13 years in the restaurant business--from dishwashing all the way up to...

Doc Chey's Asian kitchen.(chain profile)(Company Profile)
December 1, 2004... Wok stations are the centerpieces of this chain's display cooking lines, which are designed to enhance efficiency, speed and quality control. The woks, in addition to a grill, fryers, a pasta cooker, a conventional cooktop and refrigerators,...

Alegacy Foodservice Products Inc.(products)(Soup Ladles)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Alegacy Foodservice Products Inc. According to the maker, Alegacy's line of soup ladles can hang inside vegetable insets or bain marie pots and is designed with an extended handle that lifts up and off the edge of a pot. The ladles are...

Blodgett Corp.(products)(Convection Steamers, Kettles and Braising Pans)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Blodgett Corp. Recently introduced, Blodgett's new line of steam equipment offers convection steamers, kettles and braising pans. The steamers are designed with insulated, easy-open slammable doors, the kettles are available in tilting,...

Victory Refrigeration Inc.(products)(Salad/Sandwich Refrigerator)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Victory Refrigeration Inc. The Big Top salad/sandwich refrigerator from Victory is designed to fit in small footprints and offers a 10" cutting board. Additional standard features include an enclosed cabinet back, an interior thermometer and an...

Everpure Inc.(products)(High Flow CSR Quad-MC system)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Everpure Inc. The High Flow CSR Quad-MC system from Everpure is designed for use with fountain equipment, ice machines and coffee/espresso makers. The all-in-one system features a pre-tilter that, according to the maker, extends the life of the...

Advance Tabco.(products)(7-PS-66 hand sink)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Advance Tabco The new Model 7-PS-66 hand sink from Advance offers stainless-steel construction and, according to the maker, is ideal for any prep area. Designed with a keyhole bracket for easy installation, the unit features a 10" x 14" x 5"...

Lincoln Foodservice Products, An Enadis Co.(products)(Marathon[R] value line of aluminum cookware)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Lincoln Foodservice Products, An Enadis Co. Recently introduced, the Marathon[R] value line of aluminum cookware from Lincoln features heavy-gauge 3004 aluminum construction and includes saucepots, saucepans, stockpots and frypans--all...

Impact Products.(products)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Impact Products According to the maker, Impact's line of brush products is available in a variety of fibers, materials, colors and sizes. The Pastry/Basting brushes are designed to retain liquids and feature nylon fiber construction. The...

Garland, The Garland Group, An Enadis Co.(products)(Xpress Grill)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Garland, The Garland Group, An Enadis Co. The Xpress Grill from Garland is designed to offer two-sided cooking and is available in gas or electric models (upper platens are electric) in a 24"- or 36"- wide footprint. The high-output unit...

Alto-Shaam Inc.(products)(QC-20 Quickchiller)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Alto-Shaam Inc. The Model QC-20 Quickchiller from Alto-Shaam is designed to handle cook-chill on a smaller scale and, according to the maker, can accommodate 10 full-size sheet pans, 18" x 26" x 1", or five full-size pans, 12" x 20" x 2 1/2"....

Admiral Craft Equipment Corp.(products)(Advantage Series[TM] of cutlery)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Admiral Craft Equipment Corp. Designed for comfort and ease of use, the Advantage Series[TM] of cutlery from Admiral Craft is NSF-approved and features blade tangs that are molded through 75% of the handle. In addition, according to the maker,...

Groen, A DI Foodservice Co.(products)(Eclipse[TM] ergonomic tilting braising pan)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Groen, A DI Foodservice Co. The Eclipse[TM] ergonomic tilting braising pan from Groen features a streamlined, narrow-width design and, according to the maker, is energy-efficient, water-resistant and easy to use. The high-capacity unit is...

Master-Bilt.(products)(Blast Chillers)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Master-Bilt The MCR series of blast chillers from Master-Bilt offers polyurethane foamed-in-place insulation and, according to the maker, includes a stainless-steel rack that accommodates 26 pans on a total of 13 ledges. Features include a...

The Vollrath Co., LLC.(products)(Cookware)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... The Vollrath Co., LLC The Tribute[R] line of cookware from Vollrath offers three-ply stainless/aluminum construction and is designed for gas, electric, induction or oven use. According to the maker, the collection is offered in a variety of...

Eagle Group.(products)(Griddles and Charbroilers)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2004... Eagle Group Recently expanded, the Red Hots[R] line of cooking and warming equipment from Eagle now includes griddles and charbroilers. The gas and electric griddles are constructed of heavy-gauge stainless steel and offered in widths of 24",...

Revenue at all costs.(parting shot)(food service equipment industry)
December 1, 2004... Some of the best minds in our industry may have led us astray. By suggesting that the solution to our industry's gross profit margin deficiency lies in improving our business practices instead of changing our business models, these individuals...

Congratulations Dealer All-Stars!
December 1, 2004... As FEDA Vice President, it is my pleasure to congratulate the Dealer All-Stars being recognized in this special edition magazine. We at FEDA consider these impressive companies to be outstanding members of the dealer community at large and our...

Distributing the laurels.(Editorial)
December 1, 2004... For the second year in a row, FE&S is pleased to present a special issue dedicated to profiling outstanding companies in a specific phase of the E&S distribution channel. This year, our All-Stars coverage focuses on 16 of the nation's leading...

Dealer of the Year update: National Restaurant Supply: FE&S' 2000 Dealer of the Year has a new headquarters and a renewed dedication to developing the business practices and personnel necessary for future prosperity.
December 1, 2004... When El Paso, Texas-based National Restaurant Supply was profiled as FE&S' Dealer of the Year in 2000, the responsibility its president, Bruce Gulbas, felt for the well-being of the firm founded by his father decades earlier was at the heart of...

Dealer of the Year update: Stafford-Smith: one of the country's fastest-growing dealers over the past decade, Stafford-Smith has continued its expansion since being named Dealer of the Year in 2001.
December 1, 2004... When Kalamazoo, Mich.-based Stafford-Smith was profiled as FE&S' Dealer of the Year in 2001, the company was in the midst of rapid expansion. In 1996, the dealer had posted approximately $19 million in sales; when it was selected as DOY, that...

Dealer of the Year update: the Wasserstrom Co.: already the country's second-largest traditional E&S dealer when profiled in 2002, the firm has made significant investments in the intervening years.(equipment and supply)
December 1, 2004... When the Wasserstrom Co., Columbus, Ohio, was awarded FE&S' Dealer of the Year designation in 2002, the firm's attention to customer service and geographic reach were cited as two of its most outstanding characteristics. Since that time,...

Dealer of the Year update: TriMark United East: expanding services to a key new multi-unit customer and conducting an overhaul of its IT systems are the latest activity centers in 2003 DOY United East's ongoing evolution.(do it yourself)
December 1, 2004... South Attleboro, Mass.-based TriMark United East, FE&S' Dealer of the Year for 2003, has continued to thrive during the year-and-a-half since it was recognized by the magazine. The firm, for example, exceeded its forecast of $60 million in...

Dealer of the Year update: Beltram Foodservice Group: the 2004 Dealer of the Year has successfully overcome the near-loss of its largest client and last summer's hurricanes since being profiled in FE&S.(foodservice equipment and supply)
December 1, 2004... Though it has been just a few short months since Tampa, Fla.-based Beltram Foodservice Group was profiled as FE&S' 2004 Dealer of the Year, the intervening time has been filled with challenges this firm has both met and overcome. The most...

Ace Mart Restaurant Supply Co.(foodservice equipment and supply)(company brief)(Company Profile)
December 1, 2004... SCALE & SCOPE Ace Mart Restaurant Supply Co., headquartered in San Antonio, is one of the oldest cash 'n carry dealerships in the nation. Opened under its current family's management in 1975, the company now operates a dozen locations...

Bargreen-Ellingson Inc.(foodservice equipment and supply)(company brief)(Company Profile)
December 1, 2004... SCALE & SCOPE As it has built its sales over and-more decades, Bargreen-Ellingson has paired organic growth with an aggressive strategy (since the mid-1980s) of geographic expansion. Currently, the dealer has facilities in Tacoma (HQ),...

Baring Industries.(company brief)(foodservice equipment and supply)(Company Profile)
December 1, 2004... SCALE & SCOPE Baring Industries, a division of Electrolux Professional Inc. of Sweden, and an EDI member, prides itself on being "100% project-oriented," according to President Charles Sperry. "Our customer base is general contractors,...

The Boelter Companies.(company brief)(foodservice equipment and supply)
December 1, 2004... SCALE & SCOPE Now 75 years in business, The Boelter Companies, headquartered in Milwaukee, has become one of the largest full-service E&S dealers in the country. With 11 offices in eight states, the firm's business is divided fairly evenly...

Duray/J.F. Duncan Industries.(company brief)(foodservice equipment and supply)(Company Profile)
December 1, 2004... SCALE & SCOPE Duray/J.F. Duncan Industries, headquartered in Downey, Calif., has always seemed to be a good bet to provide high-quality services to its clients--which must be why the firm has long been a popular E&S partner in Las Vegas....

Economy Restaurant Fixtures.(food service equipment and supply)(company brief)(Company Profile)
December 1, 2004... SCALE & SCOPE One of the characteristics of Economy Restaurant Fixtures, San Francisco, is that even though it is a rapidly growing dealership--sales are expected to total nearly $54 million in 2004, up from $47 million last year--three of...

Edward Don & Co.(foodservice equipment and supplies)(company brief)(Company Profile)
December 1, 2004... SCALE & SCOPE Owned and operated by the Don family since 1921, Edward Don & Co., North Riverside, Ill., is the country's leading traditional dealer of foodservice equipment and supplies, selling to independent restaurants, national chains,...

Hockenbergs Food Service Equipment & Supplies.
December 1, 2004... SCALE & SCOPE Hockenbergs Food Service Equipment & Supplies in Omaha, Neb., is a solid, successful, family dealership with an intent to grow and a second-generation management team that is prepared to make the decisions necessary to secure...

M. Tucker Co. Inc.(foodservice equipment and supplies)(company brief)(Company Profile)
December 1, 2004... SCALE & SCOPE M. Tucker Co. Inc., while serving a nationwide market, is the regional metropolitan New York/New Jersey areas dominant foodservice equipment and supplies dealer and one of the largest independent firms of its kind on the...

Paramount Restaurant Supply.(foodservice equipment and supply)(company brief)(Company Profile)
December 1, 2004... SCALE & SCOPE While distributors of all stripes seek to become true business partners to their end-user customers, Warren, R.I.-based Paramount Restaurant Supply has eschewed many of the activities assumed by traditional E&S dealerships...

Rapids Wholesale Equipment.(foodservice equipment and supply)(company brief)(Company Profile)
December 1, 2004... SCALE & SCOPE When purchased in 1992 by Joe and Diane Dodds and Joe and Geri Schmitt, Rapids Wholesale Equipment's sales were about $5 million annually. In the 12 years since, the Marion, Iowa-based firm has been growing steadily under its...

Restaurant Equipment World.(foodservie equipment and supply)(company briefs)(internet based dealer)(Company Profile)
December 1, 2004... SCALE & SCOPE After serving some 22,000 individual online customers last year, Restaurant Equipment World of Orlando, Fla., is perhaps the country's leading internet-based dealer of foodservice equipment and supplies. This is an...

Singer Equipment Co.(foodservice equipment and supplies)(company brief)
December 1, 2004... SCALE & SCOPE Reading, Pa.-based Singer Equipment Co. is, in many ways, an exemplar of a "traditional" dealer, having invested to develop an extensive showroom, a retail "superstore," a large warehoused inventory, route salespeople,...

S.S. Kemp & Co.(foodservice equipment and supplies)(company briefs)(Company Profile)
December 1, 2004... SCALE & SCOPE S.S. Kemp & Co. is currently providing a diversified customer base with a full range of foodservice equipment and supplies, as well as contract and interior and kitchen design services. The company now also maintains an...

TriMark Raygal.(company brief)(foodservice equipment and supplies)(Company Profile)
December 1, 2004... SCALE & SCOPE By assigning a full-time project manager to each of its installation job sites, the top executives at TriMark Raygal, headquartered in Irvine, Calif., believe they are offering their clients the highest possible level of...

United Restaurant Supply.(company brief)(Company Profile)
December 1, 2004... SCALE & SCOPE United Restaurant Supply in Colorado Springs, Colo., has helped to fill southern Colorado's foodservice E&S needs for 31 years. Today, the dealer offers a broad variety of equipment, supplies and services to restaurants,...