The National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index rose again in May, as same-store sales and traffic and operator expectations of future sales continued to improve. The overall index rose 0.4 point to 102.1, its highest reading since March 2012. May was also the 15th consecutive month the index has stood above 100. Index values above…

Jeff Herren has joined Blodgett Oven as v.p.-regional sales. Based in central California, he will be responsible for leading sales initiatives and regional strategy on the West Coast. Blodgett, headquartered in Burlington, Vt., is a division of Middleby Corp. Prior to joining Blodgett, Herren was a field marketing manager and area v.p. with Manitowoc Foodservice.…

Now that the FER Top Dealer Report is finished, and the NRA Show has come and gone, it’s time for me and my forecasting partner, John Muldowney, a marketing executive at The Boelter Cos., to begin work on our annual foodservice equipment and supplies market forecast. We present all the details at our annual President’s…

PRIDE Marketing & Procurement has enhanced its dealer distribution network throughout Mexico with the addition of a new dealer member based in Cancún. The new member, Stepsa, has offices in México City and Los Cabos, Mexico, as well as The Woodlands, Texas. The company provides quotations, sales, installations and startup services to nearly every segment…

Allied Buying Corp. took time during its recent spring conference in Monterey, Calif., to recognize members and suppliers for extraordinary volume growth and support. Awards went to a dozen companies: Total Dollar Volume Increase: Bargreen Ellingson and Hubert (members); Cambro Mfg. and Nor-Lake Inc. (suppliers). Total Percentage Volume Increase: Kittredge Equipment Co. and TriMark Century…

It’s now clear that restaurant operators have bounced back sharply from the declines caused by severe winter weather during the first two months of 2014. The National Restaurant Association Restaurant Performance Index rose again in April, as same-store sales and traffic continued to improve. Both capital expenditure measures rose during the month. The overall index…

Nearly everyone expected the brutal winter weather to impact sales of equipment and supplies in the first quarter of 2014. The MAFSI Business Barometer clearly shows the effects, with growth of the index falling to 3.3% from a 4.8% gain in the fourth quarter of 2013. The Barometer is maintained by the Manufacturers’ Agents Association…

Inez Ellingson, the matriarch of the Ellingson family, owners of Tacoma, Wash.-based Bargreen Ellingson, died May 11 at age 87. She was the mother of Paul and Rick Ellingson and the grandmother of Eric and David Ellingson. She is survived as well by her husband of 67 years, Byron; two other sons; 11 grandchildren; and…

Pearl Fishman, the wife of FEDA past-president Howard Fishman of TriMark SS Kemp and mother of Mark and Steve Fishman and Cathy Wallerstein, has died. She was an instrumental force in the growth and success of the Cleveland dealership; she started the firm’s human-resource and customer-services departments, as well as creating its marketing arm. In…

Supply & Equipment Foodservice Alliance honored 28 award winners during its 28th annual Partnership Conference in late April in Scottsdale, Ariz. Awards were presented to dealers and suppliers. Indianapolis-based C&T Design & Equipment Co. won top honors as member of the year. Erin Eddy of InterMetro Industries was named trainer of the year. Other winners…