FoodServiceWarehouse.com is going deep to store its inventory of equipment and supplies. The e-commerce firm has signed a 10-year lease to occupy 475,200 sq. ft. of warehousing and distribution space in Hunt Midwest SubTropolis, the world’s largest underground business complex. FSW, founded in 2006, cited location and logistics as the primary reasons for moving its…

A third dual-concept, side-by-side Luby’s Cafeteria and Fuddruckers unit recently opened in Texas. The new Dallas outlet joins similar co-branded stores in Houston and Austin. The concepts occupy a free-standing, 13,000-sq.-ft. facility; the 3,000-sq.-ft. Fuddruckers seats 92, while Luby’s can accommodate 220 guests in its 9,900 sq. ft. Luby’s Inc. operates 94 Luby’s Cafeterias, 68…

Ralph Bower, pres.-U.S. of Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, has been named CEO of Pei Wei Asian Diner. It’s a newly created position at the Scottsdale, Ariz.-based fast-casual chain, which has 192 domestic locations in 24 states. Bower, who replaces K.C. Moylan, is a veteran of KFC and Domino’s; he’d been president of Popeyes’ U.S. division since…

Ice-O-Matic has appointed Don Riezebos as the new regional manager for Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Riezebos will be responsible for existing accounts in the region and driving ice machine and accessory sales in conjunction with the company’s dealer and distributor network. Riezebos brings 14 years of sales experience to the post, including six…

Foodservice Equipment Reports took home six regional and one national Azbee Awards from the 2014 American Society of Business Publication Editors’ National Conference held July 25-26 in Chicago. FER won a Silver Azbee Award in the national Magazine Design category. Editor-In-Chief Beth Lorenzini was especially pleased, as the magazine recently underwent a redesign. “Our Art…

Eleven tabletop, servingware and smallwares products have been honored with awards in Foodservice Equipment Reports’s 13th annual Smallwares & Tabletop Awards. Six judges—three operators and three dealer specialists—made the final selections during a judging session held Aug. 6 at Edward Don’s headquarters in Woodridge, Ill. More than 60 tabletop and smallwares manufacturers submitted entries for…

Industry veteran Danny Koontz, who spent 36 years with Ruby Tuesday, has moved from the operations side of the foodservice business and joined Mobile Fixture, an Alabama-based E&S dealer. As the firm’s new v.p.-business development, Koontz will work out of the 87-year-old company’s Knoxville, Tenn., branch. Mobile, which had 2013 sales of more than $39…

Where’s the beef? Not in Russia. After three years, The Wendy’s Co. is leaving the Russian market, after a change in the local franchisee’s management left the chain without strong leadership there. Wenrus Restaurant Group, a former unit of Moscow-based Food Service Capital, agreed in 2010 to open 180 Wendy’s units across Russia within a…

The sale of Red Lobster is official. Now the chairman and CEO of Darden Restaurants, Clarence Otis Jr., is stepping down after waging a months-long fight with activist hedge funds opposed to his turnaround plans for the company. Otis—the 2012 recipient of the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association’s Silver Plate Award—will retire as CEO when the…

Registration is open, the exhibit show floor is filling up and more details about what to expect at NAFEM ’15 are being released. The E&S industry’s biggest showcase event is Feb. 19-21, 2015, at the Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, Calif. As at the event two years ago in Orlando, Fla., more than 500 manufacturers are…