If a business can not only survive, but flourish in the age we are living in, it is truly a testament to that business’ strength and quality. This is exactly what Hoshizaki, one of the nation’s leading manufacturers of food service equipment, has done. With an ever-expanding line of ice makers and other equipment, as well as a brand new distribution hub opening in New Jersey, Hoshizaki once again proves its illustrious reputation is well earned.
Hoshizaki is well-known in part due to the sheer quality of the equipment they produce. “One of the reasons customers love Hoshizaki is because of the quality of our equipment,” said Jon O’Hern, VP of Sales. “When customers order our products, they know that the products they’ll receive are of the highest quality and utmost durability. The quality allows them to provide the best dining experiences possible while the durability allows them to do so consistently and cost-effectively. Because Hoshizaki has fostered this reputation, we are the first choice for many who find themselves in need of the highest quality ice making and refrigeration.”
“We have also found as we continue to grow that factory-direct representation and the right selection of an independent rep has become a key to us maximizing our commitment to service,” added Brian Rakers, Northeast Regional Sales Director. “We pride ourselves on how easy it is to do business with Hoshizaki. Although we occasionally utilize independent distributors, nearly 50 to 60 percent of our business is conducted by our own area sales managers, and goes through our company-owned distribution centers, such as our latest in New Jersey. This allows Hoshizaki to provide an elevated level of service and knowledge to its customers.”
Covid has made this aspect particularly important. Many restaurants and dealers simply cannot afford to spend resources navigating overly complex processes to procure the equipment they need to operate. “An intimate knowledge of our products allows us to instruct our dealer base and allows them to then convey that knowledge to the end-user,”
said O’Hern.
Hoshizaki has also expanded its field representation in Metro New York. In 2018, it appointed Westchester based Tri-State Marketing to support its efforts in the five boroughs of New York City. Last month, it expanded the reach of the rep firm, led by Lynne Schultz and Bart Gobioff, to work with the dealer and consultant community in the Garden State.
With the widest array of icemakers on the market, Hoshizaki can meet nearly any demand. Among their latest offerings are machines capable of producing chewable ice. “Chewable ice is a form of ice that is softer and lighter than the traditional cubes most people are used to. This variety goes particularly well with products such as soft drinks. Many of the largest chains such as 7-11, Chick-fil-A and Sonic have begun transitioning to this,” noted the VP of Sales.
With an eye towards growth in cocktail sales, Hoshizaki has even begun to produce their own unique varieties of ice. “Brand new to the marketplace is our new sphere ice,” O’Hern informed us. “Sphere ice is essentially an extremely solid, perfectly spherical piece of ice designed for high-end cocktails and spirits. This is yet another example of how Hoshizaki listens to the needs of the customer base and responds with new solutions. We knew that the craft beverage market and high-end bars were rising in popularity leading up to Covid, so we worked with our parent company in Japan to bring over some of the technology they were using, and incorporated it into our own products,” added the VP of Sales.
In an age where health and safety are the top priority for every establishment, Hoshizaki is constantly innovating and updating their products to meet the new standards that have been set for the industry. “Safety has always been extremely important to us,” said O’Hern. “All of our icemakers come standard with stainless-steel evaporators, which allow for the use of harsher cleaning agents without any detriment to the machine. Our latest ice machine products include CleanAssist which reduces cleaning time by 65%. This allows operators to simply pour cleaning chemicals into the water reservoir, flip a switch, and watch the machine clean itself.”
In addition, some of Hoshizaki’s products feature touchless dispensing, as well as antimicrobial materials which inhibit the growth of harmful pathogens on exposed surfaces of the machine. The Hoshizaki name has been synonymous with quality, innovation and reliability for over 70 years, and it continues to push for maximum customer satisfaction to this day.
Now more than ever, with the debut of Hoshizaki’s Rahway, New Jersey distribution facility, the company is poised to respond to each and every need of its dealer, consultant and end-user operator base. Learn more about the new advances at their website.
