Eight of the 10 states that tie annual wage increases to inflation have announced minimum wage increases this year. Arizona, Missouri and Vermont will increase their minimum wages on Jan. 1. In Arizona, wages will climb to $7.80 per hour from $7.65. Missourians will see an increase to $7.35 from $7.25.In Vermont, the Labor Department has…

I was going to write another bit on our evolving forecast—we reported on the third-quarter public company numbers last week in FER Fortnightly if you missed it (click here)—and John Muldowney and I have had several back-and-forths since. But you know what? We’ll get to that next week (not that it’s bad.). It’s Thanksgiving week,…

The Foodservice Equipment Distributors Association has put together a full lineup of speakers and programs for its 80th annual convention next year. FEDA members will convene April 3-7, 2013 at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa in San Antonio, Texas, under the banner of “Vision and Courage to Create Your Own…

Ali Group North America has opened a new, state-of-the-art training center. The building, part of Ali’s headquarters complex in Winston-Salem, N.C., houses separate warewashing and cooking training facilities. The official two-day grand opening on October 3 drew U.S. and Canadian foodservice consultants for a FCSI training event hosted by Champion Industries. Ali Group customers, dealers…

During its recent fall conference in Rosemont, Ill., Allied Buying Corp. recognized nine manufacturers with Supplier of the Year awards. The multiple criteria employed by the Lombard, Ill., buying group were tied to quality in the areas of people (sales managers, reps, customer service); products and service level; accuracy (order entry, billing); warranty, service, return…

Globe Food Equipment Co. has appointed Kevin Woods, CFSP, as v.p.-sales and marketing. Woods joins the Dayton, Ohio, company from Unified Brands, where he was central region sales director. In his four-year tenure there he also served as product line director and education segment director. Woods started his career with Hobart, where he held various…

The FEDA Education Foundation recently awarded four CFSP and ServSafe scholarships to employees of its dealer members. Mohamed Orra of Burkett Restaurant Equipment & Supplies has been awarded a 2012 ServSafe Scholarship to help cover the cost of earning this credential. Three employees at Rapids Foodservice Contract & Design—Angie Haberer, Micah Holper and Jim Ottmer—have…

Unified Brands has hired industry veteran Mitch Cohen as central regional sales director. He’ll be responsible for managing representative partners and domestic sales growth in the central region for the company’s Groen, Randell, Avtec, and A la Cart brands. Cohen has an extensive industry background, most recently as exec. v.p. for Victory Refrigeration. He’s also…

A week after the chain reported its first monthly same-store sales decrease in nine years, McDonald’s Corp. has replaced Jan Fields as president of McDonald’s USA. The Oak Brook, Ill., chain has named Jeff Stratton, currently global chief restaurant officer, to succeed Fields, effective December 1. Fields has been with McDonald’s for more than 35…

The American market has proved to be competitive ground for Canada’s largest quick-service chain, Tim Hortons, but its third quarter proved promising on either side of the border—and in the Middle East. On Nov. 12, the chain opened its first restaurant in Oman; the opening marks the 20th Tim Hortons restaurant in the region since…