On August 8, the U.S. Court of Appeals of the Seventh Circuit ruled against a petition brought by NAFEM and other organizations to review the test procedure and efficiency standards published in 2014 by the U.S. Department of Energy for commercial refrigeration. The decision means manufacturers of reach-in refrigerators and freezers must be ready to…

Bill Ziegler, who most recently served as president and CEO of Premier Restaurant Equipment, has joined BGD Companies, the Minneapolis-based maker of custom hospitality and mall furnishings, as V.P-Sales & Marketing. He will be focused on the company’s geographic expansion, vertical market opportunities, product development and marketing efforts. Ziegler began his career in the foodservice…

Lone Star Restaurant Supply is opening a new flagship location in Addison, Texas, this fall. The new facility is planned as a one-of-a-kind solution center, with an E&S showroom as well as service centers for design and layout consulting, delivery services, and custom fabrication. “Addison is known for thriving businesses and as the heart of…

San Antonio-based Ace Mart Restaurant Supply recently presented its annual Factory Representative of the Year Awards. Winners were DJ Marketing’s Jeff Miller, David Miller and Ryan Miller. True Mfg.’s Lee Elliott and Randy Bates; and Forbes, Hever & Wallace’s Jim Hever, Alicia Dees, Justin Olivares, Hoyt Totty and John Hever. It was True Mfg.’s tenth…

Edward Don & Company has named Michelle Brown its Category Manager for Equipment. Brown will be responsible for managing all merchandising and marketing functions for the equipment, furniture and bar categories at the Woodridge, Ill., dealer. She previously was regional sales manager at Rational Cooking Systems.

Maria Marti has moved up at Unified Brands, taking the reins as Director of Sales-Retail Accounts. She’ll oversee the management and growth of the company’s retail customer business. Marti joined Unified Brands in 2015 as director of business development after working five years for Dover Corp., its parent company. Conyers, Ga.-based Unified Brands offers the…

Server Products has hired Greg Hug as its new Engineering Manager. Hug, who has more than 30 years’ experience designing engineered products in the automotive, water filtration and commercial lighting industries, will lead Server’s engineering team in product development. Server, based in Richfield, Wis., makes dispensing and holding solutions equipment.

Affordable Restaurant Service and Equipment, a Salt Lake City-based service franchise, has sold franchises in 13 territories. Pete Fella, who has more than 20 years’ experience with foodservice equipment, purchased three Affordable franchises in Utah with his partner Hugh Johns. John Lockett and Charlie Short bought 10 Affordable franchise territories spanning three states in the…

As we report above, we released our latest E&S market forecast at the annual President’s Preview forecast meeting August 9. For a whole host of reasons, we expect 2017 to witness another year of decent sales growth at the manufacturers’ level, 4.1% nominal and 1.8% real. But be aware this is a slowing trend from…

The fast-growing quick-service chicken chain has signed a development deal to expand outside its core markets in the Carolinas. Charlotte, N.C.-based Bojangles’ says Gautier, Miss.-based Angle Inc. would develop multiple units in southern Alabama and southeast Mississippi; the chain currently has 32 restaurants in Alabama.