I had another one of those long conversations with a consulting group last week, trying to explain how foodservice equipment and supplies get distributed in the U.S. market. This, and a cogent question from a reader who works for a second-tier or master distributor, led me to realize that we don’t talk very often about…

It’s amazing what one can learn by spending four hours on a golf cart with a dealer, a rep or a manufacturer. There was a lot of learning going on last week at the eighth annual Nonprofessional Foodservice Equipment Ryder Cup outing—dubbed the Rosati Cup the past two years to honor Ron Rosati, who helped…

In a nod to its long-term future in the foodservice firmament, Henny Penny has announced an organizational restructuring comprised of several leadership changes. Under the new corporate structure, the equipment manufacturer has added the CEO title to Rob Connelly’s duties as president. Steve Cobb, who had been serving as chairman and CEO, remains as chairman.…

After declining two months this summer, the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index surged in August, rising a full point to 101.9. All eight components of the RPI were positive, with the two indicators tracking capital spending showing strong gains. Any reading above 100 for the index or any of its components signals expansion. The…

Erica Motes has been named director of sales at Beverage-Air. Motes has been with the Winston-Salem, N.C., company since 2009, most recently as western regional sales manager. She previously served as an outside sales rep for Lund-Iorio. In her new post, she will be responsible for managing and growing sales through Beverage-Air’s manufacturer representatives and…

Chris Butchko has been promoted by Winston Industries to the office of marketing manager. Butchko joined the Louisville, Ky., company seven years ago as marketing communications specialist before transitioning to her most recent post as e-marketing manager role. In her new position, she’ll take over the marketing department reins as Winston moves from a traditional…

Forty of FEDA’s dealer members will be able to reserve seats for next month’s Inventory Management Seminar for Distributors in Chicago. The Nov. 6-7 seminar, limited to the first 40 participants who sign up, provides dealers an opportunity to focus on net profit by zooming in and learning more about inventory management—the largest cash asset…

In case you’ve missed it the past couple of weeks, we’ve announced the winners of our 2015 Management Excellence, Industry Service and Young Lion Awards. One of the most fun things I get to do every couple years is call and let the winners know they’ve won. These awards will be presented during FER’s Industry…

Monday, Oct. 20, is the final day for comments to be received on the proposed phaseout, and the accelerated schedule for that phaseout, of refrigerants commonly used in the foodservice industry. Foodservice stakeholders, especially operators, need to weigh in on one of the greatest regulatory changes ever to threaten the industry–a modification that would affect…

The Vollrath Company is celebrating the 140th anniversary of its founding. In 1874, Jacob J. Vollrath established the Sheboygan Cast Steel Co. in Sheboygan, Wis., to produce items including railroad frogs (a common crossing rail), cooking ranges and agricultural implements. Two years later, his eldest son, Andrew, returned from Germany where he’d studied the art…