Foodservice Equipment & Supplies articles from March 2005

Foodservice Equipment & Supplies archives from March 2005

A food-safe environment.(editor's perspective.)(Editorial)
March 1, 2005... During elections, whether local or national, it never ceases to amaze me how the subject of the environment seems to make it to the front burner of any race for office. It seems to appear out of nowhere, as if it were never addressed. And...

Big three roll-ups at turning points.(TriMark USA)(resignations and appointments)(acquisition)
March 1, 2005... The foodservice E&S industry's three largest roll-ups--QualServ, Strategic Equipment & Supply and TriMark USA--all announced major, high-level changes in recent weeks. The first news came from Kansas City, Mo.-based QualServ, which...

Enodis sells Vent Master.(The Halton Group )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Enodis reached an agreement to sell its Vent Master subsidiary to The Halton Group for $6 million. The sale, which became effective on March 4, includes the Vent Master and Air Tech Brands. Under the terms of the agreement, Garland...

Whaley named Service Agency of the Year.(Commercial Food Equipment Service Association)(Whaley Foodservice Repairs)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... The Commercial Food Equipment Service Association named Whaley Foodservice Repairs, Lexington, S.C., its Service Agency of the Year. Founded more than 60 years ago, Whaley employs more than 100 technicians in 12 offices serving the southeast...

FEDA releases economic survey.(Foodservice Equipment Distributors Association)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... The Foodservice Equipment Distributors Association announced the results of its most recent Economic Pulse Survey. The study, based on a survey of the principals of 65 FEDA-member companies, reveals dealers' analyses of their current...

Falcon declares Ch. 11.(Falcon Products)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Falcon Products, a maker of furnishings for the foodservice industry and other sectors, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Under its announced reorganization plan, the St. Louis-based firm will reduce its debt by approximately $145...

Enodis names CTO, interim Lincoln president.(appointment)(Lincoln Foodservice Group)(chief technology officer)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Stephen Whiteley, president of Enodis-owned Lincoln Foodservice Group, died Jan. 23 in Fort Wayne, Ind., following a short illness. The 49-year old Whiteley is survived by his wife, Elizabeth; son, Stuart; and other members of his family. ...

Town Food Service sold.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Charles Suss, president and owner of Town Food Service Equipment Co., New York City, sold the maker of cooking equipment for Asian-style operations to the Pavlovich brothers, who operate a manufacturing facility in New York. Town now...

American Metalcraft promotes Packer.(Richard Packer)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... American Metalcraft, Melrose Park. Ill., named Richard Packer its executive vice president and chief operating officer. A 10-year company veteran, Packer has served as the firm's sales manager, vice president of sales and, most recently,...

FCSI offering grants.(people & events)
March 1, 2005... The Foodservice Consultants Society International announced a grant program to sponsor attendance at the 2005 FCSI North American Conference and The NAFEM Show. The program will provide financial assistance to first-time professional...

Baring gets new HQ.(headquarters)(relocation)(promotions)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Baring Industries, a division of Electrolux Professional, announced that its headquarters has moved within Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. The company's new location is 3249 S.W. 42nd St., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33312. In addition to a new...

Northern Parts opens new distribution center.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Northern Parts & Service, based in Plattsburgh, N.Y., announced the opening of a new warehouse and distribution center. The facility totals 34,000-square-feet and is located adjacent to the company's previous shipping center. That building,...

MAFSI announces Q4 Barometer results.(fourth quarter)(Manufacturers' Agents Association for the Foodservice Industry)
March 1, 2005... The Manufacturers' Agents Association for the Foodservice Industry Business Barometer for the fourth quarter of 2004 shows reps reporting an overall sales increase of 2.6%. The Barometer is based on a survey of representatives in five...

Boelter opens hospitality arm.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... The Boelter Cos. announced the formation of Boelter Hospitality, a new branch of the organization that will focus on lodging and healthcare markets in Wisconsin and northern Illinois. Boelter Hospitality will provide clients in these segments...

NRA Index ties high.(National Restaurant Association)(Restaurant Performance Index)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... The National Restaurant Association's Restaurant Performance Index increased by 1.7% to 105% in December, matching its previous record high. The index, a monthly barometer of the health of the U.S. foodservice industry, is based on a...

MAFSI auction nets $10,000-plus.(donations)(Manufacturers' Agents Association for the Foodservice Industry)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... The Manufacturers' Agents Association for the Foodservice Industry announced that its Third Annual Silent Auction, held during January's joint NAFEM/MAFSI conference in Miami, raised more than $10,000. MAFSI plans to split one quarter of...

Sodexho subsidiary plans expansion.(Retail Brand Group)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Sodexho spun-off its Retail Brand Group division into a wholly owned subsidiary with plans to expand by up to 250 units in the next 15 months. The Retail Brand Group consists of eight fast-casual concepts and operates 350 units on college...

Report: Brinker exec stresses ESL needs.(English speaking education)(Brinker International)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2005... Douglas Brooks, CEO of Brinker International, said the U.S. restaurant industry must increase its efforts in providing English-language skills to non-English speaking employees, according to a Dallas Business Journal report. Brooks, who...

Food safety: one operators effort's: Golden Corral has instituted a rigorous food safety program that relies on extensive management and staff training, third-party audits and, of course, cutting-edge E&S.
March 1, 2005... A single food safety incident can spell doom for an operation. Not only can it cost the involved restaurant tens of thousands of dollars or more, but it can also ruin its reputation in a community, driving away loyal and new customers alike....

Food safety: chain reactions: when DSRs help their operator customers stay up-to-date with the fast-changing food safety scene, they set off a chain of events that ultimately benefits everyone involved.(Distributor Sales Representatives.)
March 1, 2005... Nowhere is the evolving nature of the DSR more evident than in its multi-faceted role of consultant, educator, business partner and visionary in helping operators keep up with the cutting edge of food safety. Fulfilling this role takes time and...

Food safety: helping hands: a series of new products and enhancements to existing ones are aiding operators in the fight to keep food safe for their patrons.
March 1, 2005... Employee education, sanitary kitchen and preparation environments, hand hygiene, proper food holding and cooking temperatures, and HACCP compliance and documentation are all potential areas of focus for operators addressing food safety concerns...

Q: what do you do if you're unable to meet a customer's demands?(food service equipment )
March 1, 2005... Margie Secor Manning Bros. Food Service Equipment Co. Inc. Athens, Ga. I think that you have to point customers in the right direction so that they can find what they need. If you have a good enough relationship with them, doing...

Making custom foodservice equipment better, faster, more cost-effective.(Advertisement)
March 1, 2005... It's a dilemma faced by many chain foodservice operators. Custom equipment is needed, but the price is too high... or it takes too long to fabricate. Eagle Foodservice Equipment and its SpecFAB Division fill the gap between standard...

Sandy's Place at Best Buy: staff take food quality to a new height in this B&I setting by using a well-equipped production kitchen and marketplace-style servery to accommodate up to 4,000 customers daily at this headquarters facility in suburban Minneapolis.(facility design project of the month.)
March 1, 2005... At the end of the 20th century, Best Buys phenomenal growth since the company's inception in the late 1960s resulted in several thousand corporate employees, but they were scattered among 12 office locations in the greater Minneapolis area....

Get set for success with tabletop sales: from plates, glasses and flatware to cheese bowls and ramekins, tableware sales require a good eye and creative salesmanship.(product sales tips)
March 1, 2005... Next to the food itself, table settings determine how customers evaluate an operation as much as anything else. Tabletop sales, then, take time and patience, but offer salespeople lasting rewards. * Dinnerware can be made from a variety of...

Frances Fernandez: National Restaurant Supply Co., El Paso, Texas.
March 1, 2005... Frances Fernandez, CFSP, a sales rep with National Restaurant Supply Co. in El Paso, Texas, is a great believer in the basics--getting to know a business from the ground up, learning as much as possible about foodservice equipment and supplies...

Sizzlin' hot off the grill: grills used for menu preparation in commercial kitchens take many versatile forms and can cook a variety of food items. By cooking raw foods quickly and thoroughly directly over a heat source, this type of equipment also minimizes chances of pathogen contamination during cooking.(Grill Lines.)
March 1, 2005... To attract employee customers and compete with the commercial options that are available to those customers, non-commercial foodservice operators work to offer value, quality and variety in their operations. The equipment found at grill...

Master-Bilt Products.(product marketplace)
March 1, 2005... Available in a choice of three sizes, the new DOMC line of milk coolers is designed for school and institutional use. The coolers feature heavy-duty floor racks, a reinforced base, insulated doors and casters. www.master-bilt.com ...

Alegacy Foodservice Products Group Inc.(product marketplace)
March 1, 2005... Top-shelf[TM] chafing dishes are designed to offer elegance and functionality. The dishes are suitable for most any occasion and available in a variety of styles to meet individual needs. www.alegacy.com [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Advance Tabco.(product marketplace)
March 1, 2005... Designed to eliminate wasted corners, the new stainless-steel Korner Sink Cabinet lines up with other enclosed-base cabinets and is constructed with a 14-gauge top and an 18-gauge body. The unit comes standard with a double-panel door and a 5"...

Alto-Shaam Inc.(product marketplace)
March 1, 2005... Offering one-step retherm and food-holding capabilities, the Model 2800/s-RTM oven can accommodate 16 full-size GN 1/1 pans, eight full-size sheet pans or up to 16 wire baskets for retherming individual entrees. Features include a choice of...

Eagle Group.(product marketplace)
March 1, 2005... Lifestor[R] high-density polymer undershelves feature Microgard[R] anti-microbial protection and are designed for use on the maker's line of stainless-steel tubular-based dishtables and worktables. The NSF-listed shelf sections are removable,...

Greenheck.(product marketplace)
March 1, 2005... The low-profile air handler offers a low-cost method of cooling and/or heating in areas where space is limited. Available in a choice of eight sizes, Model LFC features an insulated double-wall housing, a standard removable stainless-steel...

Electrolux Professional Inc.(product marketplace)
March 1, 2005... Offering heavy-duty stainless-steel construction and designed to provide a high-power wash, this line of dishwashers is available in both undercounter and hood-type units. Features include programmable electronic controls, a 3-gal. atmospheric...

Frymaster/Dean, an Enodis Co.(product marketplace)
March 1, 2005... The shortening disposal unit (SDU) is designed for easy and quick removal of waste oil from a kitchen. The SDU is available in 50- and 90-lb. capacities and features a drain height of 9 5/8", a heavy-duty manual pump, 7" wheels and a 90-day...

Lakeside Mfg. Inc.(product marketplace)
March 1, 2005... Designed with safety in mind, the 5600 Elite series of low-profile tray delivery carts offers a stainless-steel design that can be steam-cleaned and sanitized with ease. The lightweight units are available in one- and two-compartment models...

Garland, The Garland Group, an Enodis Co.(product marketplace)
March 1, 2005... Custom cooking suites are designed to control work flow and increase productivity. The suites include the heavy-duty Master Series line as a base and feature exterior enamel panels that are offered in a variety of colors. www.garland-group.com...

American Metalcraft Inc.(product marketplace)
March 1, 2005... Designed with durability in mind, this pitcher is ideal for serving water, lemonade, iced tea and more. The cast-aluminum pitcher is part of the Essence Collection and can be paired with other Essence pieces that include serving trays, platters...

Victory Refrigeration Inc.(product marketplace)
March 1, 2005... Available in a choice of four models, the Value line of pizza tables now includes a dual-temperature control and a separate on/off night switch as standard. The control is designed to cool the cold-wall condiment rail and storage compartment...

Hatco Corp.(product marketplace)
March 1, 2005... Glo-Ray[R] infrared foodwarmers are designed for use in heated buffet stations. Measuring only 2" high and 4" deep, the narrow units are available in widths up to 6', in six powder-coat colors to match almost any decor. Accessories include...

Hobart Corp.(product marketplace)
March 1, 2005... The new AM Select series of door-type warewashers is designed to clean everything from glassware to heavily soiled utensils and comes equipped with the Sense-A-Temp[TM] booster heater and NAFEM Data Protocol capabilities. Features include a...

Update International.(product marketplace)
March 1, 2005... The new utility bus cart features plastic construction, non-marking 4" casters, a three-tier design with brushed-aluminum uprights, smooth shelf surfaces for easy cleaning and raised edges to help eliminate spills. The heavy-duty unit ships...

New opportunities in E&S.(parting shot.)(Column)
March 1, 2005... Having purchased PrimeSource FoodService Equipment Inc. about 18 months ago, I am often asked, "Why come into the foodservice equipment distribution market now?" Some believe it is a saturated market, with limited opportunities for margin...