It may have started out in healthcare equipment but the M. Tucker Company has found a way to marry this industry with the food service market, keeping up with the requirements of providing food safety and quality in a market that’s ever changing.
Originally started by Marvin Tucker back in the 1950’s, M. Tucker was acquired by Singer NYC LLC, and is now one of Metro-NY’s largest foodservice distributors, according to Fred Bonnacorso, president. This third-generation company (celebrating its centennial next year) initially served the healthcare industry. But in 2011 the family-run company became part of Singer Equipment. “And when I look at our combined entities now – our products and services, including kitchen design, engineering, food service, operating equipment, supplies – we really have become a turnkey service partner in the industry and in this market, helping providers solve these complex needs,” Bonnacorso added.
The company’s clients now include institutions like nursing homes and hospitals, in addition to corporate dining, cafeterias and restaurants, all with very specific needs.
And as the company looked at the needs of the healthcare industry, the match with food service was obvious. “Concerns about foodborne illness, sanitation, those are vital concerns to us,” Bonnacorso noted. “It’s no secret that the aging population is going to place greater demands on all sectors of the healthcare industry – hospitals, assisted living, nursing homes, etc. Food service and healthcare managers will need to become experts in all aspects of food service preparation delivery as well as federal guidelines and regulations. Every operator is also looking for ways to reduce costs, increase efficiency, to maximize their human capital, all while navigating ever-changing federal, state and local regulations, which is a huge challenge. That’s where we come in.”
Bonnacorso pointed out that today’s professionals are really looking for a partner, someone to help them solve their constantly expanding responsibilities and needs. “What makes us different is that we have turnkey solutions. It seems that everyone’s running 100 miles an hour nowadays, in many projects at once, staying on top of all the federal regulations. It’s really, really hard. Our customers are really looking for a partner to help them walk through it all. We train both our contract teams and our distribution sales representatives to understand the trends so they can offer solid consultative solutions that will help meet the demands of these service managers and help our customers navigate through all this information. It’s not just going in and showing them a product.”
“Customers going forward, especially today, with the advent of the Internet and online sales, are looking for partners who can help them manage their projects to completion and continue to support them throughout the process. That’s our goal.”
Healthcare companies have a number of special food delivery preparation challenges that a typical corporation cafeteria or restaurant doesn’t.
“Their facilities are getting larger and are able to service more people, requiring large-capacity equipment, special packaging, all while dealing with narrow hallways and food safety. This all becomes a concern. But there are so many unique and tailored solutions available to help them solve the challenges and we help design them, like food transportation and holding solutions. The key is, we have to be the experts so that we can understand the environment, know the products available and how to use them to solve these challenges.”
The company does this by becoming a liaison between their clients and knowing what’s demanded from a legal standpoint and a best practices standpoint.
“It takes skill, labor and well-thought out sanitation to keep large facilities operating properly. We specialize in cooking and chilling solutions to help keep food at the proper temperature and the right food delivery equipment to maintain the quality and safety of the products. We stay on the project, through all its changes and demands. In this day, where regulations and the ways of doing business safely and efficiently in this marketplace are extremely challenging, we meet them and do it right every time,” Bonnacorso concluded.
To learn more about M. Tucker and how they provide for the changing healthcare segment, visit their website.
