FER Revises E&S Forecast Growth Up

A weak economy and tentative consumers might feel like the  new norm, but there is no question operators are buying more equipment and supplies, according to data presented at Foodservice Equipment Reports’ annual E&S Market Forecast President’s Preview meeting held July 27, 2011, in Evanston, Ill.

“The hard numbers don’t lie,” FER Publisher Robin Ashton said, explaining why he and forecasting partner John Muldowney, v.p.-marketing at Alto-Shaam, revised their estimates and forecasts for E&S market growth upward for every year from 2010 through ’14.

“The market recovered faster and more strongly than we anticipated,” Ashton said. “The public E&S companies saw sales turn positive the second quarter ’10, the MAFSI Barometer ticked up 5% in the fourth quarter ’10 and we now know both the Top 100 Manufacturers and FER‘s Top Dealers also grew last year. On the E&S side, this looks like a quite normal, v-shaped recovery,” Ashton said.

FER now forecasts E&S market growth at the manufacturer level will post current dollar growth of 4% and real growth of 2.2% this year. Next year, the magazine forecasts the market will grow 4.7% in nominal terms and see real growth of 2.6%.

For more information or to purchase the complete forecast, contact Robin Ashton.“””