There are a number of questions that take center stage as the foodservice industry prepare for its biannual trip to the NAFEM Show 2019. The National Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers is set for February 7-9, 2019, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL.
At the top of the list of questions are what will it take to get dealers who are affiliated with their respective buying groups to shop the NAFEM Show 2019 and look at product solutions that are not part of their rebate programs. Secondly, the question continues to simmer as to whether or not open flame cooking is back.
At press time, NAFEM reports it has 531 exhibitors who will set up equipment displays across 372,000 sq. ft. of convention floor space; this is more on both counts than The NAFEM Show ’15 and ’17. Attendance is expected to be in the 20,000+ range.
One of the key issues that will take center stage at the 2019 edition of the NAFEM Show will be an update on the impact of tariffs on imported steel and aluminum. NAFEM President Joe Carlson, CFSP, president, Lakeside Manufacturing, has worked closely with Flynn and her team. “Our goal continues to be that elected officials hear from NAFEM and its members about how these tariffs are negatively impacting their businesses,” Carlson noted.
The NAFEM show has always been a must for the latest industry innovation. The show’s WHAT’S HOT! WHAT’S COOL!® What Works! lounges will showcase E&S Success Stories and the impact they have had nationwide on real-life foodservice operations. “Our goal is to present cost cutting and energy saving solutions,” noted the NAFEM’S longtime executive director Deirdre Flynn.
Orlando, FL.
Among the innovative solutions in display will be AccuTemp Products, FlexPro Burger Smasher. Cooks who were manually smashing 200+ burgers an hour at a growing southern California fast-casual restaurant chain were getting burned out and leaving their jobs. Over the course of two years, the restaurant worked with AccuTemp Products to design and test a customized smasher to fit the restaurant’s specific needs. As a result, cook times dropped 15 percent, production increased 20 percent and cooks were much happier.
Cambro’s Ultimate Sheet Pan Rack enabled an executive chef of an event catering company who needed more effective speed racks for his fast-paced, demanding kitchens. After partnering with Cambro Manufacturing Company to test more durable racks made from composite plastic, the chef and his staff noticed major operational improvements, thanks to the new racks’ ability to withstand heavy loads without warping and prevent pans from sliding.
A small, unique Pennsylvania restaurant struggled with limited kitchen space and high customer volume. And with menu items changing every day, workspace issues meant there was no room for adding a fixed prep table. Collaborating with InterMetro Industries who conducted an assessment of the current workspace, layout and process the restaurant tested a small-footprint, mobile, multifunctional prep station. Thanks to this piece of equipment, the restaurant saved hours of labor every day and increased productivity.
Orlando, FL.
Hobart’s FT1000e Low Energy Series Flight Type dish machine provided major savings for a university in Ohio. The college needed a machine capable of washing thousands of dishes per day while keeping energy costs low. Serving as a test environment for installation and ongoing documentation of a low-energy flight type dish machine from ITW/FEG, it is estimated the university will save $28,000 in energy costs over the next 10 years.
Vulcan’s Countertop Electric Fryer enabled a national quick-service seafood chain needed to improve fry times while maintaining food quality and reducing their kitchen footprint. The chain presented this challenge to Vulcan, and together they developed a more efficient fryer that can be mounted on refrigerator or freezer bases, improving workflow and kitchen storage. The chain tested the new fryer in their official test kitchen, and after multiple rounds of feedback and some tweaks from the manufacturer the restaurant implemented the new fryer reduced fry times by a jaw-dropping 30 percent, thus saving an estimated $10,000 annually.
Once again the show will kick off with a party that will feature one of the entertainment industry’s leading acts. The nine-time GRAMMY Award winner Sheryl Crow will grace the Name stage. In an intimate setting, Crow will perform selections from 20+ years of hits and nine studio albums. Crow is a creative singer-songwriter who has sold 35 million albums to date.
To learn more about the NAFEM Show 2019, visit their website.
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