Last year it was commercial refrigeration that saw a significant boost in shipping charges, as the National Motor Freight Traffic Association’s Commodity Classification Standards Board changed the way it classifies such products. Freight costs for refrigerators and freezers have jumped as much as 30% to 50%. (See FER Fortnightly 12/03/14 here).This year starts with a…

Consumer confidence surged to an eight-year high in December as gasoline and food prices continued to decline in November and December, according to the latest data on general economic factors that impact foodservice. • The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan Index of Consumer Sentiment finished December at 93.6, its highest reading since January 2007, the research…

The National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index remained at a very high post-recession level in November, despite falling from a mark in October not seen since December 2004. The overall index fell 0.7 point to 102.1 as the Current Situation Index dropped 1.6 points. But the Expectations Index continued to rise, pushing 0.3 point higher,…

Customer traffic has been the problem for restaurant operators during and since the Great Recession. Consumers just are not eating out as often as they did in the late 1990s and mid-2000s. The NPD Group, which tracks consumer restaurant behavior through its flagship information service CREST as well as other research studies, has reported only…

Unified Brands has added John Bardeau to its international management team, naming him business development manager for the Canadian market. Bardeau is currently responsible for developing markets for Unified’s cook-chill systems under the CapKold brand. In his newly expanded role, Bardeau also will cultivate relationships with Unified’s channel partners in Canada while focusing on the…

The Wendy’s Co. is intensifying its commitment to international restaurant development and digital technology and has made a number of executive shifts and title changes to address its new focus. The 6,500-unit chain has promoted Abigail Pringle to chief development officer from senior v.p.- restaurant development and growth initiatives. Brandon Solano, who joined Wendy’s as…

Good works live on as annual events for the New England Chapter of Foodservice Consultants Society Int’l. Last month, the chapter celebrated its 11th annual Holiday Social, donating $15,000 to the foodservice program at the New England Center for Homeless Veterans. The event is one of two large charity fundraisers organized by the FCSI chapter.…

It’s got California in its name, but California Pizza Kitchen has a new look and reimagined menu in a dozen stores around the country. The latest store, in Wellington, Fla., joins four other remodeled units in that state. The 12 remodeled stores feature open kitchens for easy customer views of the pizza-making counter and hearth…

Dairy Queen is returning to Kuwait a decade after the ice-cream chain left the Middle East country. The chain, which did business there under a franchisee from 1979-2003, has announced plans to open 20 DQs in Kuwait over the next five years. The multi-unit development deal includes both DQ Grill & Chill restaurants and DQ…

Taylor Precision Products, parent company of foodservice thermometer maker Taylor and brands in four other industries, has acquired