Major funding for research and education by the Nutrition & Foodservice Education Foundation has been taken up by Reinhart Foodservice. The company is the first participant and thus a founding member in the association’s new corporate-partner program, which aims to build financial support for researchers and educators helping advance innovation and excellence in foodservice and…

I tell you, you can make money selling energy- and water-efficient equipment. I can prove it. I spent last week in California, presenting our latest market forecast update at Pacific Gas & Electric’s Food Service Technology Center and at Southern California Edison. Richard Young, senior engineer and director of education at the FSTC, and I…

The Middleby Corp. announced Jan. 7 that it has acquired the assets of Market Forge Industries, the 118-year-old manufacturer of steam cooking equipment, including countertop steamers, kettles and braising pans. Everett, Mass.-based Market Forge has annual revenues of approximately $15 million. “The steam cooking category is a large and growing sector in the commercial foodservice…

Mark Ottenheimer, president of Baltimore-based Ottenheimer Equipment, died Dec. 12, 2013, after a long illness. He was the fifth generation of Ottenheimers on the Baltimore foodservice scene; the family began in the 1880s as butchers to what was then called the restaurant trade. They evolved into commercial millwork manufacturers; during World War I, their expertise…

Carter-Hoffmann has enhanced its sales team. The Mundelein, Ill., company has promoted Jeff Erber to global v.p.-sales and hired Jacqui Gustafson as area v.p.-sales. Erber will expand his sales management responsibilities to include the global marketplace and will be responsible for all of Carter-Hoffmann sales worldwide. “Jeff has done a great job growing Carter-Hoffmann domestically,…

Twelve member management professionals recently were awarded full scholarships to the 2014 University of Industrial Distribution Program. The scholarships, awarded by the Foodservice Equipment Distributor’s Association’s Educational Foundation, will help underwrite the winners’ expenses for the UID Program March 9-12 at the JW Marriott Indianapolis Hotel. The scholarship winners are: Isaac Rodriguez, Ace Mart Restaurant…

In a deal which shows the wide arc and manufacturing diversity of the foodservice equipment industry, Henny Penny—which produces thousands of pieces of foodservice equipment for a handful of global foodservice chains—is acquiring the more specialized Wood Stone Corp., which makes a handful of equipment for thousands of restaurants. The transaction, announced Dec. 16, unites…

Few, if any, restaurants in the U.S. still offer a smoking section. Some countries, including the world’s most populous one, have no such distinction. The Chinese government has released a draft of anti-tobacco regulations that, for the first time, would ban smoking in all indoor public places. Additionally, cigarette packages would have to prominently feature…

Now that the U.S. has gone to uniform menu-labeling regulations—final regulations were announced last month by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration—there are plans elsewhere for similar statutes. A proposal just announced by the Ontario government to require calorie posting in restaurants is getting a mixed reception as Canadian operators watched the long process and…

Shipping the equipment that keeps food cold or frozen just got a lot more expensive. Citing freight liability concerns, the Commodity Classification Standards Board (CCSB), an autonomous board under the National Motor Freight Traffic Association, has made a major change to the National Motor Freight Classifications covering everything from high chairs to commercial refrigeration. Beginning…