NORTH AMERICA NORTH

ALIWORLDTHE ALI GROUP MAGAZINE ISSUE 9 | JANUARY 2021

LAGOMARCINO’S ZIGGI’S COFFEE SERVING UP BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS IS KEY FROZEN TREATS TO THIS CHAIN’S SUCCESS AND MORE SINCE 1908

OPERATION BBQ RELIEF STEPPING IN WHEN DISASTER STRIKES Welcome

Welcome to this, the ninth The articles in this issue of Aliworld show how our clients are adapting to these changing ways North America edition of of doing business. We’ll tell you about the latest Aliworld. Over the past year, trends in takeout and delivery. And to help you keep your eye on the road ahead, four prominent the COVID-19 pandemic has consultants share their views on the state of the affected all of us. Let me extend industry now and after the pandemic. I know you’ll our deepest sympathies from all find their comments insightful. We have many success stories for you, such as of us at the Ali Group to those of the story of a young couple who had the dream you who have suffered personal of running a coffee shop — and who are now in charge of one of the fastest-growing coffee chains losses due to the pandemic. in the U.S. You’ll see how another entrepreneur continues to capitalize on the CBD trend by t’s no understatement to say that the making infused gelato. As an example of how to pandemic has radically changed the keep going in both good and bad times, we’ll show foodservice and hospitality business you a family-owned business that has made ice over the past year. Like so many of cream for more than 90 years. Also, for a change you, we at the Ali Group are taking of pace, we have the inspiring story of a group of every possible precaution to keep volunteers who bring hope and food to the victims our employees safe, in keeping with of natural disasters. the mandates of local and national We at the Ali Group are following the health authorities. This unprecedented current trend of using more digital and video situation has put great strains on our employees but communications, so I may be seeing you on a II’m immensely proud of the way they have adapted, Zoom screen in the near future. Looking ahead, pulling together to keep our businesses strong and I’m hopeful that I’ll be able to reconnect with serve our clients during these difficult times. many of you at the NRA Show, NAFEM Show or Many of our companies have quickly pivoted HostMilano this year. as our clients have had to rethink their businesses. These are, indeed, challenging times. But I have Whether that meant an increased emphasis confidence that we, as an industry, are resilient on sanitization and food safety or assisting as and will bounce back even stronger than before. restaurants switched to a takeout-based model, From all of us at the Ali Group, my best wishes for our companies have helped their clients survive — a happy, healthful and profitable 2021. and hopefully even thrive — over the past year. Enjoy Aliworld.

Filippo Berti Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Ali Group

1 Aliworld Aliworld 1 Contents

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02 05 76 Trends Innovation

10 Accelerated and Amplifi ed: 64 To B is to Do 76 Effi cient Food Prep Helps Key Trends in the Wake of Two Ali Group companies Position Chain for Growth COVID-19 team up to produce an A casual chain is using a Consultants discuss how the innovative new product. Moff at holding/warming pandemic will have an eff ect cabinet to prepare food on foodservice in the future. Success 68 YNOT Create More more effi ciently. Stories Storage Space 14 The Fast Track: Creating storage 78 Bringing Safety and Takeout and Delivery 3004 Nashville Donut Spot Distills Sweets and Fun effi ciency for a growing Sustainability to the Operators are fi nding Donuts and cocktails are an unusual but Italian restaurant chain. Forefront success with expanded successful combination. Producing ice safely and takeout and delivery 72 State-of-the-Art Products with less environmental services. 34 Hot Pot Hot Spot’s Need for Precision Meets Victory Receive Awards impact. At Haidilao, the traditional Chinese hot pot is at Beverage-Air and Electro 18 2021: The State of the center of the table. Freeze win 2020 Kitchen 80 High-Speed Cooking Drive-Thru Innovations Awards. Made Easy with A panel of experts 38 Landmark 60-Year-Old Restaurant Finds XpressChef from Metro discuss key Modern Solutions 74 Scotsman Brings Ice ACP’s high-speed strategies for eff ective How the historic Dan’l Boone Inn keeps its and Water to Almost ovens help foodservice drive-thru programs. dishware spotless. Any Location operations trim their Ice and water dispensers production time. 42 Opening a Healthcare Facility in the Midst gain popularity in of a Pandemic nontraditional locations. To deal with an infl ux of patients, a Louisiana hospital reopened an underused facility in a matter of weeks.

46 Timeless Hospitality, Modern Technology Frozen treats star on the menu at this 113-year-old family business.

50 Where “Eats” Meets West 03 A Japanese-style fried chicken chain is making People comfort food healthful. 06Ali Group 22 American Dish Service 58 Joins the Ali Group Family 54 CBD is on the Menu at Cloud Cups 82 Our Companies 4 The latest addition to the CBD-infused gelato is a growing trend. Ali Group global Ali Group is a company expertise with a rich family history. 58 Cool Concepts at Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center 84 Your Global Partner Cover Story 26 BBQ Nonprofi t Customers have a wide variety of foodservice Ali Group contact 4 Building Relationships, One Cup at a Time Bridges Gap options at Orlando’s convention center. information around A Colorado couple are the drivers behind one of the The inspiring story of the globe country’s fastest-growing coff ee chains. Operation BBQ Relief 62 Hot Pizza and Cool Gelato: A Perfect Pair and its eff orts to help A Minnesota pizza chain fi nds gelato to be the people in need. perfect complement to its pizza menu. 22

201 Aliworld Aliworld 3 01Cover Story BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS, ONE CUP AT A TIME

Ziggi’s Coffee’s Co-Founders Brandon and Camrin Knudsen

he original career goal of Ziggi’s Coffee’s Co-Founders, the husband-and-wife team of Cultivating good relationships — Brandon and Camrin Knudsen, wasn’t to own with customers, employees and a coffee shop. While students at Southern suppliers — is critical to operating a Oregon University in Ashland, Ore., Brandon studied to become a teacher and Camrin a successful business, and that has been nurse. “We decided very quickly that neither key to the success of Ziggi’s Coffee. of us really wanted to do that and both of us disliked school,” Brandon jokes. The Knudsens were avid basketball players and while Brandon Twas on the court, Camrin took a part-time job at a local coffee shop. She was “just crushing it,” Brandon says, earning as much as $100 in tips during an average morning shift. That success convinced them

4 Aliworld Aliworld 5 Cover Story

that they should operate a shop with them. Fortunately, Knowing the Customer According to Brandon, coffee shop of their own. Brandon says, “we had the One of the things that making that personal The couple moved to nicest group of elderly ladies differentiates Ziggi’s from connection is as important Colorado in 2003, staying with who’d come in every morning other coffee shops is a focus behind the counter as in front. Brandon’s sister, “until we and they would hold our baby. on customer service and really “I want to surround myself figured out what we wanted They’d say, ‘Give me Elijah. You reading the customer’s needs. with people who are awesome to do with ourselves,” he says. guys get through your rush.’” The chain tasks employees at what they do,” he says. The Brandon took a night shift Around this time, the with putting the company’s business relationship with the job at a Denver ice cream Knudsens’ coffee roaster slogan, “The best part of your Thwaites brothers has become a manufacturing plant while presented the couple with day,” into action. “We want to friendship as well; their families the couple spent their days what seemed like a crazy idea: look at the person coming up go on vacation together. Various looking for a coffee shop they partnering with them on a to the counter and size them Knudsen family members work could purchase. “We had no second coffee shop. “My wife up,” Brandon says. “One person for Ziggi’s, as do some of the money, no credit, no assets is like, ‘Are you kidding wants me to shut up and give students Brandon coached and no clue as to what we me?’ ” Brandon says. “I just felt them their coffee. They look at basketball. “I need to have were doing,” Brandon says. like we could do it. I like the grumpy. Just give them their a personal connection with After months of looking, business, and I’m hopelessly coffee and let them get out of someone or they’re not going to the Knudsens found a small optimistic.” there — that’s the best part be part of our team,” he says. coffee-and-sandwich shop Even though Hava Java of their day. Then you get the for sale in Thornton, Colo., was still losing money and person who walks in and wants Finding the Right Machine about 10 miles north of Brandon was still working at to talk about everything you When customers come Denver. The shop’s current the ice cream factory, they can think of. So we talk to them. to Ziggi’s, they know owners “had been running it took the opportunity and That’s the best part of their day.” they’re going to get a fresh, for seven or eight years and opened Gizzi’s Coffee in 2004 they were ready to be done in Longmont, Colo. In late [with] working 15 hours a 2004, Gizzi’s would become What’s in a Name? day,” he says. With a loan from Ziggi’s Coffee. On “Wheel of Fortune,” buying a vowel can sometimes be Camrin’s family, the couple For a few months, the the key to riches. But for Ziggi’s Coffee, buying a consonant purchased the shop, called the Knudsens operated both — specifically, the letter “G” — was the first step to success. Hava Java, in early 2004. “We stores but sold Hava Java late probably only sold 10 cups of in the year to concentrate When the Knudsens and their original business partner coffee per day; the rest was solely on building the Ziggi’s (who was also their coffee roaster) opened their first café panini sandwiches,” he says. business. By 2010, the partners together in Longmont, Colo., in 2004, they named it Gizzi’s. The shop only brought in were doing well enough to Six months into the partnership, there was a disagreement about $200 in business on a open a second location — a and “it got rocky,” in Brandon Knudsen’s words. His father typical day, not enough for the double-sided drive-thru — in stepped in to buy out the partner. But the partner decided Knudsens to hire help. So they Longmont. Drive-thru has that he wanted to keep the Gizzi’s name. “We were totally manned the shop during the been an important part of broke,” Knudsen says. “I was already in debt, and my dad day, but Brandon kept his night the chain’s design from the had spent every penny he had.” A protracted legal battle to job at the ice cream plant. After beginning: Most of Ziggi’s secure the name was out of the question. his nightly shift, he’d drive back units have a drive-thru lane to a warehouse club store in and many of them have two. Brothers Tommy and Tim Thwaites and their fledgling Thornton and sit in the parking Ziggi’s opened a new unit Coda Coffee business came to the rescue. Knudsen told One of the things that lot until it opened. “I’d go in in each of the next four years, Tommy Thwaites about the problems he was having with differentiates Ziggi’s and buy just enough sandwich and in 2016 it launched an his business partner — and that he was looking for a new meat and sides to get through ambitious franchise program. coffee roaster. “You’re in luck,” Thwaites told him. “We’ll be from other coffee the lunch rush,” he says. Then it The chain’s first franchise your roaster, and we’ll pay for your signs.” That was the start shops is a focus on was back to Hava Java to work location opened in 2017 in of the successful relationship between Ziggi’s and Coda. the breakfast and lunch shifts, Loveland, Colo. Ziggi’s now has customer service and catch a few hours of sleep and 26 units in operation, reaching Even with outside help, “the only way we could afford to really reading the start the process all over again. from California to Iowa. Seven change the name was to rearrange the letters on each sign,” On top of everything else, of the stores are corporate Knudsen says. So the Thwaites brothers kicked in $1,700 to customer’s needs. Camrin had just given birth to locations and franchisees own buy an additional “G” for the sign, the letters were rearranged, the Knudsens’ first child, and the remaining 19. Knudsen Knudsen became the first customer for the brothers’ coffee- since they couldn’t afford a expects to have a total of 65 roasting business, and Gizzi’s became Ziggi’s. sitter they brought him to the franchised units open by 2022.

6 Aliworld Aliworld 7 Cover Story

delicious cup of coff ee every time. And CODA COFFEE: THE PERFECT CUP FOR ZIGGI’S that only comes from coff ee machines that are dependable, which Ziggi’s It’s impossible to tell the story of Ziggi’s previous machines weren’t. “I knew we The Egro machine “is a huge Coff ee without discussing Coda Coff ee as Like Ziggi’s, Coda Coff ee believes in being had a problem,” Knudsen says. factor in keeping our labor well. The two companies have more than just a good corporate citizen. It has received Th e chain was “just dumping a traditional supplier-buyer relationship. Their commendations for its environmental money into service,” says Javier Palacio, at less than 25% of sales and histories are intertwined and the connections practices from the Colorado Dept. of Regional Service Manager for 9 Bar Tech giving incredible service.” go back even before Ziggi’s was established. Public Health and Environment and is Co. in Denver. “So I mentioned, ‘Have a Certifi ed B Corporation. Coda also you ever taken a look at Egro?’” Palacio Coda Coff ee Co-Presidents (and brothers) gives back by doing community service did an in-house demo of the Egro ONE Tommy and Tim Thwaites got their start in projects in their growers’ home countries. Pure Coff ee fully automatic espresso the coff ee business in the Pacifi c Northwest “We’ve graded roads, built community machine for Ziggi’s, and Knudsen in the mid-1990s. They worked for a coff ee centers, donated money for a cupping was sold. roaster in Seattle for about 10 years before lab and donated money for a computer Th e Egro ONE Pure Coff ee is a high- moving away and getting out of the coff ee lab for the kids,” Tommy says. That social volume, fully automatic espresso machine business. “In 2005, my brother and I were responsibility aligns with the community- with a touchscreen interface. Th e interface both off in some other directions,” says focused way Ziggi’s does business. allows for programming of up to 48 drink Tommy Thwaites. “I was selling subprime “There’s so many cool things they do. selections. Its iSteam intelligent steam mortgages; my brother was selling wand automatically froths insurance.” Both of them soon tired of what and steams milk, and a USB they were doing and got back into the port facilitates software and coff ee game, working for a roaster based programming updates. And in Denver that supplied Ziggi’s (or as it was it only requires 12 inches of known then, Gizzi’s) Coff ee. counter space — perfect for small café designs. “We didn’t like the ethics of that company,” Th e Egro ONE Pure Thwaites says, and the brothers decided solved a problem for Ziggi’s, they’d start up a coff ee roasting business according to Knudsen, of their own. Backed by some money from who says that “training a their parents, the brothers started Coda barista to adjust a grind is Coff ee in Denver in 2005. Brandon Knudsen the worst thing ever.” With was also branching out on his own and the Egro ONE Pure, he says, happened to call the Thwaites brothers “it’s done.” Palacio agrees, Coda Coff ee Co-Presidents on their fi rst offi cial day of operation. “He Tim Thwaites (left) and saying that “it’s really became customer number one for Coda,” Tommy Thwaites (right) hands-off so you don’t have says Thwaites. “He was invoice number one to do anything as far as the They build schools, they take care of the user adjusting grinds.” BRAND WATCH farmers,” Brandon Knudsen says. “Tommy Th e Egro ONE Pure produces and Tim are the best at what they do.” consistent and delicious coff ee so that Ziggi’s can concentrate on what As with many coff ee companies, Coda is Brandon says they really specialize in: Began production of coff ee machines: organic-certifi ed and Fair Trade Certifi TMed . customer service. Th e Egro machine “is But its Farm2Cup certifi cation may be the a huge factor in keeping our labor at less 1934 most meaningful. “It’s our own made-up Developed the fi rst fully automatic than 25% of sales and giving incredible espresso machine: certifi cation,” Thwaites says. “We wanted a service,” he says. “It’s hard to do both but way to denote coff ees where we really felt the machine allows us to do it.” 1972 a strong relationship with the grower.” This Th at emphasis on customer service USA offi ce opened: for Coda.” From that point on, Coda has certifi cation denotes coff ees from areas, is what Don Berquist, Regional Manager 1999 been an integral part of the Ziggi’s Coff ee where Thwaites says, “we’ve walked the for Rancilio Group North America, Number of service providers: success story, providing the chain with all fi elds: Omar is the guy in Honduras, Emilio says is integral to Ziggi’s current and its coff ee. The Thwaites brothers would is the guy in El Salvador. When we know a continued success. “Th ey’re doing it 600+ offi cially become partners in Ziggi’s when its farmer or a co-op we buy from, we like to right,” he says, “talking to customers, ranciliogroupna.com franchise program started in 2016. build that relationship.” talking to employees and making sure they have a great product.”

8 Aliworld Aliworld 9 Chris Bigelow, FCSI, CFSP preordering by the 02Trends President hundreds? The Bigelow Companies, Inc. When you preorder from Kansas City, Mo. a restaurant, they have set up cubicles. In some cases, it’s nothing but a shelf and they have your name on a ticket attached to a bag. at’s the simplest way to do it, but half- time at a football game may What emerging trends in e idea didn’t start with call for di erent measures. Andrey Teleguz sports facility foodservice the pandemic but it’s  nally ere are electronic cabinets or Principal has the COVID-19 pandemic gaining traction with COVID lockers and you’re given a code. SCOPOS Hospitality Group accelerated? and that’s preordering food When you get to the pickup e big one is the whole on your phone. In the sports spot, you punch in the code on Ephrata, Penn. idea of cashless facilities, world, we’ve had apps to order your phone and it opens the which was just starting to on your phone for at least locker. ese can be installed What are some major Key Trends in the Wake of COVID-19 pick up momentum. e 10 years but nobody used fairly easily as a retro t. e foodservice and hospitality percentage of credit card them. People like to get up, key is  nding the space. trends that you see outliving sales versus cash sales was walk around the stadium, see the pandemic? growing every year, all across what people are selling and Let’s talk more about the Trends I’d highlight are open the board with the various buy on impulse. Now, we’re space requirements for newly kitchens extending farther, facilities — colleges, minor seeing more sports teams that designed sports facilities in a perhaps even protruding into league, major league, you want to have a reliable app post-COVID world. the dining room space, creating name it. With COVID, it’s to encourage preordering. If We’re working on some almost a 360-degree experience. taken on a new emphasis. you think about self-service, projects right now, and even We then need to think about Everyone’s coming out — you unless the kiosks are voice- though the buildings won’t be the to-go and takeout trend see it with restaurants, saying, activated, people are touching open for, let’s say, four years, because that factors into how “We’re not going to take cash a screen so you still have we’re told to design with our open display kitchen anymore; we’re only going safety issues. When customers another pandemic in mind connects to the dining room to take credit cards or some use their own phones to place as a possibility. at means and it raises the question of type of electronic payment.” orders and they’re not going more space. We used to make where the pickup area  ts. We at whole movement to be touching any equipment kitchen footprints as small don’t want people picking up toward cashless facilities is — that seems like the safest as possible, with kitchen sta orders to a ect the dine-in It’s diffi cult to disentangle the COVID-19 pandemic from what’s accelerating because of the option for the future. I think working shoulder to shoulder. experience when it comes to trending today in foodservice across various sectors, from perception that handling cash we’re going to see the whole Now, the question is how to atmosphere and safety. e is less sanitary. en, also, we technology piece just continue redesign and move equipment third trend is the dining room senior living facilities to sports and entertainment venues. have self-service (concession to grow with touchless to allow for more space and, itself broken out into smaller, However, several trends seemingly tied to COVID-19 actually stand) kiosks, where you equipment. Everyone said possibly, social distancing. more intimate nooks to allow began to emerge before the coronavirus clobbered the enter your order and go to condiment stands would Interestingly, something that for spacing. the pickup spot to get it. at be a thing of the past, but came up the other day is, do United States. For instance, market research fi rm The NDP was a trend that was growing manufacturers have come out we need a cash room anymore? Let’s address each of Group had already dubbed the U.S. “A Carry-Out Nation” prior to COVID, and I think with touchless condiment Normally, in the back-of-the- those trends one at a time, in November 2019, months ahead of the pandemic. it will accelerate because dispensers with either a foot house space there’d be a pretty starting with open kitchens. it’s contactless — you’re not pump or an electric eye. good-sized cash room for a We’d been doing a lot of interacting with a cashier. major venue where all the open kitchens despite the Here, four foodservice consultants discuss takeout, touchless What design elements or foodservice people come and debate around whether it’s service points, open kitchen designs and other trends that Which trends did the equipment are needed to count their money. Well, if going to be too noisy, and do pandemic spark that are accommodate pickups there’s no cash, you don’t need we really want people to see COVID-19 either accelerated or ignited, and they weigh in on here to stay? if stadium crowds start that cash room. everything? en, COVID which trends will persist. 10 Aliworld Aliworld 11 Trends

happened and that has unnecessary congestion inside Stephen Young, FCSI the app. e concession stand Amy E. Hegarty, CID, ASID, CFSP, FCSI instead of the pizza place down driven a lot of demand for the restaurant. You’d want a Managing Member/Executive or food outlet just becomes a Principal the street bene ts the operator. transparency. People want dedicated to-go destination Principal ful llment center, and there’s Foodservice Consultants Studio, Inc. Delivery and takeout will be to see what you’re doing to spot. Maybe it’s even a street no wait time since you’re not more prevalent in the future. their plate and their meal. pickup window or some Young Caruso (formerly WC&P) summoned until your order Henrico, Va. ings aren’t ideally set up We call it visual reassurance. outside connection point so Denver has been ful lled. for delivery at this point, but De nitely, there’s still a people aren’t entering the they’ve  gured it out as a short- back-of-the-house kitchen restaurant and disrupting Is the technology advanced term solution and I think it’s where all the bulk prep is the diners and making them enough to support a positive here to stay, although I don’t see happening. Open kitchens are feel like there’s tra c just voice-activated kiosk it taking over. Senior living and not all open air, necessarily. constantly running back What foodservice trends do technologies. And those experience? In a COVID-19 era, what is What other changes were higher ed are environments Some are behind glass. and forth. at’s a critical you predict will emerge in a are mobile app ordering, e technology is there, the fate of self-service in made to that project, and that attract people who want to element to creating that safe, post-COVID world? voice-activated kiosks and and the kiosks are just coming institutional settings? what do they signal about be around other people. ey What else is driving the enjoyable dining experience. We believe the world has self-service scan-in/scan-out into play. A voice-activated We were in the middle of the future of design in won’t want to be stuck in their open kitchen trend? Is it Branding will play a big role. embraced certain changes markets sort of like Amazon kiosk allows you to interact a senior living redesign when institutional settings? rooms all the time eating out of experiential? Do guests Takeout can now be branded as a culture and one of these Go’s grab-and-go model. is with the screen without COVID hit and the project What we had planned a [polystyrene] box. expect to see art in the separately, giving it its own conditions is that patrons platform allows for fresh and touching it, from tapping your stalled for four months. Now to do is create food stations making? identity and driving targeted don’t want to be touching packaged food and beverage card or scanning your phone it’s back on track, but gone are where chefs would prepare What needs to happen so e popularity of cooking marketing with a unique surfaces and things that other products with self-checkout for payment to ordering with all the self-service elements food made to order at that senior living facilities shows and celebrity chefs takeout menu and packaging. guests have touched. I also scanning. voice commands. And it will — no salad bar, no self-serve beautiful service counters and universities are has really driven that type of think people more than ever With mobile app ordering, upsell your order with, “Would soup, no self-serve dessert. In with di erent concepts — properly set up to provide experience demand. People How will dining room want more visibility into the when a guest enters, their you like fries with that?” or university dining halls, there’s a carvery, a grill, an action takeout and delivery in the want to see the artistry, the design and con guration  nal preparation or  nish of phones will be pinged and otherwise interact with you. currently no self-service. station where they might have long-term? culinary  air, and they may change? their meal assembly. Guests they’ll have the option of Imagine you’re at a Broncos Because they have existing a wok. e resident would You’ll need sta to even pay a premium for that, ings are going to want to see that their meals downloading the app and game. e image on the screen self-serve counters, there’s make their choice and have prepare takeout meals to have a seat closer to the be spaced out di erently. are prepared in a safe way. accepting push noti cations could be John Elway talking now a sta person behind the food prepared and plated and do deliveries, and you action. Ultimately, when the Dining room spaces will be Additionally, guests eat with for specials, like a two-for-one to you and taking your order. that counter putting three right in front of them. Come may need more space and chef ’s out in front, it’s a show. divided into smaller nooks their eyes so display cooking deal. Furthermore, the mobile In the next  ve years it may cucumbers on your salad August, they called the design a redesigned kitchen  ow. with separators, creating an and prep environments will app has beacon technology, be a hologram standing there because that’s what you asked team back together, and they Kitchens need storage room On the other end of the experience of safety and a enhance sales. which tells the operator where talking to you. for. ey’re even handing wanted changes based on for the to-go containers and spectrum are people who sense of intimacy within a the guest is. So, in a sports forks to the university lessons learned from COVID. maybe for insulated delivery are forgoing the dine-in larger space. Areas will be What’s being done to entertainment venue, you As far as safety in the era of students — you can’t reach e residents will no longer carts. It would be bene cial experience and becoming sectioned o architecturally minimize touchpoints could order from your seat and COVID, how are food halls into an open container walk up to a counter. It’s all to have a separate area of the increasingly reliant on or by using design elements and potential germ the food could be delivered perceived compared to and pick out your  atware. table service now, just like kitchen to store meals once takeout. to create physical barriers transference? to you. If in-seat service isn’t restaurants? Hiring labor on campus is a traditional restaurant, but they are ready to be picked at’s huge. People other than [plastic glass] For all of the sports o ered, you order from the app I would say food halls are generally not a problem there will still be a visual up or delivered — so heated are used to it, and moving partitions, which have been entertainment venues as well and it tells you when your food equally as safe as restaurants, because of the student connection with the cooking or refrigerated cabinets in forward, there will still be a the short-term solution. We’re as the food halls we currently is ready and where to pick it and I believe they have a workforce, but elsewhere, in the form of an open display this area to house the food. percentage of the population using a lot of green walls, or have on the boards in terms up, and you pay for it through sustainable place in the where sta is preparing food kitchen. e ability to see You need to address the that’s not comfortable eating hydroponics, to create those of design, we’re implementing foodservice world. e key for people instead of doing food being prepared while tradeo that more takeout Food halls present unique at a restaurant but they still partitions between tables, and touchless and frictionless challenges in serving will be the ability to queue and self-serve, labor is going to maintaining some separation and delivery means more want the experience of that they also bring in nature and service points and point-of-sale food safely. seat guests in a way to satisfy be a challenge. My personal is an important factor in packaging. Just think of restaurant’s food. So we need that feeling of healthiness. social distancing and provide opinion about self-serve bulk future design projects. the enormity of trash being to  gure out how to alter the You could do high banquettes a sense of safety to its patrons. food is it’s not a great idea produced by this type of back of the house to handle or booths to separate people. e ability to provide a display in an institutional setting What other responses to food service. I think the that takeout volume. Maybe Even using more lounge- presentation of fresh and safe because of the risk of cross- the coronavirus are driving cost of compostable and you have a more limited to-go style chairs that have higher food handling and  nishing will contamination; plus, it’s lasting change? biodegradable packaging menu and a speci c, very backs helps instead of typical be a big plus moving forward. harder to hold temperature. For senior living, they had will come down because e cient and streamlined bistro-style chairs. Farmhouse ey may emerge on the other But as far as self-serve across to quickly  gure out how to sustainability is still area of the kitchen that’s tables had been trending, but side of COVID looking a little all sectors, we’re probably safely deliver meals to people’s important. I think things engineered to support that we’re seeing a move toward bit di erent, but they have a seeing just a temporary stop rooms. Universities started will develop pretty quickly takeout menu and it’s not smaller tables you can group place in our heart that excites right now. Most facilities of o ering takeout and delivery to in this area because we need impacting production for together to create that farm our foodie spirit that will never di erent types will want to get control the number of students packaging that doesn’t  ll the restaurant. Location of table experience for a larger go away. back to o ering it because it’s in the dining halls. Students got up the land lls or make you takeout is critical in order group, while allowing for more an e cient way to get people used to these conveniences and feel like you’re bringing home to reduce cross tra c or  exibility. through a line. ordering food from campus leftovers.

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dining rooms, dedicating prep lines, expanding students to order a few meals ahead and avoid being drive-thrus, testing ghost kitchens and making around other students and staff at the dining venues.” other moves to win with off-premises sales. But Even for pickup, OSU’s tech platform facilitates closure mandates and massive changes in consumer social distancing while maximizing convenience behavior sparked by the pandemic transformed and efficiency. Algorithms generate estimated wait takeout and delivery from steadily growing trends times when orders are placed, and notifications into critical lifelines almost overnight. sent to students’ phones alert them when they QSR and fast-casual chains with deep pockets are ready. and high-tech systems have led the charge into “In 90% of the cases, our students are there developing next-level off-premises business to pickup the food within 30 seconds to a minute strategies. But the shift is broad and industrywide, after we set the food on the staging shelf,” Ahmed encompassing colleges, healthcare operations, notes. “For takeout-based programs, timing is corporate campuses, fine dining and family-style everything. It’s really important to have technology restaurants, whose leaders are reimagining their that provides accurate wait times. If that’s not businesses and accelerating the pace of change to in place, you’re going to have a very hard time meet the moment and prepare for the future. managing traffic, as well as holding food and The Ohio State University’s dining program, for maintaining quality.” instance, was a pioneer when it brought mobile At St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in ordering for pickup and delivery to the college Memphis, Tenn., a combination of tech tools and campus in Columbus, Ohio, five years ago. Initially physical modifications is helping facilitate a newly The implemented in retail foodservice operations, the expanded off-premises program. As OSU was in system was expanded in summer 2020 to include “The good the campus-dining world, St. Jude was a pioneer residential dining halls before students returned news is among hospitals in adopting mobile app-based to campus for the fall 2020 semester. As at other that we’d ordering just over two years ago. Its program college campuses, OSU’s dining program had enables customers to order ahead for takeout at Fast Track: rapidly shifted to takeout and delivery-only modes been doing the hospital’s main dining facility, the Kay Kafe, or of operation during the pandemic. Having the mobile one of their two retail Starbucks outlets. technology already in place, through a partnership Within Kay Kafe, the St. Jude team repurposed with Grubhub, was a boon, says Zia Ahmed, Senior ordering an area formerly used as an express grab-and-go Director for Dining Services. via app and station to serve as its new mobile-order pickup Takeout & “Almost everything we do is off-premises now,” area. “The express area was underutilized, so we he notes. “The good news is that we’d been doing kiosks for decided to change it to our Grubhub area,” says mobile ordering via app and kiosks for takeout takeout for David Reeves. He formerly served as Director of for the past four years. Mobile ordering is now the the past Culinary Operations at St. Jude before taking a primary option. At the start of the 2020-2021 school position as System Director of Food and Nutrition Delivery year, with nearly 12,000 students on campus, we four years.” at Lee Health in Florida. “It now includes signage had 98% of orders coming from mobile devices. Part that shows the status of orders. If an order shows of our strategic plan was to get to 100% of orders Zia Ahmed up there in green, it means it’s ready to go and being placed via mobile app by 2025. We’re five years Senior Director for available for pickup in the staging area. It’s simple ick it up. Grab it and go. Order it in. These options ahead of schedule due to COVID-19.” Dining Services, and seamless, and something we’ll be expanding quickly came to define most consumers’ engagement Last summer, the OSU Dining Services team The Ohio State on in the future.” with restaurants and other foodservice venues worked not just to expand the technology platform University St. Jude has already incorporated plans for when COVID-19 hit. And for many — those leery of for placing mobile orders but also to expand more sophisticated, tech-enhanced mobile-order heading back into dining rooms as well as those for delivery. Added early in the pandemic for students pickup areas in future facility designs, Reeves whom takeout and delivery simply became new and in quarantine, all meals are being delivered to notes. One plan includes Amazon locker-style comfortable norms — off-premises options continue to the student rooms by dining staff. The program staging for mobile orders, with hot and cold hold strong appeal. also includes a popular new menu of 20-plus holding cabinets that customers can unlock with a To some degree, much of the industry was headed refrigerated meals that students can purchase and simple phone scan. down this path anyway. Even before COVID-19, off-premises orders made up nearly reheat in their residences. As for order pickup, Kay Kafe’s production P60% of foodservice occasions and 78% of operators said off-premises programs “Our culinary team did a lot of R&D to streamline area also now includes one section dedicated to were a strategic priority, according to data released in October 2019 by the National our menus for takeout and delivery, and also to come mobile-app orders. “It was challenging at first, Restaurant Association. Leading restaurant brands, on-site operators and emerging up with a variety of really great meals that can be because we’d have people ordering items from concepts were already thinking outside the box, tapping new technologies, shrinking reheated easily,” Ahmed says. “It makes it easy for multiple stations within the café,” Reeves says.

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“So, we set up one station that almost exclusively there’s demand, especially with social distancing we’ll implement off-premises. It’s such a viable and First Things First: 3 Keys to Off-Premises Success prepares Grubhub orders. That’s worked well to regulations now in place.” important aspect of our business now.” Well before posting takeout and delivery deals on Facebook or improve efficiency and streamline the process.” James Lane, Owner of Angelo’s Pizzeria & embracing the latest mobile-order app technology, foundational work With the St. Jude mobile-app program well Doing Business Differently Enoteca in Shallotte, N.C., and Maria’s Pizzeria needs to happen to help ensure off-premises sales success, says Ken established, and with COVID-19 creating a need For many independent operators for whom in nearby Ocean Isle Beach, also has a new Schwartz, FSCI, President of Tampa-based consulting and design for greater social distancing on the hospital’s takeout and delivery had never been priorities, appreciation for takeout and delivery. Maria’s, firm SSA Inc. He shares three key moves to make early in the game. campus, the program was expanded last fall to the sudden shift to an off-premises model has which had been open just a few months when include delivery. Now, instead of having to come to been survival-driven but also energizing. Such the pandemic hit, and 17-year-old Angelo’s were Streamline the Menu. “If you have 30 or 40 items on your regular menu, that Kay Kafe or Starbucks to pick up their orders, staff was the case for Charlotte, N.C.-based Xenia designed as full-service restaurants in which may be fine for dine-in business for which capacity is limited. But for off-premises, members and others can have them delivered to a Hospitality Group, which runs two full-service “hospitality is part of the cuisine,” according to maybe it’s better to pare that down to 12 or 15 items that can be done very well centralized pickup point in their building. Ilios Noche Greek restaurants; a new fast-casual Lane. Neither focused on takeout or delivery. and that hold up well in transit. If the beautiful, 4-inch-thick piece of lasagna that Reeves expects lessons learned during the spinoff called Ilios Crafted Greek; and Big View guests enjoy in the restaurant shifts to a half-inch mess by the time it’s taken first phase of mobile-app introduction, for order Diner, a contemporary take on ’70s-style diners home or delivered, that experience diminishes the brand.” ahead and pickup, to help to ensure smooth “People serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. The company “We had to implementation of the new delivery program. have also has a catering arm, operates on-site cafes adapt and Consider Cook Times. “The quality of products at the time of consumption “Packaging is critical and definitely a for B&I clients, and manages food and beverage off-site versus on-site is often very different,” Schwartz says. “Steam builds up challenge,” Reeves says. “We were trying to utilize developed operations for a golf course. change.” inside of the containers. Breads get soggy and hot foods continue to cook sustainable packaging as much as possible, but new habits Prior to March 2020, takeout and delivery after they’re packaged. To optimize quality, cooking method and duration may when we did our trials, we found that the products and this represented just 10% to 12% of overall sales. But James Lane ultimately need to be adjusted for the same menu item being prepared for that held the best were not the sustainable when the order came through to close dining Owner, delivery or takeout versus for dine-in.” products. It’s disappointing, but if you’re offering side of our rooms, Xenia’s team began plotting an aggressive Angelo’s Pizzeria foods for takeout and delivery you need to be business push toward off-premises sales. Menus were and Maria’s Pizzeria Test and Retest Packaging. “Sample several types of packaging and test able to ensure a quality experience by the time streamlined and reworked to focus on dishes that extensively to determine what works best for your specific menu items,” Schwartz someone gets back to their desk to eat.” is going to travel well, packaging options were tested, an app suggests. “Test both for each recipe and for duration to evaluate how menu As for menu mix, the initial program at continue to implemented for mobile ordering, multiple third- items packaged for takeout or delivery hold up after 10, 15, 20 minutes or more, St. Jude started with a limited assortment of evolve and party delivery partners brought on and curbside because that’s how long it can be before they’re actually consumed.” items available to order via mobile app. It catered pickup offered. And the group stretched further to those customers in a hurry and wanting to grow.” to begin offering a selection of fresh and frozen avoid lines, while those with more time could proteins, dry goods, meal kits, prepared foods, work phones and expedite inside and curbside still browse in person and choose from the entire Stratos Lambos family-style meals, wines, signature cocktail mixes, pickup areas as well as to make deliveries. menu for takeout. “We found that creating a CEO and Co-Founder, and even added private-label hand sanitizer to its Vendors were tapped for packaging samples different menu for mobile-app ordering was a good Xenia Hospitality off-premises offerings. and storage areas reconfigured to accommodate solution,” Reeves says. “It let us start out small Group “We refused to just sit and try to wait it out,” takeout and delivery supplies. Szarfarski took and add items as we improved our systems versus says Stratos Lambos, CEO and Co-Founder of to social media to promote takeout and debuting with the whole menu, which would have Xenia Hospitality Group. “We knew that we had to delivery specials. been too complex and time-consuming. Our next Food orders being go into survival mode. We promoted takeout and “We had to do a lot of testing and make a lot packaged for delivery iteration, designed for the delivery program, makes at St. Jude Children’s delivery heavily on social media and in signs near of quick decisions,” Lane notes. “We also bought almost the entire menu available. We know that Research Hospital. the restaurants. We ended up being profitable after some new equipment. With Maria’s being a new the first full month of takeout and delivery-only business, we weren’t sure the volume that we operations. It just started growing incrementally.” “We were always dine-in, destination-type “Everyone would need to produce. We quickly outgrew the The company’s app has been particularly restaurants, but we suddenly lost our business we worked dough mixer that we had bought.” important to that effort, with 75% of mobile model,” he says. “We had to adapt and change. We Working with Belshaw Adamatic, Lane orders coming through it and another 25% coming felt sorry for ourselves for about a week and a half with from upgraded Maria’s mixer to one that can produce through third-party platform providers. And many but then started figuring out how to evolve so we Ali Group double the amount of pizza dough in about half customers simply call in their orders, prompting could continue to serve our customers, just in a was so the time of the model it replaced. “If it weren’t for Lambos to switch to a cloud-based phone system different way.” the pandemic, we probably wouldn’t have made with unlimited lines. Focusing especially on Maria’s, which wasn’t committed that investment,” he says. “But it has really helped As of early fall, when dining room capacity was yet as entrenched in customers’ minds as a to helping us us be able to service delivery and takeout better.” back up to 50%, Xenia’s restaurants continued to dine-in destination, Lane and General Manager “Everyone we worked with from Ali Group do roughly 50% of sales in takeout and delivery. Allison Szafarski studied their existing POS do this and was so committed to helping us do this and do it “This is something we’ll continue to focus on,” system to learn its integrated digital tools for do it well.” well,” Szafarski adds. “Their leadership, ideas and Lambos says. “People have developed new habits handling online takeout and delivery orders. The assistance kept us going and growing. We never and this side of our business is going to continue restaurant’s phone system was expanded from realized the potential we could have for delivery to evolve and grow. What’s more, for any new four lines to eight. Menus were modified and Allison Szafarski and takeout, but now we plan to keep expanding operations that we develop in the future, one of recipes tweaked to help ensure product quality General Manager, and improving on it, even as dine-in business gets the first things on the table is going to be how during transit. Staff members were redeployed to Maria’s Pizzeria back to normal.”

16 Aliworld Aliworld 17 Heath Taylor, National Strategic Accounts Manager

Do you think the increasing volume of drive-thru business that restaurants are seeing is a short-term necessity or is it a major rethinking of how restaurants do business?

Heath Taylor, National National Strategic Accounts Manager: It’s a little of both. In the chain world, dining rooms have been shrinking since way before the pandemic Lauren Noreika, National Strategic started. Some of that is due to customers ordering more via Accounts Manager mobile apps, but I believe the pandemic has forced chains to rethink what their business model looks like and how they serve the customer.

Lauren Noreika, National Strategic Accounts Manager: Major fast-food chains see about 70% of their business at the drive-thru. ird-party delivery services are chipping away at that number a little, but delivery comes with its own challenges, such as price, food quality and customer hando . Drive-thrus are still winning, and restaurants that didn’t have drive-thrus are now certainly accelerating their strategies in order to add drive-thru.

Gerry Kenlon, Gerry Kenlon, Director of Global Strategic Accounts: e Director of Global fact is we are and have been a mobile society. As such, drive- Strategic Accounts thru and to-go have always been dominant elements in QSRs. Pre-COVID-19, that was trending in fast casual as well. e pandemic has changed societal behavior. Out of pure survival, restaurants that didn’t have drive-thru models have adapted to contactless pickup and to-go. And those that did have drive- thru have tried to improve their capacity.

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The On the fl ip side, what things have Metro2Go™ Hot Station you seen that are working? The holds takeout Pull-Out food at the Noreika: Restaurants began streamlining their Worksurface perfect menu options so that they could service their conveniently temperature. slides away customers faster. When you have too much stu it’s when not in going to take that much longer, so they streamlined use. to serve their customers a little bit faster.

Taylor : Operators are sending employees “upstream” to talk to the guest outside the building or before they get to the drive-thru speaker. ey The increase in drive-thru has have an iPad or device in their hand, so not only obviously aff ected front-of- are they taking your order but they can also swipe for payment. e increase in information has house layout and workfl ow. Has helped them keep food quality good and keep the it changed the back-of-house as line moving. well? Kenlon: ere are a number of QSRs I’ve been to What can Metro off er operators Noreika: We’ve always been trained to think about where there’s an area o to the right of the drive- — both in terms of product and customer-to-employee safety, but restaurants now thru area, separate from the drive-thru lane and the expertise — to more effi ciently run have to think about employee-to-employee safety thru-tra c lane. It’s a little staging area, and they their drive-thru? as well. Crew members are being asked to work tell you to go place your order over there. I’m seeing together within small footprints in a business that them use those areas to handle excess demand as Noreika: For years, Metro has o ered a service typically requires them to be in close contact with well. If you’ve done a remote order, you park over that’s free of charge to our customers called one another. Work ows have changed a bit to there and we bring it to you. at’s where I see ESP ProTM — Enhanced Space Productivity. It ensure fewer hando s and touch points. restaurant design fundamentally changing. di erentiates us from the pack. We don’t just sell posts and shelves out of a catalog. Our team Kenlon: e most obvious impact on the back-of- What are some of the challenges comes in, we ingrain ourselves into the customer’s house is having enough space and capacity for all you’ve seen with operations trying work ows, and we design solutions based on what the support materials needed to put a drive-thru or to increase their drive-thru traffi c? the operator actually needs. pickup order together and having them in proximity to the assembly and staging areas for those orders. Taylor : Today, some of the business goes across Taylor : We were asked to create the Pull-Out the counter and some goes to drive-thru. When Worksurface to get more e ciencies out of the Taylor : e same amount of space operators have you change that model to just one outlet, you’re kitchen, whether it be for the drive-thru or mobile BRAND today is going to have be used for di erent tasks going to have some pain points in the staging and app and catering orders. It’s a slide-out assembly WATCH without interrupting the restaurant’s standard holding of product. station, but once you get through with it you slide processes. Restaurants will need extra assembly it back in place so it’s not in the way as you’re stations, for example, but these must  t into the Kenlon: e biggest challenge is the volume. e doing other things. It’s a great space utilization footprint they already have. It’s going to really get drive-thru QSRs, when this pandemic hit, were tool that pays huge dividends, because it does not into space optimization. in position to respond to the public. ey could a ect standard procedures already in place and it Founded: stay open; they could supply meals. ey could also promotes social distancing. feed  rst responders and consumers but they also 1929 picked up everybody else’s demand. How do you  t Kenlon: Metro has a long-established record of Products: exponentially more demand into a smaller funnel? working with global, national and regional chains 30,000+ at’s the challenge. developing application-based solutions speci cally metro.com for their unique requirements. We have developed Noreika: Long lines in the drive-thru can deter an entire portfolio of modular and  exible drive- customers. You see that long line, and you might thru solutions that can adapt as business models not want to get in line or wait for food. Speed is very Workstations adapt and grow. And now as we add our new line important but it’s a struggle when also trying to from Metro help of Super Erecta® Hot Shelving and the Metro2GoTM maintain accuracy. Customers are willing to wait a keep busy Hot Stations to our application catalog, we are in a back-of-house little bit longer for accuracy but not too much longer. areas position to provide even more solutions for more It’s de nitely a balancing act and an art form. organized. customers in di erent types of environments. is is our wheelhouse. is is what we do. 20 Aliworld Aliworld 21 Left: Quality control is an important part of the production process at ADS.

Below: Some of the ADS team (left to right): Nate Snyder, Purchasing Agent; Shanna Tibbetts, Human Resources Manager; 03People James Andrews, President; and Ken Eber, Production & Safety Coordinator. hy the decision to purchase American Dish Service? Historically, the Ali Group has had a strong portfolio of warewashing companies: Bi-Line, Champion, CMA and Moyer Diebel.W ADS is a great addition to our company, as it brings some unique strengths to our group. It has a rich history of over 70 years in commercial warewashing that has today evolved into a company with such diverse products as low- and high-temperature dishwashers, boosters and dish tables and even low-level alarms. The company historically has had a strong management team and innovative products. Its entrepreneurial spirit directly aligns with the values of the Ali Group.

What value do you expect ADS to bring to the Ali Group portfolio? ADS offers a complete line of warewashing products and accessories. This will give our clients Ali Group allows its companies to remain BRAND an even wider selection to choose from to find the independent. How will this serve ADS customers? WATCH perfect warewasher to fit their operation and budget. From a customer point of view, it means business Their popular Quick Lease program puts quality as usual but with the added benefit of being part American Dish Service equipment within the reach of almost every operator. of a global network of foodservice equipment ADS’ unique Factory Training Program aligns with companies. All current relationships will continue, the Ali Group concepts of education and sharing our and customers — both existing and new — will Founded: product knowledge. enjoy the same outstanding support for which Joins the Ali Group Family ADS is renowned. From a company standpoint, it 1950 How does ADS benefit by being part of allows ADS (as with all Ali Group companies) to Size of ADS’ the Ali Group? have the flexibility to do what they do best. This is Edwardsville, Kan., manufacturing facility Chairman and We have a strong reputation of delivering very important for the Ali Group. It means that each in sq. ft: quality products and unparalleled service to our manager is able to define his or her own strategy and customers. With its long history of service to retain an entrepreneurial spirit. That entrepreneurial 208,000 Chief Executive Officer chemical distributors and foodservice operators, attitude is universal in all of our companies. americandish.com ADS will benefit by being able to tap into a wealth Filippo Berti discusses the of knowledge and network of connections. This will Do you have a message for ADS team members? allow them to share best practices our brands have Much like the Ali Group, ADS is a family latest addition to the portfolio carefully developed over the years. We believe it is company. ADS was built on three generations of fundamental to share ideas so that our companies leadership from the Andrews family, and we share of Ali Group companies. can bring the best solutions and products to our their values and dedication to excellence. From clients quickly. By leveraging the global resources of myself and all the other members of the Ali Group the Ali Group, we look forward to bringing ADS to a family, we welcome you and look forward to many new level of excellence. years of working together.

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Unique You manufacture a majority of your own industry with an interest in acquiring ADS. As components in-house. How does that let a third-generation owner and manager, when I you maintain control over quality and the determined it was time to consider the sale of Strengths manufacturing process? the company, it was important for me to pass Designing and manufacturing in-house as the company to a new owner that had values opposed to outsourcing allows ADS to have the and ideals similar to those we have had over the Mean Success most flexibility when it comes to developing years. It was also important for the new owner to equipment. More importantly, manufacturing have the ability to take the company to the next in-house assures a higher level of quality control level. What I found unique with the Ali Group ADS controls all aspects of and timeliness. Quality and consistency of was that they were a group of many of the finest its production processes. for ADS manufacturing is also important in the assembly brands in the foodservice process for the production of equipment. If the equipment industry The latest addition to the Ali parts have consistent quality and fit, the machine while also being a family- Group is a company with a strong will be easier to manufacture, and product quality owned business. I felt will remain constant and not fluctuate. This helps reassured that the ADS family history. James Andrews, keep loyal customers. brand would continue President of American Dish Service, to be developed to its Are your products sold exclusively through full potential, ensuring discusses this unique company. chemical distributors? its continued success We primarily focus on the chemical distribution for our employees and and manufacturing side of the industry. We customers. also market through other selected distributors including equipment dealers and broadliners. What’s next for ADS? Our approved dealers have demonstrated the American Dish Service ability to either service or provide for service of the has new designs and equipment that they have in the field. That support other innovations in the is important for our distributors, the end user and development pipeline. We for us. It provides immediate feedback on how well will continue to assimilate we are doing our job. By choosing our distributors/ into the Ali Group, and we dealers carefully, it allows ADS to improve our look forward to the future products and be a leading warewash supplier. not only as American Dish Service but also as a How do you feel about being part of the Ali Group? member of the Ali Group. Over the past 20-plus years, I have been We see continued success approached by many companies in the ahead.

A HISTORY OF SERVICE On November 21, 1950, in it ADS (which meant Always the purchase, both ADS and double tanks, undercounters, Miami, Okla., John B. Tuthill and Direct Sanitation). ADS remained Chem Mark manufactured glasswashers, conveyors, high- W.L. Dumas received patents for strictly a rental firm until 1979, warewashing equipment to temp dishwashers, tables, water the first commercial chemical when it opened its line for public distribute for their own use. The softeners and low-level alarms. sanitizing low-temperature purchase and became the family sold Chem Mark in 1977 ADS products are sold not just dishwasher. The concept international manufacturing firm it and by 1984, ADS had divested in the U.S. but also in Canada, hat unique strengths does American Talk a little about your unique direct factory training program. was crude: Chemicals were is today. all rental and chemical blending Mexico and South America. To Dish Service bring to the Ali Group? ADS has always believed that most of the issues encountered by dispensed by gravity in inverted operations to become solely a this day, Andrews says, “We The ADS brand name represents our customer base with commercial warewashing equipment center glass containers and the doors In 1973, the Andrews family, manufacturer of warewashing strive to update our products to our values, our commitment to quality, around improper installation. When installation is completed to were cloth curtains. Tuthill and who were the primary equipment. In 1991, James continue the concepts of ease and our ability to deliver consistent proper standards, the machine will operate successfully in the Dumas rented machines out, stockholders of Chem Mark Andrews became Acting of service and dependability, innovation to the commercial dishroom environment. Our unrivaled hands-on training is delivered along with chemicals and free International, in Orange, Calif., President of the company and and to keep up with our warewashingW industry. We have a reputation in the industry in our factory by our designers and manufacturing team. This allows 24-hour service, and a new purchased American Dish continues as President today. industry. The best new designs for quality, ruggedness and service-friendly designs. ADS our personnel to evaluate real-world input from the customer base, marketing concept was born. Service to acquire a supply come from our loyal customer markets to more than 3,000 customers, both large and small, which helps us manufacture a superior product. As our clients gain of low-energy warewashing From its basic machine design base — the guy in the field — who are primarily focused on chemical manufacturing and knowledge of how to market, maintain and repair our equipment, Tuthill ultimately moved the firm machines for their chemical and marketing concept, ADS who works with our equipment distribution. we gain their insight and knowledge. to Kansas City, Mo., and called manufacturing company. After has expanded its line to include on a daily basis.”

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From natural disasters to global pandemics, Operation BBQ Relief steps up with hot meals for first responders and those in need.

peration BBQ Propelled by a Hurricane Relief is proof that There were a number of challenges in something good getting Operation BBQ Relief established can come out of as a national nonprofit. a catastrophe. “First, it was not having brand When an EF5- recognition, despite major deployments rated multiple- with over 100,000 meals, first in Joplin vortex tornado and then in Moore, Okla. after their 2013 — one of the most tornado,” says Hays. “Even though we powerful on record — struck Joplin, Mo. thought we did big things and received Oin 2011, barbecue competitors Stan Hays national media attention, it wasn’t until and Will Cleaver stepped in to help doing three years ago that people finally knew what they do best. who we were.” For Cleaver, a graduate of Kansas’ That was when, after Hurricane solely utilizing barbecue competition Pittsburg State University, about 30 Harvey in 2017, Houston Mayor Sylvester teams into building its volunteer base. minutes from Joplin, it was a 2-mph ride Turner invited Operation BBQ Relief “We have a huge volunteer database, and through an 8-mile stretch of the disaster to assist the city. The organization was anyone can sign up,” says Cleaver. zone that moved him to act. initially tasked to feed first responders, When the pandemic hit, Head of “There was nothing above 5 feet then expanded their reach to help the Volunteer Services Brian Polak created BBQ Nonprofit high; everything was leveled to the entire community. virtual volunteer opportunities for foundations,” he says. “It was a watershed moment,” says those unable to travel. “There is a lot of When the opportunity came to help, Hays. “Before Houston, we were going and information that needs tracking in terms Hays and Cleaver joined forces to convert grinding and trying to find places where we of where a meal is going and when it’s a cargo trailer into a food trailer, planning should be. This literally fell into our laps.” going out,” says Cleaver. “This virtual Bridges Gap to cook 3,000 to 4,000 meals for tornado Now, the organization has found its volunteer group can track remotely, victims; they ended up serving 120,000. niche, which is to fill the gap from the time letting those on the ground know what’s “The original idea was to take a skill or a disaster hits to when the local, county and coming in.” hobby we all had in common, competition state governments can step in and assist. It’s not easy putting together a barbecue, and go out and help people,” says “We fill the gap between infrastructure manufacturing and distribution plant Cleaver. “The amount of meals going out and government services. When businesses in a parking lot in 100-degree weather was eye-opening in terms of a community’s open up, we back out,” says David Marks. to produce 180,000 meals. “We push out short-term needs during a disaster.” Marks joined Operation BBQ Relief thousands of meals per day for people It was on day three or four, as both in 2012 as a volunteer. He has held a who may have not had hot food in three men were walking around the Joplin number of positions in the organization, to four days,” Cleaver says. parking lot where they were serving food, and is now Head of Sponsorships and It didn’t take long for Cleaver and that they began brainstorming how to Coventures, charged with finding funding Hays to realize that scaling an operation get more competition barbecue teams opportunities. “I’ve been in the restaurant from a bunch of barbecue pros cooking involved with their project. business my entire life, since my father is a next to each other into a goliath footprint “We’ve been around since 2011, but foodservice veteran,” Marks explains. taking up two football fields and cranking we’re really a two-year-old company Operation BBQ Relief ’s average out 50,000 meals a day would require in terms of being up and running and length of time in one location is two significant financial backing. growing,” says Hays. weeks, although after Florida’s Hurricane Along with being Co-Founders, Hays Michael in 2018, the organization was on- Rallying Despite Roadblocks serves as Operation BBQ Relief ’s CEO, while site for an entire month. Early on, Operation BBQ Relief looked to Cleaver serves as Chief People Officer and As the organization continued to local and national foundations for disaster also oversees financial operations. grow, Cleaver and Hays transitioned from relief grants without success.

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“We spent more money in man-hours air-powered Crown Punch can opener that “Barbecue is about family and of building a kitchen specifi cally for its for those grants than we ever received,” they use when dry air is available. community, not just food,” he says. Barbecue Basics training. says Hays. “Th e foundations wanted to “In the past, it took three people to open “It reminds people what we have in Th e Breaking Bread Tour was created know what the money would be used for enough #10 cans for 25 servings of food; common, where we came from and what as part of its Always Serving Project for if there wasn’t a disaster that year, and we today we can more easily open up to 200 we can do together.” hunger awareness. In 2019, participants told them we’d save it for when there was a cans a day with each puncher,” says Hays. Th eir primary methodology for ran, biked and handcycled from Los disaster; they didn’t like that answer.” “It’s also safer, with less repetitive motions.” disasters is rolling out semis with Angeles to Tampa, Fla., from the end of Cleaver admits that, in the beginning, Operation BBQ Relief employs Edlund’s smokers and tilt skillets. But when April to mid-June, serving hot barbecue there weren’t funds to be had or the staff CM-1000SS manual can crusher. Th is has COVID-19 hit, the organization’s format meals in eight communities along the to help fi nd donors. greatly reduced and mission needed to pivot. way. It marked the beginning of the “As we grew, the “It’s these types of dumpster needs, Th e result is Operation Restaurant 2019 DoD Warrior Games, a multisport fi nancial side became as crushed cans Relief (ORR), a program that works event for wounded, injured or ill service more intense. We innovations that take up one-sixth with local restaurants that have closed personnel and veterans organized by the wanted to be a nonprofi t have changed the of the space. “We or are on the brink of failure due to the U.S. Department of Defense. Th e tour that others looked at to were fi lling up pandemic. Th ese restaurant operators are will resume in 2021. see how to do things the way we do things large dumpsters paid for the use of their facilities and can “We welcome people to partner with right way,” says Cleaver. and helped our with uncrushed put their employees to work to prepare us,” says Collins. Operation BBQ #10 cans, so this free meals for those in need. “We’re looking at how our products Relief pivoted away volunteers. It makes not only cuts “We worked with 28 restaurants, can help the organization,” says Edlund’s from foundations a huge diff erence.” down the expense created 300 jobs and, so far, provided Victory. “We are fully behind their as a funding source of having a large more than 4.6 million meals,” says Collins. program and what Operation BBQ Relief and instead sought out corporate number of dumpsters, but we can crush up “ORR provides communities with a is doing with national and economic sponsorships, which has become its to 1,000 cans a day for recycling,” says Hays. solution to the problem, and the buy-in disasters.” fi nancial backbone. “Big companies’ “It’s these types of innovations that have has been amazing.” support, including Farmers Insurance changed the way we do things and helped Not only does ORR provide Looking Ahead Group, Lowe’s Cos., Butterball, YETI, Blue our volunteers. It makes a huge diff erence.” employment for restaurant workers but After grinding it out for its fi rst seven Rhino and Prairie Fresh, has been key it also solves the problem of assisting the years, Operation BBQ Relief is fi nally to our growth,” says Hays. Th is funding Shifting Gears supply chain in moving stagnant product. able to rest on its laurels and reputation. was critical to adding much-needed In 2018, Operation BBQ Relief sought to “We didn’t realize how we were “Now we have better brand recognition,” production effi ciencies. expand its reach beyond disaster programs helping the secondary supply chain, says Hays. With his restaurant background, Marks and hired Jarrid “Jay” Collins, a 23-year which had a glut of food that wasn’t being Funding is a continual challenge was familiar with Edlund products. “It military vet who lost his leg as a Green Beret. delivered due to closed restaurants and for this nontraditional nonprofi t. It starts off where you need a can opener, then “After I ended my military career, I hotels,” says Marks. “After we made a deal recently hired a new Head of Culinary, an auto can puncher,” says Marks. “But you wanted to make a diff erence, so I came with a waffl e supplier, he broke down and Cans are opened Bryan Mroczka, who has experience quickly with an soon realize the large footprint being left on as Operation BBQ Relief ’s second full- cried, saying that we saved his business Edlund heavy-duty streamlining purchasing for a 100-plus behind by #10 cans. Th at’s where Operation time employee,” says Collins. Now Chief from closing; all we were doing was can opener. site barbecue chain. BBQ Relief ’s story starts with Edlund.” of Programs, Collins is tasked to fulfi ll moving product to where it needed to go.” “Bryan knows barbecue, has a fi nance Edlund Regional Sales Director Tom their mission to connect, inspire, serve ORR staff worked 120 hours a week “We served more meals in nine weeks veterans, fi rst responders and active background and is from the competitive Victory discovered an article about and educate. from March to early June. than we served in nine years through military personnel,” says Collins. barbecue world, so he’ll take our the organization’s use of his company’s Operation BBQ Relief. In Pennsylvania Another recently launched non-disaster effi ciencies to the next level,” says Hays. products. “We reached out and thanked alone we served 3.96 million meals,” program is Barbecue Basics, a two-day Operation BBQ Relief has not only them for using our products, then asked says Marks. “Th ese restaurants were virtual event held eight to 10 times a helped many in their time of need but if there’s any way we could help out,” says making 30,000 meals a week with 10 to year. Pit masters teach military and fi rst given a reality check to those who run the Victory. “David was using our manual can 15 employees. If you were to scale that responder communities the art of barbecue. organization. openers but with hundreds of pallets of in a restaurant, it’s equivalent to doing “We were initially planning 24 to “You defi nitely become more grateful cans, he needed something more effi cient.” $225,000 a week in sales.” 26 in-person events across the U.S. for what you have,” says Cleaver. “And Even with the manpower of 150 to 200 With Operation Restaurant Relief, in an eff ort to build relationships in on the fl ipside, you want to do more for volunteers, it was challenging opening cans the organization has been able to communities and seek out future others. We get 10 times more out of it than to serve 25,000 to 50,000 meals in a day. benefi t communities in diff erent ways, volunteers,” says Hays. “As a virtual class, what we put into it. It’s incredible to slow Operation BBQ Relief, which was augmenting its business model. “Our we can reach even more people.” down and see what Operation BBQ Relief using Edlund’s S-11 manual can openers, non-disaster programs are aimed at Operation BBQ Relief is in the process has become.” recently added about a half dozen of the company’s 700SS manual Crown Punch can openers that are portable, don’t BRAND Founded: Distributors and Products sold under edlundco.com require electricity and are easily operated dealers worldwide: Edlund, Edvantage and WATCH Bravo! brands: by one person. Th ey also have a heavy-duty 1925 850+ 280+ 28 Aliworld Aliworld 29 y 2016, Saying no to the Donut Distillery’s Shauna o erings is even harder thanks to the McCoy had brand’s fun, creative  avors. While the spent more operation sticks with cake donuts, it than 20 stands out through its toppings.  e years in the menu features craft donut classics like corporate the maple bacon (dubbed the Sweet 04Success Stories world, Swine), along with its bestseller, the holding Whiskey Glaze. Other options include positions in sales, business S’mores, Rocky Road, Strawberry There was a Bdevelopment, management Lemonade and Boston Cream. strategy to serving and consultancy. While she was Since the donut machine succeeding, the Nashville, Tenn., would serve as the engine of the mini instead of resident was feeling a bit burned out operation, McCoy didn’t choose the full-size donuts, and knew it was time for a change. Belshaw unit randomly. Instead, she “It got to the point where I just conducted extensive research into a says McCoy. First, wasn’t super excited about working number of brands, eliminating units the small size is for another person anymore,” she says. whose product reviews included Brainstorming with her husband frequent maintenance issues. When just more fun and and a family friend who was also a it came to the  nal two, she selected something you prospective partner and investor, the the Belshaw unit because it produced can build a brand idea of opening a donut shop caught a better product — bigger,  u er their attention. While their friend and tastier, she says — while being around. Mini moved on to other opportunities, easier to work with. donuts are also McCoy stuck with donuts. “With many of the other It was a good call. machines, you literally have to stand harder to resist. Today McCoy is the Owner and in front of them and  ip the donuts Chief Donut O cer at Donut Distillery, yourself. In the tight spot we were in a spot in Nashville where people can get with the trailer, you could only have Owner and Chief Donut Offi cer not only donuts but also beer, mimosas, two people in there at a time.  ere Shauna McCoy. and milkshakes (virgin or spiked), served in a hip and trendy setting. Getting from the vague idea of a donut place to today’s Donut Distillery wasn’t a simple journey though. It took work and lots of it. To start, there was the challenge of funding. Limited resources meant McCoy and family couldn’t open a full shop right away. Instead they followed one of the newer routes to restaurant ownership and started Nashville a food trailer equipped with a lone propane- red Donut Robot® Mark II mini-donut machine from Belshaw.  ere was a strategy to serving Donut Spot mini instead of full-size donuts, says McCoy. First, the small size is just more fun and something you can build a brand around. Mini donuts Distills Sweets are also harder to resist, McCoy notes with a laugh. “When I’m eating, I can personally say no to a lot of things when I have to make a and Fun big commitment. But little ones are harder to say no to,” she says.

30 Aliworld Aliworld 31 Success stories

“We cut a hole in our dining room to  e Donut Distillery opened its brick- bands played live on Friday nights. One the laundry room so we could plug it into and-mortar location on Nashville’s east side, time, McCoy recalls, a church group — the dryer’s electrical outlet. If I was doing about a mile from downtown, in April 2019. just paying a visit as customers — got on laundry I couldn’t make donuts and if I was McCoy says she never considered moving stage and gave an impromptu Christmas making donuts I couldn’t do laundry. We did away from Belshaw products for her Carol concert. that for probably close to a year,” she says. permanent location. During the buildout, On top of music and murals, the  at drive really de ned Donut she also chose a direct draw beverage alcohol/donut combination also makes Distillery to Clayton Galindo, President dispenser from Ali Group company the Donut Distillery a popular stop.  e of Mobile Restaurant Supply, which Beverage-Air to cool and dispense beer restaurant has fun o erings like donut-and- distributes Belshaw products through and prosecco, along with a few small items beer pairings and even a mimosa  ight with much of the Southeastern United States. occasionally held in the unit. donut pairings.  e latter is popular with After selling McCoy this machine he helped As expected, some of the Donut bachelorette parties, McCoy says. her get it up and running. “I walked her Distillery’s brick-and-mortar business “ ey’ll get their day started with a through how to check her power and make declined during the pandemic. In  ight of mimosas and a couple of donuts sure she had what she needed.  at’s one of response to the downturn, McCoy before they head downtown to the real the things that stood out for me on this job: reduced the store’s hours and leaned on craziness,” she says. She’s just an extremely nice woman who its convenient drive-thru.  e company With a bit of luck, Donut Distillery was willing to do whatever it took to make saw an uptick in online ordering, with will soon host parties and live music as sure she had what she needed.” both pickup and third-party delivery business and life in general normalizes. Eventually, the Donut Distillery’s available. Alcohol can also be served Until then, McCoy will continue in her trailer and catering/delivery operations curbside in sealed cups.  ough it’s not work as Chief Donut O cer, doing what it proved successful enough to justify ordered often, it’s a nice option for those takes to succeed and continuing to bring opening a brick-and-mortar location. who want it, McCoy says. smiles to faces with some of the best mini McCoy’s husband, though, wasn’t Prepandemic, though, the Donut donuts around. completely sold on taking the leap until Distillery was building a following as a spot she presented a twist on the concept. not just for donuts but for fun experiences. The unique pairing of The Belshaw Donut “I said, ‘What if we opened a shop and  e restaurant itself, says McCoy, alcoholic beverages Robot produces and donuts sets Donut delicious donuts quickly. sold beer?’  en he was 100% in,” says has a relaxed, hip vibe. It boasts a social Distillery apart from the McCoy. media-ready mural and a stage where competition. Right: McCoy takes a fresh batch of donuts out was no way we could have someone stand questions.  ey of the Donut Robot. there babysitting [the machine] and frost were easy to donuts, and wait on people and do all the work with and very nice,” she says. other things we wanted to do.”  is kind of customer service is a  at ease of use, says Belshaw hallmark of Belshaw, says McDowell. Customer Service Manager Stephanie “We provide a high level of service all McDowell, is one of the most signi cant across the board. For the smaller shops bene ts of Belshaw machines. In fact, we o er the same level of service that we it’s one of the biggest reasons operators provide to the big chains,” she says. choose Belshaw. “We have a lot of  e  exibility of the Belshaw daughters, who would hand out donuts in customers that use and recommend our combined with the Donut Distillery’s fun, 10-inch-square pizza boxes — the perfect Donut Robots just because of that.  ey high-quality donuts made the trailer a hit. size for 25 mini donuts. can have an employee ringing customers Soon after its opening in 2016, success  e operation also began catering. up while donuts are being made.  ey became a family a air. Weddings, says McCoy, have proven don’t require a lot of labor.” “It was going well, and people were surprisingly popular. While couples might After the purchase, the Belshaw constantly asking, ‘Where can we  nd order a small cake for the ceremonial Adamatic team was helpful in getting you? Where can we get this more often?’” cutting, they can then o er guests an array the trailer up and running.  ere were McCoy says. of donut  avors. Unlike cake, the leftovers some natural hiccups before McCoy To satisfy demand, the Donut are easy to pack up and enjoy later, she adds. could get the machine working perfectly. Distillery used social media to announce Serving these new markets To solve them, she simply called the deliveries to di erent neighborhoods. successfully, though, required more factory’s customer service line. After McCoy would take orders over the capacity than the trailer could o er. In sending along pics and videos to help with phone and set a time and place for donut response, McCoy purchased a second BRAND WATCH Founded: Distributors Number of countries with belshaw-adamatic.com troubleshooting, these issues were worked distribution, such as Saturday morning at Belshaw machine, this one a Donut Robot worldwide: Belshaw donut-making out and the machine started working as a community pool parking lot. Deliveries Mark II GP electric unit she placed in her 1923 20 equipment installed: intended. “When I  rst started, I had some would often be handled by her teenage family dining room. 123 32 Aliworld Aliworld 33 Success Stories

Hot Pot Hot Spot’s Need for Precision Meets Victory

estaurant professionals understand the importance of consistent serving sizes and keeping food at safe temperatures. But when it comes to the growing global hot pot concept Haidilao, precision is everything. “Haidilao has a higher requirement for their refrigeration needs than a lot Rof restaurants out there, very challenging,” explains Alvin Wang, Sales Supervisor at Action Sales Food Service Equipment & Supplies in Irvine, Calif. Haidilao’s very specifi c needs stem from its core product, the hot pot, a style of cooking with roots that trace back more than 2,000 years, all the way to Mongolia. Hot pot is often referred to as a dining style rather than a type of cooking. Th at’s because it naturally provides a communal dining experience. It starts with a pot of boiling broth — or more than one — that rests in the center of the dining table. Diners choose from a variety of ingredients, from proteins to vegetables, from dumplings to noodles and more. To eat, guests simply place the food items they want into the boiling pot. When it’s ready, guests remove the food items and eat. Th e self-directed pace can create a leisurely atmosphere. And everyone cooking in the same pot adds a communal element to the meal.

Refrigeration by Victory helps Haidilao keep its ingredients fresh-tasting. 34 Aliworld Aliworld 35 Success Stories

To ensure consistency, Haidilao serves very thinly sliced meats, which allows the proteins to for advice. “Haidilao initially reached out because BRAND WATCH cook quickly. The chain also chills the meats to a some of their units were hard to get serviced,” says specific temperature. Wang. “There were also long lead times due to “To ensure the best taste, typically when we put the [previous units having] massive glass doors. our meat product into the boiling soup base, the Haidilao wanted to see if we could provide a slices of meat will stay in the soup base for roughly different brand for them to test out. I was searching 15 seconds,” says a company spokesperson. “To to see which manufacturers have the specs they are Established: achieve this, we need two things: The professional “Haidilao looking for — pass-through glass door refrigerators 1945 meat slicer has to slice the meat into precise needs the and flexible temperatures for their freezers. I found Products: 2-millimeter-thick slices, and the meat has to be at only Victory has such models.” a precise temperature when slicing.” thawing Wang spoke with Carter and explained his 800+ Product series: process under needs. “The freezer, for instance: Normally, A Growing Company’s Challenges restaurants would just use refrigerators to thaw 22 Haidilao was founded in 1994 by Zhang Yong in a controlled meat product overnight and cut them the second Product categories: Jianyang, in the Sichuan province of China. “[Hot environment, day; Haidilao needs the thawing process under 9 pot] is easy to make with the right ingredients in so they need a controlled environment, so they need a freezer the soup base; no need for a head chef,” explains a that can reliably hold at a specific temperature. victoryrefrigeration.com Chilled meats ready for Haidilao spokesperson. “Also, because the weather a freezer Victory [ULTRASPECTM Series] was the perfect dipping in the hot pot. in Sichuan province is always humid, the spicy soup that can solution for this,” Wang says. the way we serve our customers, the amenities we base helps to drive out that humidity and people Working together, the duo convinced Haidilao provide with all of our stores and the level of food feel better. Believe it or not, people in Sichuan tend reliably hold to try out two Victory models in Haidilao’s quality and safety. These are things no one has to eat hot pot more during summer than winter. at a specific Rowland Heights, Calif., store in January 2019. done before in the hot pot territory.” As the restaurant business [grew], we just kept that temperature. “We performed well at our first test location,” says However, the pandemic harmed restaurants core tradition and improvised from there.” Carter, “and as we’ve placed Victory units into like this even more than other segments because After a few years of developing the concept Victory more restaurants the entire Victory team has been the success of any communal concept like Haidilao domestically, Haidilao began to branch out across [ULTRASPEC™ responsive and done an outstanding job with their lies in a diner’s ability to share a meal. Haidilao has Asia and into the western hemisphere. As of summer after-sales support.” successfully managed to make the best of things by 2020 the company had 935 restaurants around the Series] was Adds Wang, “Victory took on the challenge adapting to takeout service. world, including 868 spread across 164 cities in the perfect and was willing to make modifications to meet the “We have been serving takeout during the China. The rest of the units are mainly in Hong Kong, requirement.” pandemic,” says the chain’s spokesperson. “[We do] Macao and Taiwan but the company has a growing solution for From Victory’s perspective, the issue was the full version of hot pot with soup base separated presence in the United States, Canada, the United this.” simply a matter of listening to the customer and with all the ingredients, so that customers can go Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, South Korea, Japan, accommodating its desires. “Haidilao wanted that home and boil their own hot pot experiences. We Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia. Alvin Wang precise temperature, so we put a special feature in also serve precooked hot pot, where customers No stranger to technology, Haidilao rolled out Sales Supervisor at [their] units called the FLEXTEMP, so they can get to order what is in their soup base, we have everything its first “smart” restaurant in Beijing in 2018. The Action Sales Food that desired set point,” explains Erica J. Motes, Vice cooked and packed. These are ready to eat, or restaurant features a proprietary Intelligent Kitchen Service Equipment President of Sales and Marketing, Ali Group North customers can heat them up and eat later.” Management system that monitors all aspects of & Supplies America – Refrigeration Division. “And when you Haidilao has also followed all state-mandated the kitchen from product to stock levels and even look at the display merchandisers, the pass-through protocols, such as checking employees’ food expiration dates. It has an automatic serving sliding doors are unique in the marketplace for back- temperatures daily and performing all required machine and a customized broth-mixing machine. of-the-house operation. That piece itself is a pretty cleaning and sanitizing throughout the kitchens The restaurant even has the capacity to create a custom, unique offering to Victory.” and storefronts. “broth file” for frequent customers to better allow Other features of this equipment, such as Once the pandemic ebbs, however, Haidilao is them to customize their orders. the variable speed compressor and the adapted positioned to resume its aggressive growth. As Haidilao moved into the U.S. market it was defrost, “make the unit so technically sound that it “The Haidilao team in the U.S. region is a big looking for a refrigeration company that could can stand up in this very demanding environment,” team and is getting bigger,” says Wang. “They have meet its specific, unique needs. Motes adds. several key people that are very understanding in Victory Refrigeration was not Haidilao’s The process went very smoothly, in part See-through glass doors out their new restaurants with enough time to regard to the nature of our industry as well as how on the Victory refrigerators first choice, according to Harry Carter, Sales because the restaurant chain understood and make it easy to locate ensure that they get things right.” our company operates and what to expect. They Representative for manufacturers’ rep firm was able to communicate exactly what it needed, ingredients. According to Haidilao executives, the hot pot are very respectful people and professional. I like Lund-Iorio. But products from the chain’s initial Carter notes. “Working with Haidilao has not concept has been received warmly by customers in their corporate culture in that they highly respect refrigeration company didn’t meet Haidilao’s been challenging at all. In several respects, I wish their California locations. “Our attentive service, their employees as well as their opinions. Their exacting specifications. I could work with more companies like this one. the variety of soup bases and food selections have dining concept is highly focused on customers’ When Haidilao decided it needed to change They know which products work best for their won so many high praises from our audiences in satisfaction, so their customer service is one of refrigeration products, it turned to Action Sales operations, they are detail oriented, and they plan the U.S.,” says the spokesperson. “They seem to like the best.”

36 Aliworld Aliworld 37 Success Stories

and grits. Its reputation for authentic regional fare The establishment features a family-style draws scores of tourists for much of the year. At peak breakfast on weekends, and a standard lunch/ capacity, as many as 300 guests may fill the two-story dinner menu each day. Patrons satisfy big building. More commonly, the restaurant hosts an appetites with generous portions of scrambled average of 80 to 90 diners at any given time. eggs, country ham, pancakes, sausage, fresh The Inn has been featured in numerous stewed apples, and more in the morning. Later in national and regional publications including the day, customers choose their own drinks and Southern Living, Our State, and Blue Ridge Country dessert to go with fried chicken, country-style magazines. This building, originally the home steak, ham, biscuits and sides. for Dr. R.K. Bingham and family, later served as Interior decor includes antique tools and guns Boone’s first hospital. After a new hospital was reflecting the pioneer period as well as photos constructed in a different location, the building depicting the building in its earlier incarnations. was converted into a rooming house for students The historic building and well kempt, picturesque attending the nearby Appalachian State Teachers landscaped grounds (the Inn has a full-time College (today known as Appalachian State groundskeeper) are beacons for visitors. Numerous University). In 1959, the building assumed its flowers and flowering shrubs compose a colorful, present purpose, and over the years the owners ornamental frame for the white building. “Our added more dining space. front yard is one of our best ads,” Shellman says. After satisfying their appetites, visitors can Inside, natural wood is in abundance on the peruse the offerings of the Inn’s gift shop including floors and ceilings. Simple wood tables and chairs coonskin caps, small craft items, T-shirts, and fill out the dining spaces. Two private dining rooms The historic locally made jams, jellies and preserves. Owner and a porch can accommodate wedding rehearsal building and General Manager Jeff Shellman maintains the dinners, parties and the occasional business meeting. and well tried-and-true menu and atmosphere that has The consistent bill of fare simplifies operations graced the community for six decades. Research for the high-volume establishment. With about kempt, shows that 70% of customers choose the Inn 80% of its clientele made up of tourists, the key picturesque through word-of-mouth recommendations. variable is seasonality. Business peaks in the landscaped waves of leaf peepers taking in grounds are the autumn splendor. beacons for Landmark Home of Appalachian State University, Boone boasts art visitors. galleries, quirky independent shops, and numerous arts and 60-Year-Old music festivals throughout the year. Named for Daniel Boone, who first explored and hunted Restaurant mountain town with a in the region in the 1760s, the populationA of 19,000, town embraces its pioneer Boone, N.C., is rich in scenery, heritage with an outdoor drama recreational opportunities portraying British settlement Finds and history. Nestled at the in the 18th century, the southern end of the Blue Ridge Appalachian Heritage Museum, Mountains, it is an essential the Daniel Boone Heritage stop along the famous Blue Trail, a nearby heritage railroad Modern Ridge Parkway. and Wild West theme park. In recent years, the No trip to Boone is complete community has become a without a stop at the Dan’l Boone popular hub for many outdoor Inn. It has been a community Solutions activities. At 3,300 feet, Boone landmark for 60 years — making has the highest elevation of a it the community’s oldest town with a population of over restaurant. The family-style, 10,000 east of the Mississippi casual establishment features River. In summer, busloads of Southern comfort food such tourists ascend to escape the as fried chicken, country ham heat. In fall, buses transport biscuits with gravy, green beans

38 Aliworld Aliworld 39 Success Stories

summer and fall. Fortunately, most tour buses The state-of-the-art ENERGY STAR® certified Shellman has been impressed by how Champion make advance reservations, enabling better The Inn’s generous portions and commercial dishwasher replaced a smaller, old stands by its products. “Tech support service on any staff planning. For the back of the house, the big machine. This highly efficient upgrade has resulted issues we’ve had has been remarkable,” he says. For question each day is: “Are you cooking for 80 today numerous sides are delivered on in considerable savings in water and energy. instance, Champion was very willing to modify the or 500?” Shellman says. individual plates. Each table for Shellman reports average savings of $1,800 in main washer to get the best result. “They helped us Servers deliver all food and drinks to each two receives a minimum of 17 detergent, natural gas and water per month. develop and manufactured a prewash system for An insulated table. The Inn’s generous portions and numerous A Champion high-temperature door-style our machine using water from our grinder system,” holding cabinet sides are delivered on individual plates. Each table dishes — larger parties generate dishwasher fulfills demand for clean dishes Shellman adds. This improved water efficiency. from Metro, another Ali Group company, for two receives a minimum of 17 dishes — larger much more dish use. and tableware in the upstairs dining area. This Shellman’s investment in new Champion helps the Inn keep parties generate much more dish use. That’s a lot machine has a built-in booster with a special equipment demonstrates his commitment to the food warm. of dishware to wash in a hurry, especially during feature called “rinse sentry” that prevents the Inn, and to preserving the iconic community peak hours in tourist seasons. machine from rinsing if the rinse booster’s landmark as a thriving business. Hundreds To keep up with high demand, the Inn water temperature falls below 180 degrees F. of Appalachian State students have worked purchased a high-volume, 86-inch rack-style “This feature helps ensure food safety,” says in the restaurant over the years, including machine from Champion for the main dining floor. Will Means, President, Champion Industries. Shellman himself. A native of Gastonia, N.C., The model is outfitted with a special conveyor “High-temperature dishwashing is particularly Shellman worked his way up the ranks to attached that circulates dish racks in and out of the essential during a pandemic, as it kills more than become general manager when he was just dishwasher, washing as many as 277 racks per hour 99.999% of viruses, bacteria and other pathogens.” 26. He joined two existing partners as an — over 4,400 dishes per hour. The machine operates As a high-volume facility, the Inn must dispose owner in 2009, and he subsequently bought continuously as necessary, washing rack after rack. of a lot of food waste. In the past, the restaurant out his partners. A built-in booster delivers a sanitizing rinse of more scraped all of this waste from plates directly into “I came to Boone to go to Appalachian than 180 degrees F. The custom-designed prewash garbage containers. “Champion recommended that State and never left,” Shellman says. cabinet automates the prerinse function previously the Inn install the Champion Food Waste Reduction Indeed, there’s something about Boone performed by an employee. It’s one less task for System to better manage waste,” Means says. The that keeps drawing fans from all around the hard-working staff — largely composed of waste system conveys food scraps via water through the South and beyond. The Dan’l Boone Appalachian State students — to perform. a trough to an auger component that squeezes out Inn will surely continue to be an iconic the water and grinds the solids. It can process up to presence and contribute to the flavor of 1,250 pounds of commercial food waste per hour. the picturesque mountain town. The high-volume “It comes out like moist sawdust,” Shellman Champion dishmachine at says. This process reduces total waste volume by the Dan’l Boone about 70%, so there are fewer bags of waste and Inn can wash fewer trips to the dumpster. “Before we installed Signage lets more than 4,400 the waste reduction system, we were emptying the customers know dishes an hour. their dishware, trash three or four times per shift,” Shellman says. glasses and cutlery “Now, the trash is only half full when a shift ends.” are clean and The system controls odors while reducing sanitized. ventilation requirements. It ensures that no pathogen, biohazard or harmful emissions are released, keeping the facility, staff and environment safe. The Inn does not compost the food waste, but the machine processes waste well enough to do so. Before Shellman bought the equipment, Champion personnel visited the Inn and analyzed its operations. This consultation yielded equipment recommendations and a more efficient layout. “By having Champion visit, Jeff (Shellman) was able to maximize the space he had available and improve workflow, save water and energy, and most importantly provide safe and sanitized ware for his customers,” Means says. The speedier washing capability would allow the Founded: Distribution championindustries.com Inn to reduce the amount of dishware it needs on BRAND warehouses hand, though Shellman says it will retain its current WATCH 1890 across North volume of stock. After all, the last thing he wants is America: to be short of clean dishes when a tour bus rolls in. 5 40 Aliworld Aliworld 41 Success Stories

he stresses that Corporate Director of Standards and have been put Innovation for ABM Healthcare, the on the North hospital’s foodservice contractor, Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport American describes the timing for the project healthcare as, “incredibly compressed. Normally overcame daunting challenges system during we go into an existing hospital and to quickly open a new hospital, the COVID-19 we typically have 90 days. Here we making room for the anticipated pandemic have been well only had fi ve weeks.” Tdocumented: overworked staff s, Tasked with getting the COVID-19 patient surge. insuffi cient personal protective foodservice operation up and equipment (PPE) and fi nding space running quickly, ABM’s fi rst call for a massive infl ux of patients, was to Aladdin. Aladdin has been to name just a few. Ochsner LSU a major part of ABM’s expansion in Health Shreveport is a full-service healthcare. health system with a 452-bed ABM explained the urgency of hospital in Shreveport and a the situation and the Aladdin team 244-bed hospital in Monroe, La., quickly swung into action. “We both of which faced many of those needed equipment with the ability to challenges. Ochsner LSU Health’s keep hot food hot and cold food cold,” St. Mary Medical Center (SMMC) in says Eric Kotheimer, CFSP, Director of Shreveport was under renovation Culinary Projects for ABM. to provide 330 additional patient Michael Hils, North American beds in a third location in the AMS Manager for Aladdin, coming years. However, when the developed a proposal for the SMMC pandemic hit, the Louisiana state location. Traditionally, the Aladdin government issued guidance to team would have presented the healthcare institutions to improve proposal face-to-face, but in true their surge capacity to handle the COVID lockdown style, “we did infl ux of COVID patients. At that the bulk of it over the phone and time, New Orleans was a COVID hot in conference calls,” Hils says. spot, driving the sense of urgency “We walked them through a day to increase beds in other Louisiana in the life of their operation. How areas. In March of 2020, Ochsner [the food] would be received, how LSU Health Shreveport announced it would be prepared, pickup, plans to increase the ICU capacity transportation…we went through at its main Shreveport facility by the whole timeline.” repurposing the SMMC location for To keep the food at the proper use by its labor, delivery and neonatal temperature during its 3-mile ride and pediatric intensive care units. from the main facility in Shreveport Opening a Th e timeline for getting the St. to St. Mary Medical Center, Hils Mary Medical Center operation up suggested an Aladdin Convect- and running was tight and getting Rite® Select system. Convect-Rite a patient foodservice operation in Select carts are lightweight yet Healthcare Facility place was of critical importance. extremely durable — an important Since there was no operating consideration given the fact that kitchen and meal delivery system in they’d be shuttled between the two place at SMMC, Ochsner LSU Health campuses. Since the carts contain in the Midst made the decision to prepare the no electrical components, staff can meals at their Academic Medical easily clean and sanitize the units. Center and truck the food to SMMC For active heat and refrigeration, the of a Pandemic for patient meal service. Eric Lyons, carts are paired with the Aladdin 42 Aliworld Aliworld 43 Success Stories

Convect-Rite 3 INSIGHT docking station. Fully “Essential provider” letter in hand, Hils and The Convect-Rite system makes meal service BRAND The kitchen at the Ochsner insulated, the carts are suitable for transporting LSU Health Shreveport – Aladdin Project Manager Jeff Withers made the easier for the staff at SMMC and helps contain WATCH both hot and cold food items. Patented airflow Academic Medical Center trip to Shreveport a few days later to complete the costs as well. Since the system keeps food at the technology helps maintain proper temperature, facility prepares food to be installation and once again had to deal with the proper temperature, the medical center does delivered to its St. Mary providing an important solution to hospital meal Medical Center. realities of the pandemic. “There were temperature not need a full kitchen. Plus, the system requires delivery. The docking station remains stationary, tests to get across the [state] borders and through only a few staff members to assemble the trays Years of focused experience as healthcare meal delivery which helps eliminate the risk of damage from it the door,” he says. for the patient meals. Stephanie Fedd, Food solution provider: being moved on a truck or through hallways. And Normally, Hils says, an installation like this is a & Nutrition Services Manager at the hospital, the station’s motorized cart docking and touch fairly casual affair. “You’ll usually find me in a suit and oversees the transportation of food between the 50+ screen controller make operation easy. tie; I hang up the suit coat and begin,” he says. But for two facilities. Her biggest challenge working at The first pellet-based induction system, Heat on Once the system was decided upon, the next this installation, Hils and Withers were garbed in full a facility where the food is prepared off-site, she Demand®, introduced: hurdle to overcome was delivery. Since Aladdin is protective attire: hazmat suits, goggles and masks. says, “is last-minute changes and ensuring safety focused solely on providing meal delivery systems “All the PPE was provided to us so we were safe of the food in transit. The Aladdin system helps to 1995 ® to healthcare operations, its manufacturing going in,” he says, noting the team practiced social ensure the food is transported within safe holding Developed Convect-Rite III convection system with facilities were operating consistently through the distancing as well during the install. temperatures for our patients. It is easy to use and patented air-flow technology: pandemic to assist healthcare facilities in their Another factor that worked in SMMC’s favor perfect for off-site deliveries.” essential task of feeding patients. Hils immediately was the unexpected availability of state health “We are proud to be able to aid partners like 2003 Size of Aladdin’s U.S. contacted Aladdin’s manufacturing team and inspectors to give on-site project approval. The Ochsner LSU Health in the treatment of those who manufacturing facility in they found a Convect-Rite Select unit available for inspectors can normally be booked up months are in need,” says Nate Jackson, President of Aladdin square feet: shipment. “We literally shipped it on a Monday in advance but, with the pandemic, that wasn’t Temp-Rite. “We remain committed to supporting and it arrived in Shreveport on Tuesday,” Hils says. the case. The inspectors gave their approval, and the noble purpose of caring for those who are 350,000 The quick delivery ensured the SMMC team had the system was ready to go in time for the first currently in a compromised state of health.” aladdintemprite.com sufficient time to determine the best configuration patients to arrive at the end of April. Thanks to a team effort all the way around, of the utilities for the unit. Unlike many foodservice operations, which use SMMC got its food transportation system set up Convect-Rite Carts to hold food on trays, SMMC in a relatively short amount of time under the uses them to hold bulk food. Foodservice workers most stressful conditions imaginable. Kotheimer put bulk hot and cold food into the cart, where it is of ABM Healthcare says that the Aladdin “sales held at the proper temperatures for an hour before rep and install team provided us with excellent it gets transported to SMMC. Food temperatures support.” Lyons says he got a call from the medical are safely maintained during transport because center, saying, “Honestly, I don’t know how you the cart is fully insulated, divided into hot and cold guys did it. I don’t know how you put this all sections. Once at SMMC, workers assemble trays together.” He adds that “our client was extremely Piping hot meals for patients for transport to patients, using disposables because happy. Even with such a short time frame, it was are plated and served at there is currently no dishmachine at SMMC. perfect from day one.” St. Mary Medical Center.

“The Aladdin system helps to ensure the food is transported within safe holding temperatures for our patients. It is easy to use and perfect for off-site deliveries.”

Stephanie Fedd, The prepared Food & Nutrition Services Manager food is then loaded into the Aladdin Convect-Rite Cart.

44 Aliworld Aliworld 45 Success Stories

tepping into Lagomarcino’s in Moline, Ill., is like stepping back in time. From the dark mahogany booths with real marble tabletops to its elegant Tiff any lighting, not much has changed since the business moved into its current Quad City location back in 1921. SBut its story starts many years before, when Angelo Lagomarcino journeyed from northern Italy to New York City in 1896. After briefl y returning to his homeland to marry Luigia Schenone in 1902, he settled in Burlington, Iowa. It was there that he put down roots and started a business selling fruits and vegetables out of a horse-drawn wagon. “He then became head banana man for his cousins’ wholesale fruit company, making sure the fruit was sent to the right destination,” says his grandson and current Co-Owner of the business, Tom Lagomarcino Jr. “In those days, tarantulas came in with the bananas, and he didn’t like that much, so he decided to open his own business.” In 1908, rather than competing with his brother’s confectionery shop in Burlington, Iowa, Angelo opened his own Timeless candy shop in bustling downtown Moline. Th e Lagomarcino family, which then included Angelo and Hospitality, Luigia’s children Charlie and Mary, lived above the store, which was open from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. daily. Modern “At that time, the area boasted three dance halls, seven movie theaters and fi ve soda fountains,” says Lagomarcino. “Th is was during Technology Prohibition, so customers were bringing in hooch to spike their nonalcoholic beverages. Th e menu at that time

46 Aliworld Aliworld 47 Success Stories

“The quality of this The photos are still featured in a glass pitcher beside each “The quality of equipment is exceptional; on Electro Freeze’s website. sundae. And the business obviously, it lasts a long time, In 1997, Lagomarcino’s remains family-owned, with this equipment but Electro Freeze’s service opened a second location the fourth generation of is exceptional; is second to none,” says in Davenport, Iowa, which Lagomarcinos now on board. Lagomarcino. “John Sacco, allowed them to expand Over the years, the obviously, it lasts who I’ve been working with their ice cream production shop has received national a long time, but for 35 years, always would find at the Moline location for attention and recognition, Electro Freeze’s parts for our older machines. both stores. This enabled the a testament to its quality. If we needed new blades, he’d business to start selling pints. In 2006, Lagomarcino’s was service is second find them. When we were In 2019, Lagomarcino’s began honored with the prestigious to none.” looking for a new piece of offering signature ice cream James Beard Foundation’s equipment, we went to the sandwiches with homemade America’s Classics Award in Tom Lagomarcino Jr. plant and he found the perfect chocolate and toffee cookies recognition of its timeless unit for us. I give that machine made in-house. appeal and quality food that a hug every day.” In addition to malts, ice reflects its community’s BRAND WATCH Electro Freeze’s model B24 cream sodas, egg creams character. high-capacity batch freezer’s and sundaes, Lagomarcino’s When President Barack auger and dispensing head is menu includes soups, salads Obama and First Lady Michelle around the clock. By 1925, Today, Electro Freeze designed for superior product and sandwiches, such as Obama visited Lagomarcino’s Angelo and Luigia’s children (DBA H.C. Duke & Son, LLC), extraction with less flavor its popular baked ham and Davenport location in Established: Charlie, Mary and Tom took based in East Moline, Ill., is overlap. Lagomarcino’s ice swiss or egg salad sandwich 2012 with Secret Service in 1929 over the business. an Ali Group company. John cream quality and consistency served on light Swedish rye tow, photographer Scout Sold the first soft-serve As Moline’s downtown Sacco, Electro Freeze’s Director is enhanced throughout the bread from a friend’s recipe. Tufankjian took a photo of the ice cream machine: evolved in the 1930s to of Administration — he’s production process by the The shops still serve Lago, a couple enjoying their sundaes. 1946 include department stores, been with the company for equipment’s gentle blending beverage similar to Dr. Pepper The shot became one of only Current number of models: specifically had to Lagomarcino’s added lunch to more than 45 years — recalls with reduced agitation. that Charlie Lagomarcino 21 finalists out of 122,000 state, ‘Please refrain its menu and brought its ice Lagomarcino purchasing the “Tom’s father was a firm created in the 1920s. entries in the 2013 Sony World 40+ from putting alcohol cream production in-house. larger-volume batch machine. believer in Electro Freeze Along with its homemade Photography Awards. electrofreeze.com in your beverages’.” Lagomarcino fondly recalls “At the time, Tom wanted to equipment, and passed that ice cream, Lagomarcino’s “There is a fascinating However, a childhood centered around buy an Electro Freeze machine, appreciation on to his kids,” is known for its Easter part of being in business this Lagomarcino ice cream, which started with and took it back to the shop in says Sacco. “He always says, candy, including a 4-pound long,” says Lagomarcino. “We admits that his him working alongside his his car,” says Sacco. “He used it ‘by never changing, we will chocolate egg filled with have lived through different grandfather didn’t father, Tom Sr., attaching lids for almost 50 years.” always remain different.’ ” candy. Lagomarcino recalled moments in history and necessarily practice to ice cream containers in Lagomarcino purchased About 20 years ago, a customer in Florida who got to see the impact on what he preached. With grade school. his current Electro Freeze Electro Freeze put together requested they insert an our business.” cousins in the fruit business, he In 1965, they purchased model about eight years ago, a promotional article titled, engagement ring into one of Tom Lagomarcino Jr. (above) benefitted from ripe zinfandel their first machine from Electro around the same time its ice “This is Not Your Grandfather’s the chocolate eggs to propose is making delicious frozen treats, carrying on the tradition of his grape deliveries in October. Freeze, a model BB-100. Their cream production was moved Ice Cream Machine…Yes It to his girlfriend. The proposal parents Betsy and Tom Sr. “Back in the ’70s during previous unit had vertical to the shop’s lower level. Is,” right around the time went off without a hitch. (above right). a construction project, they blades and was visible to “Tom bought one of our batch Lagomarcino’s put their new Even with the updates, removed a wall in our basement customers on the main floor. machines,” says Sacco. “At machine in. Lagomarcino’s remains true to and discovered seven bottles of “We had this machine for over first, he was skeptical, so we “For the article, we asked its roots. Shakes are still mixed homemade wine from this time 30 years, then replaced it with a had him bring his mix to our Tom if we could do a photo in metal cups and served in period,” says Lagomarcino. “You new model,” says Lagomarcino. place and try it out. Instead shoot and bring in a family a glass. Its hot fudge recipe can’t tell Italians they can’t have “My dad always promised my of taking 30 minutes to make having ice cream at their that Angelo paid a traveling their wine!” mom he’d take her to Paris, but a batch of ice cream, it took shop,” says Sacco. “He said, salesman $25 for in 1918 — to Business was bustling she didn’t realize she’d be going just 10 minutes to produce ‘our shop is your shop.’ When his grandmother’s dismay from the start, with the to Paris, Ill., [where Electro the first batch and only eight it comes to Electro Freeze’s — remains the same. In Electro Freeze has been a valuable partner with Lagomarcinos and their Freeze was then based] to buy minutes for batches after equipment, the Lagomarcino Lagomarcino’s time-honored Lagomarcino’s for more than cousin Joe Schenone working the ice cream machine!” that. He was sold.” family has been very loyal.” tradition, the syrup is served 55 years.

48 Aliworld Aliworld 49 Success Stories Where “Eats” Meets West

any consumers ATL Cluck Fest. In 2019, PONKO nd it hard was awarded Top Selling Vendor at to resist fried Verizon’s Super Bowl LIVE LIII. In chicken.  at rich addition, thanks to what consumers and crispy shell, call its high “cravability” factor, the A burgeoning juicy bite and soul- chain continues to earn top ratings Japanese-American Msatisfying feel when nished eating on Yelp, Google and Facebook review never fails to comfort, especially platforms. fried chicken chain nds during stressful times. PONKO PONKO’s founders brought Ekow Chicken Chairman and CEO Wilmot, a veteran in franchising, on a combi steamer solution. Dr. Patrick Sallarulo knows this, board in 2019 to ramp up franchise but as a chiropractor and supporter e orts and deliver the delectable of whole, natural foods, it was chicken to a wider audience. “ e challenging to reconcile his passions. owners opened the corporate store Enter PONKO Chicken. Sallarulo in Chamblee, Ga., essentially as a invested in sisters and food proof of concept, thinking that if it enthusiasts Maggie Antoine and worked in that subprime location, Reiko Clark’s Japanese-American it could work anywhere,” Wilmot fried chicken concept, which aims says. Seeing as it has, the chain now to bring what they describe as an continues to operate that original “eats-meets-west” experience to the location as well as a company-owned Atlanta area (and possibly beyond). store at Mercedes-Benz Stadium,  e chain prepares its signature o cial home of the NFL Atlanta Japanese-American fried chicken Falcons and MLS Atlanta United FC, tenders with all-natural ingredients, and has ve franchised locations in including locally sourced, antibiotic- Georgia, the rst of which opened in free chicken and house-made Midtown Atlanta in 2019, followed breading. PONKO fries the chicken by Buckhead, Decatur, Marietta and in non-GMO rice bran oil, which Lenox Square. many nutritionists describe as heart- Sallarulo’s daughter, Kaitlyn, healthy, cholesterol-lowering, less heads up the Marietta location, processed and less greasy than some which is in the Marietta Square other types of shortening thanks to Market food hall. While the design its balance of unsaturated fats and of PONKO’s locations vary slightly natural antioxidants. depending on size, the cooking Sallarulo’s investment paid o : In process and back of the house share 2018, a year after inception, PONKO’S many commonalities, she notes. At chicken tenders were three-peat its core, the kitchen line includes winners at Taste of Atlanta and were a hand-breading station, fryer crowned “Best Fried Chicken” at the and hot well holding the various

50 Aliworld Aliworld 51 Success Stories

dipping sauces. Sta prepare the sauces from scratch daily at the Chamblee location and truck them to various locations. PONKO’s kitchens also include a two- or four-burner range, depending on size, and a small grill for a grilled chicken option. Most “ e most popular menu recently, the chain introduced item is the PONKO chicken an Eloma GENIUSMT 6-11 combi plate, which comes with a choice steamer in Kaitlyn Sallarulo’s Many of PONKO Chicken’s of two sides and one of our three Marietta store and in the Lenox menu items — even treats like cookies (below) — are sauces: OG, spicy or barbecue,” Square and Decatur locations to The Eloma GENIUSMT prepared in the Eloma MT combi steamer helps PONKO Kaitlyn Sallarulo says. “ e OG test-run a grilled chicken option GENIUS combi steamer. maximize its kitchen space. sauce is our most popular — that would not require a separate it’s a soy-teriyaki glaze with a bit charbroiler. of sweetness that the chicken is “ e owners came to us dipped in before serving, and we looking to maximize their also o er a spicier version kitchen space using equipment, of that.” especially as they were beginning  e barbecue sauce to open smaller spaces in malls resembles an American-style and food halls,” says Davy combi, which is a huge space “ e combi instantly cut down so “anyone can sweet version but with a touch Phillips, Sales Rep for Cutting and cost savings for the owners,” on the time it takes to cook all just click on of umami. Sides include a choice Edge Marketing Agents. After says Phillips, who brought in of our rice, and it’s nice because the picture of of white rice, brown rice, salad, installing a combi oven, what a consulting chef to do the you can cook white and brown potatoes and it fries, sweet potato fries, coleslaw, started with a grilled chicken menu development and testing rice at the same time in di erent preheats, cooks steamed green beans and potato option quickly led to other menu at Georgia Power’s Customer hotel pans, and the alerts tell you and sends out an salad, all made in-house.  e items being cooked in the unit Resource Center Kitchen. “ ey when one or the other is ready alert when done so menu also includes vegetarian including rice, green beans, can now make most of the menu without having to worry about they never have to look after options, such as tofu tenders and potatoes, and even cookies. using just the fryers and the it,” she says, noting that she also it. It’s extremely easy for all my vegan patties, served as a plate “We were able to remove four combi, and there’s less food waste likes the “set-it-and-forget-it” employees to use, and it frees up BRAND WATCH or in sandwich and taco form. pieces of equipment with the because they are able to cool functionality, especially when it their time to do something else.” down and retherm extra rice the comes to cooking proteins to their It’s also easy to clean with next day. We also tested some proper temperature. “One combi its own self-cleaning hose and “We were able additional menu items for the oven has saved me the space of chemicals. “We wipe it down to remove next install as the chain grows having four rice cookers in my daily, and at the end of the week, Established: — menu items that the owners tiny kitchen.  is way, if we need I can turn on the deep clean four pieces of setting and it runs automatically 1975 never thought they would be to quickly make a batch of fresh Eloma USA launched: equipment capable of o ering before.” rice during a rush we can do so, overnight and shuts down on its Kaitlyn Sallarulo says she loves and it only takes about 20 minutes own,” she says. 2007 with the combi, the versatility of the Eloma combi. versus at least an hour.” Wilmot notes the combi eloma.com which is a huge “I was surprised by how In addition to being an is part of the new kitchen line well the rice and grilled chicken “extremely versatile piece,” and will be installed in all new space and cost turned out,” says Kaitlyn the combi contributes to locations going forward. PONKO savings for the Sallarulo, who notes that the consistency and quality control, has not rolled out any new owners.” chicken is rst marked on the especially helpful during a labor menu items, at least not yet. grill and then nished in the crisis. “ e cookies we make in “We just hired a new corporate Davy Phillips combi for a juicy and tender it come out the same every time; chef, so I imagine we will be Sales Rep, Cutting Edge result. Even the green beans and it’s a perfect bake, not like my experimenting,” he says. “Our Marketing Agents potatoes for the potato salad are regular oven, which depending goal is to get to 2,025 stores, cooked in the combi, without on the heat or humidity that day, depending on how quickly the need for hot plates and extra can make the cookies come out things come back.” Pandemic pots, pans and boiling water,  atter,” she says. or not, people still want fried which reduces both space and Kaitlyn Sallarulo has chicken, especially if they can labor. preprogrammed all of the recipes, have less guilt when enjoying it.

52 Aliworld Aliworld 53 Success Stories

CBD IS ON THE MENU AT CLOUD CUPS

outed for Savvy entrepreneur Galen wholesale to interested buyers its anti- Thomas knows all about this hot who then sell the product. inflammatory commodity. That’s why he added Though there’s no licensing or and anxiety- the hot ingredient to gelato, so corporate ownership involved — reducing customers could chill out to the he’s not a franchisor — Thomas properties, max. It’s proved to be more than says he makes regular visits cannabidiol just a trend; Thomas has seen to his customers to help with (CBD) is a chemical derived Cloud Cups, his CBD-infused marketing, inventory, product Tfrom cannabis that does not desserts business, grow rapidly display and other needs. In the have a psychoactive component since launching in 2018. fall of 2020, Cloud Cups was Cloud Cups (and thus doesn’t act as an “We saw CBD as a segue to being sold at eight stores in intoxicant). CBD has exploded in get into the booming cannabis Philadelphia and one each in gelato is the wellness market over the last industry and noticed there were Atlanta, Los Angeles and Austin, 100% few years, popping up in all types no frozen desserts with CBD Texas. Thomas says he had organic of products, from supplements on the market,” says Thomas. expectations of that number and topicals to food and beverage “We put the two together, and growing to 20 stores by the and comes items and more, including coffee I did some guinea pig testing end of 2020. He also rolled out in 32 flavors shops and foodservice outlets on my aunt and stepdad. They new gelato products that didn’t (local government regulations loved the gelato and use CBD include CBD in the fall of 2020 (and permitting). CBD shops selling as a wellness product.” Cloud and was working to get those counting). the hemp-based product in Cups gelato is also 100% organic into local stores and shops. tincture, pill and balm form and comes in 32 flavors (and The pandemic did not have also grown around the counting), with banana pudding, slow down people’s desire for country alongside the growth of Nutella® and dairy-free (vegan- comforting desserts. “Not only traditional cannabis dispensaries friendly) mango sorbet as the do people still want ice cream, in states where they are allowed. top sellers. Other flavors have people are using CBD as a According to market research included white coffee, passion calming mechanism and way firm The NPD Group, at least 20% fruit, Cinnamon Toast CrunchTM to relax to cope with changes in of Americans have tried CBD in and Brown Sugar Pop-Tarts®. the world right now and being states where it’s legal, and 40% Thomas manufactures his stuck in the house,” says Thomas, of these consumers seek it out in CBD-infused gelato flavors who is quick to add that he is food and beverage form where in a central kitchen facility in not pushing any medical claims available. Philadelphia, selling the product for his CBD product, but rather

54 Aliworld Aliworld 55 Success Stories

Galen Thomas is making unique CBD-infused gelato at Cloud Cups.

Gottsacker, has been a great and heat-treat most mixtures regular contact with all of our BRAND WATCH resource for me, always offering including dairy, fruit, powdered students and help them get in advice when it comes to recipes, and water-based. To develop touch with local distributors, so methods and equipment,” he says. his recipes, Thomas relies on a they have support when it comes Most recently, thanks to compact Carpigiani Freeze&Go, to equipment needs.” In Thomas’ Gottsacker’s guidance, Thomas which allows him to create high- case, that distributor was Rosito launched a new product, a gelato quality frozen desserts in a small Bisani East in King of Prussia, Pa. Commercial “panini,” almost like an Italian footprint. It played a key role in the start- branches: ice cream sandwich, and he’s Gottsacker, in addition to up of Cloud Cups by opening 8 in the process of upgrading his working with about 10 to 16 up its test kitchen to Thomas in Service centers equipment at his headquarters. Gelato University students every order to test his product in the worldwide: Thomas uses Carpigiani’s Ready few months, also produces Carpigiani batch freezer before 302 G TRU-2 ice cream and his own gelato product in purchasing it. 500 gelato batch freezer to more Sheboygan, Wis., called Baron’s “We also offer consulting, Distributors worldwide: efficiently ramp up production Gelato. He says the machine is recipe development and and throughput. The Ready 302 a truly “set it and forget it” item testing at our students’ places 180 G TRU-2 mixes, heats and freezes that’s great for ease of use and of business, or if they want to carpigiani.com in the same cylinder and uses training purposes. come to Carpigiani’s locations,” Hard-O-Tronic technology to The relationship between says Gottsacker. “We work with maintain consistency control Thomas and Gottsacker anyone from someone wanting automatically. He also hopes to showcases the main mission of to open a small, mom-and-pop “We maintain notes it’s “a good product to add bring in one or two Carpigiani Carpigiani’s Gelato University: to gelato store to executives from to any daily wellness regimen.” Master of Infusion Mister Art machines to develop be a resource for those looking large chains looking to efficiently regular Thomas has a tech and Galen Thomas, Owner of Cloud Cups, won’t say and produce gelato and sorbet to get into the frozen dessert build a new frozen dessert Below left: Thomas contact with music background, working how he infuses CBD into his gelato for obvious pops. The Mister Art machine is a business and do it successfully. program.” pours ingredients into on cell phone towers and proprietary reasons, but did call it a unique soft-serve machine that’s used to “I have talked to Galen just about As Cloud Cups’ tagline reads, his Carpigiani batch all of our DJ’ing on the side, so he credits process that he developed himself. In products make ice cream cakes, pastry and every couple of weeks since he that means helping consumers freezer. students and Carpigiani’s Gelato University infused with CBD, the hemp-driven extraction premium ice cream pop molds. went through the program,” live “life in the clouds,” or at least Below right: The help them program for helping him get is often blended with MCT oil (medium-chain The machine can accommodate says Gottsacker. “We maintain when enjoying gelato. finished product. his start in the frozen dessert triglycerides) or another neutral oil to create a get in touch business. The educational tincture that the body can readily absorb through with local program launched in 2003 in the bloodstream or digest in food; bartenders Bologna, Italy, as the first-ever and beverage makers, however, have complained distributors, artisan gelato school. It has that it can be difficult to add to drinks because so they have regular sessions throughout oil and water don’t naturally mix and needs support when the year in Bologna as well as an emulsifier or binding agent to fully blend. in North Carolina and Illinois. Most recently, the market has seen a growth of it comes to Carpigiani’s Frozen Dessert water-soluble CBD products that can be more equipment University and Gelato University easily added to liquids. Thomas has figured out feature a team of master gelato the technology and solutions to infuse the CBD needs.” instructors, each with a strong on his own, without having to rely on outside culinary background. More than vendors (there has been some controversy Chef Baron Gottsacker 4,000 students have participated recently about vendors misstating the dosage in the programs, which offers of CBD in their products as well as products hands-on training using top-of- laced with pesticides and/or other chemicals). the-line equipment. In staying with the pure, all-natural theme, Thomas attended both Thomas also uses no artificial ingredients in the Frozen Dessert University his 32 all-organic gelato flavors. program in North Carolina as well as Gelato University in Illinois in 2019. “My instructor, Chef Baron

56 Aliworld Aliworld 57 Success Stories “These new styles of food preparation in our food courts and retail concessions provide guests a unique, fresh guarantee that their food is prepared and assembled à la minute Cool Concepts while they wait.”

Molly Crouch at Orlando’s Centerplate’s Director of Sustainability Orange County Convention Center

s one of Th e OCCC’s dining facilities compete the largest with hundreds of Orlando eating convention establishments within a 10-minute facilities drive, so the off erings must appeal to in North conventioneers’ desires for contemporary America, the menu items coupled with fast service. Orange County Centerplate’s plan for the food courts is Convention to be as fl exible as possible and adapt Center (OCCC) menus to match the events. “By tailoring spans 7.1 million square feet. In recent the concepts that would work best for years,A the convention center averaged each event, we are able to maximize our nearly 200 events annually, including sales while providing our attendees with 115 conventions and trade shows that the choice and selection they expect attracted more than 1.5 million attendees from the OCCC,” says Peter Minervini, to the area. Th e OCCC contributes Centerplate’s General Manager for OCCC. approximately $3 billion annually to Th e $13-million renovation of four Central Florida’s economy. food courts, including design and Th e campus divides into two equipment purchases, replaces the buildings: the 3 million-square-foot traditional cafeteria style of the original North-South Building and the 4 million- food courts with a more dynamic and square-foot West Building. inviting atmosphere and style of service. During the past 30 years, the West “We wanted each space to be unique, Building’s food courts received only so each food court embraces its own minor modifi cations. Th e OCCC and its identity,” Mudd says. foodservice contractor, Centerplate, a Th e food courts operate under the Sodexo company, decided the time had names Key Lime Café, Blue Sky Café, come to elevate the level of hospitality Citrus Café and one yet to be named, off ered to guests and attendees by called EF. All the food courts received a developing new, contemporary dining makeover of the preparation and serving experiences. Th e food courts provide areas, seating where applicable, menu foodservice during convention hours displays and concession areas including as well as before and after hours for condiments and drink service areas. special events. Th e renovated Key Lime Café and “Th e renovation project was not Blue Sky Café opened to guests in created with a reliance on peak numbers December 2019. Th e remaining two or benchmarks but rather to fulfi ll the opened about a year later. OCCC’s and Centerplate’s needs for Food courts typically do not operate production and service,” says Crystal unless a convention or event group is Equipment from Victory Mudd, OCCC Capital Planning Manager. on-premises. “Th e hours of each food and Beverage-Air helps OCCC58 Aliworld produce food. Aliworld 59 Success Stories

court vary per event, and locations are “For convention centers, these new various departments including banquet only open for the duration of a show,” styles of food preparation in our food catering, culinary and retail concessions says Minervini. While the convention courts and retail concessions provide place orders for food and other items stored center never closed explicitly due to the guests a unique, fresh guarantee that in the warehouse. “Depending on the type pandemic, numerous conferences and their food is prepared and assembled à of product, we have designated areas for Undercounter trade shows were canceled or delayed la minute while they wait versus how it’s refrigeration by distribution and staging where the food since mid-March 2020. The OCCC has always been done in the past — where Beverage-Air makes gets prepared in the main kitchen and been in operation with a limited number the prematurely prepared food waits for efficient use of tight finished at the location,” Katurakes says. space. of bookings since. the guest instead,” says Molly Crouch, The warehouse team separates dry “The biggest distinguishing factors Centerplate’s Director of Sustainability. goods that need no preparation such as between convention center foodservice Managing the ordering and flow of impulse items, condiments and beverages operations and other types are the food product at a convention center is a and delivers them to the designated diversity of the businesses, the clients and massive undertaking on its own. All food distribution/staging locations. their associated events, the magnitude and beverage menu items for the West All other food items generally require and demographics of the guests/ Building arrive at the OCCC warehouse culinary preparation prior to service. attendees, and the diverse food types where a purchasing team verifies the Upon completing culinary production, offered,” says James “Chef K” Katurakes, accuracy of the orders. After verification, staff delivers all cold food items the Centerplate’s Executive Chef. the warehouse team sorts the items. The day before scheduled service to the appropriate location for finishing the following day. Staff delivers hot food items in temperature-controlled hotboxes on the day of service to the appropriate location for distribution. that staff can easily reach as needed,” OCCC’s seating areas says Tom Galvin, FCSI, President, Galvin have a spacious, modern Refrigeration and Energy Savings appearance. Each food court contains enough back-of- Design Group, Inc., in Winter Garden, Fla. house cold storage for at least one full day’s “Refrigeration here also contributes to service. Refrigerators and freezers near significant energy savings, which was a front-of-house preparation and service areas priority in every facet of the project.” designated concepts that are always provide staff easy access to ingredients and The combination of features among offered,” Minervini says. “Instead, each FOOD COURTS menu items throughout production. the Victory refrigerators — including location is set up to be able to produce a Total size of entire project across “OCCC and Centerplate needed variable-speed compressors, R290 wide range of menus, which allows us to all food court areas: 26,182 sq. ft. refrigerators that allow staff to handle and hydrocarbon refrigerant, expansion select the food concepts for each show.” excel in the most demanding foodservice valve and coil-sensing adaptive defrost Despite the ever-changing menu options, Key Lime Café environments during peak and slow technologies — allow the Centerplate the new food courts contain mostly BOH: 2,630 sq. ft. periods,” says Erica J. Motes, Vice President culinary team to work efficiently and similar equipment with a few exceptions. Servery: 1,624 sq. ft. of Sales and Marketing, Ali Group North safely even during the busiest traffic “Centerplate staff members can mix Seating: 5,789 sq. ft. America – Refrigeration Division. “They rushes, because temperatures remain and match equipment as needed for the Total: 10,043 sq. ft. also wanted this equipment to contribute consistent throughout the refrigerator type of food they want to serve,” Galvin to operational cost savings.” and throughout a day’s production cycle. says. “The placement of digital menu “The glass-front Blue Sky Café The food courts also contain a The Beverage-Air undercounter boards in this scramble-style food court refrigerators behind BOH: 1,936 sq. ft. variety of pass-through, reach-in refrigerators also contain environmentally helps keep queue lines low because each POS location allow Servery: 1,574 sq. ft. and roll-in refrigerators and reach-in friendly R290 hydrocarbon refrigerant customers can read the boards and customers to see fresh Seating: 6,155 sq. ft. freezers by Victory Refrigeration and and provide a consistent temperature decide what they want to order before food and available Total: 9,665 sq. ft. pizza prep tables, sandwich prep tables, throughout the day. getting in line. Customers can come into beverages that staff can worktop refrigerators and undercounter The pizza and sandwich prep the food court and line up at a particular easily reach as needed.” Citrus Café refrigerators by Beverage-Air. The tables perform well in hot and tightly station, place an order, receive their food, BOH: 2,641 sq. ft. single-door and double-door reach-in packed environments. “These advanced pay and leave easily. We also vary the flow Tom Galvin, FCSI Servery: 1,520 sq. ft. refrigerators and freezers are built with technologies increase energy savings and for customers coming up to the stations President, Galvin Design Group Total: 4,161 sq. ft. a stainless-steel beveled exterior and reduce the overall cost to the operator,” and moving from right to left or left to sturdy hinges and handles that give the Motes says. In addition, front and right, so they don’t bump into each other.” EF Café preparation environment an “elegant back counters each contain their own Thoughtful placement of refrigeration BOH: 1,522 sq. ft. aesthetic,” says Motes. electricity load centers. throughout the OCCC’s newly renovated Servery: 791 sq. ft. “The glass-front refrigerators behind From the onset, menu flexibility also food courts will help these foodservice Total: 2,313 sq. ft. each POS location allow customers to remained an essential component of the operations remain effective, efficient and see fresh food and available beverages project. “The food courts do not have flexible for years to come.

60 Aliworld Aliworld 61 Success Stories

mozzarella. All of our salad dressings are made machines when we were on our search and were he pizza business is ultra- from scratch. I think that really is what separates just getting into the brand,” Morrison says. “We competitive these days, us from everybody else.” fell in love with the way the Carpigiani machine Hot Pizza and so traditional pizza places That emphasis on fresh, house-made ingredients produced our gelato.” have had to up their game has earned Pizzeria Pezzo loyal customers and won The Ready Batch Freezer lets you mix, heat Cool Gelato: to keep their customers them awards as well. A pizza industry magazine and freeze in the same cylinder. Its Hard-O-Tronic satisfied (and ordering). named Pezzo one of the 100 hottest independent technology provides an automatic consistency For one small pizza chain pizzerias in the country in 2018 and 2019. control to determine when the product is complete, A Perfect Pair in Minnesota, gelato has Mpls.St.Paul Magazine wrote that the pizzeria and an intuitive control panel is accessible even been the key to keeping makes “the best deep-dish pizza in the Twin Cities.” Pizzeria Pezzo’s own when mix is being added. Not only does the Ready Authentic gelato made their menu exciting — and profitable. Gevali gelato is made Batch Freezer make great gelato, but it’s also simple Pizzeria Pezzo has units in White Bear Lake Going Authentic on-premises with a to operate, Morrison says. “It’s easy to train people from scratch in-house T Carpigiani batch freezer. and Woodbury, Minn., suburbs of Minneapolis- While Pizzeria Pezzo had offered traditional Italian on it. It’s very user-friendly,” he says. is proving to be St. Paul. It specializes in coal-fired pizzas made desserts such as tiramisu and cannoli made from a big hit with with fresh ingredients and also offers a range of scratch, it had not been making its gelato in house. A Popular Menu Addition Chicago-style deep-dish pizza (named after Chicago The decision to change that came from the top More and more pizza operations are adding gelato Pizzeria Pezzo’s neighborhoods like Lincoln Park and the Gold down, because “Keri Bougie, the owner of the to their menus, according to Kami Poppen, Vice customers. Coast). Appetizers, pasta and sandwiches toasted company, is an avid sweets connoisseur,” Morrison President of Sales and Marketing for Carpigiani in the 850-degree F oven are also on the menu. says. That might be a bit of an understatement, North America. Besides the fact that pizza and But Pizzeria Pezzo is not like many other as Bougie calls herself “a dessert fiend.” During gelato go so well together, she notes that, “gelato pizza joints. “What differentiates us from other her college years, she spent two summers in Italy, is a very versatile dessert that can satisfy a variety restaurants is that we’re truly making everything where she fell in love with gelato. “I would literally of dietary restrictions. Restaurants can use local, from scratch,” says Mac Morrison, Director of BOH go from gelateria to gelateria, one after the other, in-season fruit to produce a gourmet dessert that Operations for Pizzeria Pezzo. “We’re grinding to try them and compare them,” Bougie says. When meets the needs of a broad range of customers. our own sausage and making our own fresh she became one of the owners of Pizzeria Pezzo, For example, a delicious fruit sorbet is gluten-free, she couldn’t understand why they weren’t making dairy-free, fat-free and vegan.” gelato from scratch. So, she started teaching Making gelato in-house also provides menu herself about frozen dessert making at home, versatility, according to Poppen. “It can be served a buying books and home ice cream makers. Bougie variety of ways beyond a traditional bowl. It can be eventually upgraded to a gelato machine, and, over served as a cookie sandwich or gelato cake. It can be the course of a year, she developed a number of served with a variety of mix-ins or toppings as well, gelato recipes and established the restaurant’s own and it gives the flexibility to create flavors unique to Gevali gelato brand. the restaurant, as well as seasonal flavors,” she says. Like Pezzo’s main menu, the Gevali gelato is Besides this creative flexibility, making gelato made from real ingredients, “organic and locally in-house can be profitable, says Poppen. “It sourced whenever possible,” says Morrison. “We provides the obvious benefits of a fresher, higher- use no artificial flavors, sweeteners, stabilizers or quality product with a clean label and lifts profits emulsifiers.” A typical selection of flavors includes by an additional 35% or more versus purchasing vanilla maple, chocolate with peppermint, mixed already-made products. Also, packaging pints is a berry and strawberry basil. Pezzo sells the gelato quick and portable to-go dessert that customers in individual scoops, waffle cones, pints and even can carry out or get delivered.” a four-scoop gelato flight. The gelato is available to Adding gelato to the menu has been a win for pickup and delivery customers as well. everyone connected with Pizzeria Pezzo. Thompson Justin Thompson, President of The YES Group says he knew the Gevali program would be successful in Mendota Heights, Minn., helped the Pizzeria “because of [Keri’s] story and her passion for wanting Pezzo team find the perfect gelato machine for to make a true, authentic gelato product and offer it the Gevali launch. “I spent an afternoon with Mac at their shop. Working with somebody who was that and Keri. Besides making the product all day, we passionate about it was a lot of fun.” talked about their success in pizza and how they And the Carpigiani machine is proving itself to utilize the best, freshest, ingredients and don’t cut be a valued part of the Pizzeria Pezzo operation. “We corners in any step,” he says. “We wanted to make love the machine,” Morrison says. “It produces very sure they got a machine that would allow them to consistent results, and we’re very satisfied with it. Our do that with their new gelato product.” customers love our gelato, being that it’s truly Italian. The Carpigiani Ready Batch Freezer was the Its creaminess and its flavors are unmatched.” right machine for Pizzeria Pezzo. “We tested several carpigiani.com

62 Aliworld Aliworld 63 TheB-Lean system equips foodservice operations in multiple ways

05Innovations

f ever there were terms of time, inventory and flow, a saying that at and it intends to bring greater value TO B IS once frustrates and and efficiency to production. For motivates innovators, foodservice operations that work “That’s how we’ve under relentless time constraints, always done it” would its ideals are a natural fit. be it. It presumes For Burlodge, B-Lean thinking TO DO change is unnecessary extends beyond the adaptable, and questioning compact and ergonomic design established norms futile. It says “I of the equipment to something Igive up” without giving anything. more comprehensive. It includes Take that as a jumping-off streamlining menus, organizing point for how Burlodge’s B-Lean inventory and boosting the system established itself in 2008 efficiency of operations. Lean as an alternative tray assembly thinking strongly aligns with how equipment system for healthcare Burlodge has always advanced foodservice. This small, highly ideas of continuous improvement adaptable assembly process/ with equipment and processes. pod system provided an answer for space-challenged operations The Trouble with Traylines looking for improved performance. Paul Gauntley, President of The B-Lean system uses a Burlodge Canada & USA, says flexible work cell design that the B-Lean system emerged in can be quickly configured into a response to the aggravation of variety of formats. Customization outmoded traylines. In the early gives users the liberty to arrange 2000s, the company conducted workflows based on the particular a study of these systems, which needs of each meal each day. revealed inefficiencies everywhere. B-Lean has helped healthcare The main issue was wasted time. foodservice operators reimagine Task duration along traylines traditional tray assembly. It also tends to vary. Some tasks take five brought lean manufacturing seconds, others 15. This means an principles to healthcare food inordinate amount of waiting for operations. While hardware can some staff, and those times add significantly transform operations, up. Burlodge’s study found that for B-Lean’s enduring legacy may be a tray that required 100 seconds to how this thinking continues to complete, 55 seconds was spent on improve performance. activities that added no value. The poor ergonomics of A Lean Primer beltlines also proved problematic. Lean as a concept became widely Unnecessary reaching, crouching known during the ’80s and ’90s. and bending meant that It advocates eliminating waste in repetitive strain disorders were

64 Aliworld Aliworld 65 Innovation

commonplace. Minimizing Ali Group North America – sitting at a desk,” says Villa. A director of foodservice her staff who have English as movement, improving the Refrigeration Division, found “At the end of the day, the user operations said, “These are a second language had time natural flow of production and himself on the leading edge of drives the demand.” the people who are using it to read the tray ticket and making the workable space this effort. He visited different The B-Cool family of day-to-day. We let them play ensure accuracy. “The staff easier on staff was essential to Burlodge client sites to see the equipment joined the other with the equipment from early find it much easier,” she noted. the solution. equipment in use — an eye- specialized equipment in on and decide how best to “We have three traylines and opening exercise that helped the efficient B-Lean system. arrange it.” we do 700 trays per meal in 90 First Impressions him better direct his engineers. From the Burlodge team’s B-Lean customers also minutes. Our numbers meet It was Burlodge’s work with The shared knowledge was perspective, the end user stressed that engaging the staff minutes-per-tray a longtime client that first beneficial to both operations. needed to understand the employees with the new standard, they’re accurate and revealed the effectiveness of Victory’s engineering helped thinking that drives the system early on improved it’s easy to clean.” lean thinking. Phase one of to refine the details of B-Cool’s B-Lean approach. team dynamics in addition to Operators agree that developing B-Lean reduced functionality and performance workflow. BRAND WATCH staffing numbers don’t the time of tray completion while Burlodge’s extensive Leaning into the Operation necessarily change, but times by 35% while phase client network provided “We realized lean wasn’t useful Ease of Movement and resources are better used and two sharpened the focus on feedback to generate the if the staff weren’t educated,” Adaptability reallocated in some cases. improving ergonomics. hands-on need for those says Gauntley. Ergonomics also had an In most cases, a person is “We originally referred to improvements. Burlodge took clients to immediate impact. One assigned as a floater who Countries in Burlodge’s B-Lean as ‘bent metal,’” says Oscar Villa, other facilities for a firsthand testimonial appreciated the network: restocks and feeds the items, Gauntley. “This was simply President, Ali Group look. They set up dummy lines fact the B-Lean system can be while handling any late a structure on wheels. No North America – “At the end of for practice and introduced reorganized to accommodate 50 changes to trays. mechanics or compressors, Refrigeration Division, small groups of frontline staff peoples’ heights and arm Exclusive partners: Another client noted, but a different approach all says, “Burlodge the day, the to the system. Staff could ask lengths. Further, with its “If you have 15 people on a the same. As time went on, challenged us to questions of on-site Burlodge angled arrangement, gravity 14 trayline, you can definitely we started to understand the improve our product user drives the personnel, pose problems, shelves place items within Distributors: have reductions with B-Lean.” importance of refrigeration.” and we made it better explore solutions and even easy reach and maintain 25 She also said that lean That’s when Burlodge by enhancing the demand.” help make decisions about the natural body movement so Meals served per day on thinking has led to reassessing revamped some 20-year- performance and production workflow. there is no need to strain. Burlodge equipment: operational priorities. “I think old equipment and created ergonomics.” He also points “As soon as someone Paul Sico, EVP, Sales and it focuses you on what is a mobile, double-door out that the unexpected expressed interest, a full- Marketing for Burlodge USA, 3.5 driving patient satisfaction. refrigerator with gravity-fed benefit of the collaboration blown cascade of analysis and believes one of the most million You may have too many things shelving. Though demand has helped Victory refine assessments follows,” says persuasive points revolves on your menu and this is for the product grew, the other products. Gauntley. around B-Lean’s adaptability. burlodgeusa.com definitely an opportunity to availability of used equipment That included menu “I think clients respond to (USA) simplify things.” dwindled. The idea stuck, The Idea Evolves reviews, site assessments, the fact that it can fit into any burlodgeca.com “I think the breakthrough however, and a new refrigerated Gauntley recalls how planning, equipment needs, operational model, from cold (Canada) moment is when clients component for the system was a number of different staff job descriptions, plating, hot plating — whether understand the lean principles created and called B-Cool. iterations followed that initial rotations, metric planning hot line or room service — and the cost savings that can collaboration. After the air and much more. The effort to or even a hybrid model,” he result,” Sico says. Bring on the Victory curtain, the development invoke a lean mindset helped says. “Whether layouts are This led to a unique team placed a door on clients better appreciate centralized or decentralized, Look Forward, Lean Ahead collaboration between Burlodge the back of the unit for the impact of the proposed the system can change with Naturally, the improvements to and Victory Refrigeration, two uninterrupted restocking Burlodge’s B-Lean system improvements. the operational model, staffing the B-Lean system are ongoing. companies operating under the of goods, which resulted in incorporates lean thinking to A series of testimonials let and even the facility.” It’s an inherent part of the help facilitate tray assembly. Ali Group banner. the B-Cool Double Door Air the Burlodge team know they system’s mandate, whether The connection with Curtain. From there, lean were on the right track. Staff Support and Patient it comes from Burlodge Victory helped to accelerate thinking shortened the height As one healthcare Satisfaction staff, Victory engineers or the development of B-Cool of the server-side door and foodservice manager noted, Another foodservice director suggestions from clients who equipment, starting with air introduced interior gravity “I can’t emphasize enough said that her operation had work with it every day. curtain technology, a system shelves, which became the the importance of engaging been assessing more flexible Currently, over 120 that circulated a consistent B-Cool Lean. staff from the outset. People assembly stations, both for installations are in operation stream of cool air across the “No matter how good the resist change and you can’t the diverse patient needs as and a tide of foodservice B-Cool’s door opening. product is, there are aspects fast track this sort of thing. well as a self-paced system operators are now abandoning Matt Kampert, Vice that the end users evaluate Give the staff the time to do it. that would accommodate the ways they’d always done it President of Manufacturing, and that we won’t think of Invest in it.” staff. She noted that many of in favor of a lean operation.

66 Aliworld Aliworld 67 Innovation

Metro he story of that Metro sponsors in partnership YNOT Italian with Foodservice Equipment & carves out starts with Supplies magazine. “ e tight space an improved a Jersey boy gave us a chance to do what we delivery zone going out on do best: create unique, essentially his own in custom solutions with time-tested and more in 1993 to open standard components,” says AJ the small BOH his rst Italian Zambetti, Metro’s Director of restaurant Creative & Brand Communications. footprint of in a strip mall in Virginia Beach, Va.  e storage spaces at YNOT received a growing THusband-and-wife team Tony and a makeover in October 2020. Cyndi DiSilvestro along with Harry Italian DiSilvestro (Tony’s brother) have grown Dough Starter restaurant their business to seven locations.  e tight spaces came with a tight chain. Pizza dominates at this casual-dining timeframe to perform an on-site chain, which o ers a full Italian menu assessment, create the design, order that includes chicken marsala, pasta the components and come back to creations and homemade gelato. complete the installation. And before Over the course of 27 years, the any of the real work came into play, a original location grew to cover three foundation of trust with the owners di erent leased spaces in the strip had to be established. “When we work mall location, added on in piecemeal with large brands with multiple stores, fashion.  at restaurant now totals we build trust over time,” explains Lori 5,000 square feet. Morrone, National Strategic Accounts  e 1,000 square feet dedicated to Manager at Metro. “ at was not the the back of the house, however, never case here. It was a small window. We expanded. “ ings have always been a had to build trust fast.”  at started little cramped,” says Tony DiSilvestro with the initial assessment that of the 150-seat restaurant. “When included an on-site visit with the Metro you open a restaurant, you do it on a team and the owners. With a complete xed budget — almost no budget. You start-to- nish timeframe condensed just keep going from there and don’t down to three months, a quick YNOT owners always have the time to go back and decision-making process was in order Tony and Cyndi DiSilvestro in the back of the house, reorganize or reset the mismatched regarding the speci c focus areas. which received components you add as you go.”  e owners were, naturally, more than $50,000 in  e constricted space provided very involved in every aspect. As a Metro product as part of the Kitchen Storage a unique opportunity for the annual family-owned business, the success Makeover Contest. Kitchen Storage Makeover Contest of the operation directly correlates to their livelihood: It’s personal.  e owners  oated out the ideas YNOT they wanted to see happen; at the same time, the Metro team shared workable solutions from their varied experience with multiple clients. “It CREATE MORE was really neat to watch that early stage of 800 ideas lter down to ve workable solutions,” Morrone says. One of those solutions paved the way to smooth collaboration STORAGE SPACE throughout the entire project. It was Custom dough carts the stepping stone to building trust in the walk-in cooler and con dence from the owners, a nest effi ciently into the shelving and help prevent kind of proof that the Metro team mishaps as the dough understood the needs and issues of rises overnight. this particular restaurant — proof

68 Aliworld Aliworld 69 Innovation

that involved actual proo ng.  e A fully functional staging happens there now, prep area now Metro team created a solution to View from the Back specifi es work- which alleviated the stress a problem YNOT had yet to solve, stations where points of personnel bumping which stemmed around how sta It can be a bit like watching clowns exit a tiny car staff can chop into each other in the main when you realize the extent of items that a restaurant can vegetables and proof the pizza dough.  e owners more. The space kitchen tra c area. Heated were on board with everything house within a 1,000-square-foot back-of-the-house space. was created with shelves provide a base for TM after that problem was solved, Here’s what squeezes into the BOH at YNOT Italian: Metro SmartLever employees to stage and hold Multi-functional Morrone says. “ ey embraced the delivery and takeout items. a delivery and takeout expo area Workstations with ideas faster once they trusted that • integrated Super  e new space not only a dry storage area we knew what we were doing.” • Erecta Pro shelving changed the way takeout and • a walk-in cooler and stainless work YNOT sta who handle surfaces, and the delivery happens from a tra c- a walk-in freezer ® dough prep routinely ll no • Metro SmartWall  ow standpoint but it also a prep space less than 400 bins for proo ng, • Wall Mount Shelving changed how employees access gelato equipment; staff make gelato here System. roughly enough to support this • dry storage items including pizza for all seven of the chain’s stores one location for a week; the boxes and takeout containers. a back office that shares space restaurant makes an average • What may have with a secure liquor cabinet of 90 pizzas a day. Prior to the been haphazardly a warewashing area makeover, the process involved • placed before is now sta carrying the bins to the 100% clearly labeled, cooler to proof. During that The focus in the warewashing accessible and easy overnight process, the dough area was to make items more t o n d . would rise and often bump into accessible and relocate heavy “It’s very pots and pans so they were no the bin above, tipping the stack longer stored in hard-to-reach streamlined,” Tony and often knocking a few on spots overhead. DiSilvestro says of the  oor. It was a balancing act the newly improved to have the bins perfectly align space. “We’ll take so that all dough bins survived elements here to the night. In fact, it was such a every new store we predictable fate to nd dough build.”  is new back- on the  oor upon entering the of-the-house delivery cooler in the morning, Tony staging expo area will accepted that product waste as become the baseline part of the cost of doing business. as the chain pursues In addition to the tipping franchising its rst issue, sta were also hauling the location in Richmond, bins by armful from the cooler Va., in 2021.  e intent is to then to the designated pizza-making to-go-only store in development. branch out into the Raleigh- spot, which created additional “It’s been in the planning stage Durham area of North Carolina. obstacles in traversing through for a couple years,” he says. “We “Overall, it’s just an amazing the space while keeping dough just never pulled the trigger.” transformation,” Tony says.  e bins intact. Metro resolved the the walk-in cooler. Each cart holds lost yield. Yes, the dough does Shelving extends to 86  e pandemic expedited the mobile carts for dough proo ng, problem by creating a custom 60 bins of dough and YNOT now still rise and hit the bins above inches high in the delivery The storage area for beer, delivery hub. With 75 employees delivery and to-go-only store, he noted, were another big win staging area; the install wine and liquor received a cart solution that succinctly has 10 total carts in their arsenal, but is far less likely to cause a team used S-hooks to major transformation as the at the restaurant,  uidly moving which will also serve as a test and have saved the company incorporates the bins more allowing for a total of 600 bins. tip-over problem in the cooler. eliminate corner posts for owners took the time to install around each other in a tight concept for growth as a way to ll money in what was once lost e ciently and also establishes a  e  ow from prep to ease of access to items. new fl ooring and refresh old space was not easy. in gap areas and create a broader product. The delivery staging paint to complement the better rst-in- rst-out approach cooler to front of the house Delivery Staging area was created with Metro products that helped COVID-19 only added to the service area as the franchise “Looking at the back of the for product.  e cart system was now maximizes e ciency “Controlled chaos” is how Metro SmartStations with overhaul this space, which need for an improved space for system expands. So, that makes house after the makeover, it proves integrated Metro Super also functions as a small created with Metro Super Erecta and ergonomics as carts  ow DiSilvestro aptly describes the Erecta HotTM Heated takeout and delivery and YNOT mastering the e ciency around that you can make a small space ® workspace. Pro shelving components with seamlessly to each station. Sta back-of-the-house staging area Shelving to keep food hot. was building on its already robust staging delivery and takeout all e cient,” says Zambetti. “When I the height equal to a stack of 10 can now also easily transport for takeout and delivery prior takeout and delivery program. the more important for YNOT. look at some of the shelving in the dough tins; the top three shelf a cart of dough to the front to the makeover. He knew that YNOT supports delivery with its  e newly recon gured nished space, it almost looks like mats were removed to provide instead of carrying them three space in particular was in dire own drivers but also works with space also bene ts the a library.  e shelves are certainly chambers for the dough bins at time.  e new setup saves need of a refresh to re ow the third-party delivery companies. restaurant’s  ow by keeping optimized for what’s stored on to remain upright during the trips to the cooler and keeps the tra c pattern for delivery drivers, Tony sees delivery becoming even delivery drivers in the back them. Actually, there was even proo ng process.  e carts nest product steadier while it proofs. who were walking through the more important to the success of the house after they enter space for more product as the under the new Metro shelves in  e new system helps eliminate main cookline to access the of his business and even has a through a back door. Hot food optimized storage left extra room.”

70 Aliworld Aliworld 71 Innovation

Though the 2020 National Restaurant Association Show® was cancelled, event organizers still recognized innovative STATE-OF-THE-ART products with the annual Kitchen Innovations® Awards. We’re proud to announce that two products from PRODUCTS Ali Group companies received KI Awards. RECEIVE AWARDS

Beverage-Air Cross Temp Electro Freeze Fuzionate

Beverage-Air’s unique the kitchen,” says Erica stability and can save With the Electro Freeze just seconds to connect crew-operated or Cross Temp® technology J. Motes, Vice President users up to 30% in FuzionateTM, operators syrup bottles or adjust self-serve options. provides operators with of Sales and Marketing, energy costs compared can now offer a wide flavors, and there Cleaning the unmatched versatility Ali Group North with a single-speed range of delicious soft- are no complicated machine is also easy. for their cold and America–Refrigeration compressor. serve flavors from just attachments. That Self-closing spigots frozen storage needs. Division. That flexibility The Cross Temp one machine. It’s the gives operators the help prevent mess and Operators can manually can be especially series features an first fully integrated opportunity to offer eliminate waste. adjust Cross Temp helpful for operations easy-to-use digital frozen dessert machine seasonal flavors or With its sleek cooler/freezer models that may be changing controller for adjusting that produces nine regional favorites. design and small to any point between their menus frequently set points. The unit also soft-serve flavors in one Operating the footprint, almost any 40 degrees F and -15 or offering seasonal or has a smart defrost space-saving footprint. Fuzionate is simple, type of operation — degrees F. These flexible LTO items. feature and recovers The Fuzionate says Mark Holden, convenience store, ice units can function as The exclusive its temperature quickly incorporates the flavor Inside Sales and cream/gelato shop standard coolers or Beverage-Air Cross after defrosting. Cross throughout the soft- Marketing Manager or cafeteria — can freezers for specialty Temp technology Temp models are serve base, producing for Electro Freeze. profitably expand its items, ice cream storage uses a variable- available in a range of a deliciously consistent “The restaurant frozen treat selections or many other purposes. speed compressor door configurations, and profitable product. crew member or with the Fuzionate. Even during service that intuitively including one full door The machine holds convenience store “Thank you to the times, the temperature adjusts for optimal or two half doors, in eight 32-ounce syrup customer simply walks selection committee can easily convert efficiency based on either glass or solid. containers and can up to the machine, members,” says Holden. from refrigerator to the set temperature “At Beverage-Air, produce a variety selects one of eight “It is indeed an honor freezer or vice versa, to and environmental we spend a lot of time of frozen product, flavors or vanilla, pulls to be mentioned in the accommodate changing conditions. “It’s the building value and including custard, down the lever and the company of the other refrigeration needs. On first unit in commercial innovation into our ice cream, gelato, Fuzionate technology award winners. We average, a Cross Temp refrigeration that products,” says Motes. sorbet and yogurt. dispenses smooth and always strive to meet unit can convert in less uses variable-speed “We feel very honored Patented mix-chamber creamy frozen yogurt, the demands of our than an hour. compressor technology,” to win the Kitchen geometries and blade ice cream or gelato,” customers for new, “The Cross Temp says Motes. That Innovations Award.” design blend the Holden says. The profitable ideas and series gives you a lot of technology means flavors in at the point Fuzionate machine to enhance speed of range and flexibility in greater temperature of dispensing. It takes is available in either service.”

beverage-air.com electrofreeze.com

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f you think foodservice Small Footprint, Big Output could be contaminated,” says equipment is strictly for Equipment manufacturers have Biel. Having ice storage inside commercial kitchens, responded to this challenge by the machine serves as another think again. “O ces, creating equipment with smaller advantage in terms of sanitation, warehouses and footprints or ones that can because it eliminates the need breakrooms all typically perform multiple functions.  e for a separate storage bin where have some limited HID Meridian® Series of ice and the ice needs to be scooped out. foodservice equipment,” water dispensers is Scotsman’s “ ose separate units are much notes Je Biel, Vice answer to that challenge.  e less sanitary since the ice is much President of Marketing and Product HID unit makes ice, stores ice more open to the environment IDevelopment for Scotsman Ice and dispenses water — all in and prone to contamination Systems. “And this equipment one convenient unit with a small through human contact.” needs to be placed to allow for footprint.  e HID ice and water functionality while not creating HID machines produce dispenser  ts both traditional health or sanitation concerns.” Scotsman’s famous nugget ice. It’s foodservice and non-foodservice  e machines most commonly the ice that people love to chew, areas, Biel says, because it’s a “small, seen in those operations include and it’s also great for cooling versatile machine that provides water and ice dispensers, says Biel. beverages. Additionally, sanitary, touch-free dispensing “We increasingly see ice and water “Nugget ice can be of water along with the being used in o ces, health clubs, used for ice packs, chewy nugget ice that is warehouses and factories,” he says. making it perfect very popular.” A variety of factors have for athletic contributed to that increase. facilities, First, many people have replaced health clubs sodas or co ee with water as and nursing their primary drink of choice, homes,” Biel especially when exercising. says.  e HID “Hydration and water have been line is available SCOTSMAN promoted as a healthy choice. Ice with three di erent and water on location provides storage capacities a convenience, so people don’t (12 lb., 25 lb. and 40 lb.) BRAND WATCH have to buy water bottles that and with 300-lb. and 500-lb. BRINGS ICE AND need to be disposed of,” Biel ice-making capacities. Even says. Second, in some locations the largest HID machine only having fresh water on hand takes up a 22-inch-by-25-inch Machines installed worldwide: may be a health necessity or footprint, which means it won’t WATER TO municipal requirement. “In the use up a lot of valuable counter 1,000,000+ case of factory workers or utility/ space. Tons of Scotsman fl ake and nugget ice produced daily worldwide: construction providers, it’s  e HID machines feature necessary for hydration in hot or touch-free dispensing, which 12,500 ALMOST ANY humid conditions,” he says. provides “very sanitary operation Scotsman ice cubes produced daily worldwide: But, just as with commercial and eliminates surfaces that restaurants,  nding the right need to be constantly wiped 6 billion space — and  nding enough down,” Biel says.  at’s a plus Crystal-clear ice cubes introduced: LOCATION of it — to place this equipment with today’s increased emphasis can be di cult. “Restaurants are on sanitation, because it gives 1950 The Original Chewable Ice® nugget ice always challenged with doing customers or employees the introduced: more in tighter spaces and this is ice and water they want “while a challenge in other commercial also providing peace of mind 1981 environments as well,” Biel says. by eliminating surfaces that scotsman-ice.com

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y streamlining Equipment Agents in food preparation Anaheim, Calif. “It didn’t do and increasing as well as the Moffat.” The holding time, moisture control of the Moffat kitchens can unit provided better product operate more texture, says Jesse Gonzalez, efficiently and Senior Account Executive for How one chain found save money on Avanti Restaurant Solutions a better, quicker way to product. That in Costa Mesa, Calif. “When prepare its menu items. was the goal of a mid-size fast-casual [food] goes from the Moffat to BMediterranean chain recently and, to find the griddle or kebab broiler, the right solution, they went through a it’s still moist on the inside. rigorous testing process. When you take it from the With a traditional menu of such refrigerator and put it into the Mediterranean favorites as kebabs, kebab broiler, it dries out the wraps and falafel, the chain had been product.” preparing its menu items in the usual The next step for the Efficient manner: storing ingredients in the cooler, chain was to take the then assembling and cooking to order. holding cabinet and give it That entailed going from a 38-degree F a test run in one of its stores. Moffat’s Turbofan P8 proofer/holding refrigerator to an 800-degree F open- That real-world testing showed the cabinet keeps food moist and can help reduce final prep time. Food flame kabob grill, which meant 12 chain ways to streamline its cooking minutes of cooking time on the grill and process. With the exception of a few correspondingly long ticket times. quick-cooking items, the chain is now But the chain wanted to find out if precooking ingredients in a combi oven Prep there was a more efficient way to produce and then moving them to the Moffat BRAND its food faster without sacrificing the cabinet to hold for up to an hour. After WATCH quality or the flavor that its customers a quick sear on the grill, the items are craved. The restaurant’s team did ready for service. “The Moffat holding Helps research on a number of cooking and cabinet has lessened their cook times holding options and went to its local gas from 12 minutes to four or five minutes,” Countries in Moffat’s utility to investigate its options. After says Kyle Rinker, Regional Sales Manager network: preliminary tests on several cooking and for Moffat. holding methods, the chain’s culinary An auto-fill humidity generator on 193 Position Number of U.S. states team narrowed the search down to two the Turbofan P8 ensures that food stays currently using finalists: a moisture-controlled Turbofan® moist and flavorful. It can hold eight Moffat products: P8 proofer/holding cabinet from Moffat full-size or 16 half-size trays, and installs 50 Chain and a low, dry heat holding cabinet from easily with a simple plug-in connection. another manufacturer. The shortened cook times mean that moffatusa.com the restaurant staff can spend less time Testing, Testing over the grill and fill orders faster. “It has for The chain’s corporate and culinary decreased ticket turnaround time, which staff did multiple product tests using means more customers can be served the two cabinets and the results and thus increases profits for the brand,” proved to be dramatic. “When they says Rinker. For an expanding chain such Growth used the competitor, they said it dried as this one, he says, “getting the growing out the product,” says Kathy Blundell, pains out of the way now will benefit Sales Representative for Foodservice them in future expansion.”

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Currently, only ice machines producing 800 Food Safety Enhancements pounds or less of ice per day can utilize R290 Many types of bacteria can survive in cold BRAND Ice-O-Matic addresses challenges in refrigerant. It’s not an option for larger production environments, making ice bins susceptible. WATCH food safety and sustainability in developing machines at the present time. To address this issue, Ice-O-Matic has invested its next-generation ice machines. Ice-O-Matic’s Gourmet Series Undercounter in ice bin sanitation technology, which kills viruses icemaker, which utilizes R290 refrigerant, and other bacteria. Established: produces up to 80 pounds of clear, long-lasting “Safety is definitely paramount with ice machines,” gourmet cubes per day in a space-saving says Tappé. “What many people have not taken into 1952 18¼-inch-wide unit. Constructed of durable, consideration over the years is that ice is food. And Machines shipped annually to more than Bringing Safety and corrosion-resistant stainless the environment ice machines run 45 countries: steel, the icemakers’ built-in in is complicated as far as the air storage bin accommodates up intake goes, because yeast, bacteria, 40,000+ Sustainability to the Forefront to 33 pounds of ice. and other external components can Product SKUs: The line is not only energy impact a unit’s ice quality.” 250+ efficient but also designed for Because viruses and bacteria iceomatic.com ccording to a study from John Meeting Sustainability Goals easier cleaning. This results in can also work their way into an ice Hopkins Bloomberg School R290 is a refrigerant-grade propane used as an a longer service life. Also, since machine and impact food safety, of Public Health, a single alternative to R404A and R407 series refrigerants. a cleaner icemaker utilizes less Ice-O-Matic has created units that foodborne illness outbreak at This hydrocarbon is a more efficient refrigerant energy, it is not as costly to run. can be safely cleaned without a fast-casual establishment with a low GWP (Global Warming Potential). “How much water and disrupting production. “This could cost a quick-service “When purchasing an icemaker, operators energy an ice machine consumes is available with our Elevation restaurant between $6,330 want to look at the price as well as the long-term is related to how well it’s Series, which we launched two to $2.1 million, casual-dining operations cost of ownership implications of the equipment running,” says Tappé. “And an years ago,” says Tappé. betweenA $8,030 to $2.2 million and fine-dining they’re purchasing,” says Tappé. ice machine runs well as long Elevation’s one-touch establishments between $8,273 and $2.6 million The Gourmet Series, four Ice-O-Matic ice as it’s clean and preventative descaling and sanitizing per incident. The total amount depends on several machine models featuring environmentally friendly maintenance is part of the accentuate food safety. The Food factors, such as the outbreak’s severity, number R290 refrigerants, has recently been launched. equation.” Zone allows for quick wipe downs Gourmet ice cubes make of lawsuits, fines and legal fees, in addition to the “We are offering more R290 ice machines to “If an icemaker’s filters are for everyday cleaning, and any drink refreshing. number of employees and guests impacted. the marketplace than anyone else in the industry,” changed frequently, evaporator dishwasher-safe components Due to the potential of this devastating impact, says Tappé. “We’re introducing a product that has plates and other main snap off and on. food safety has been at the forefront of equipment a much more sustainable platform and, therefore, components are consistently and “Now what we’re technology and in the ice machine segment in provides a way this equipment can support an properly cleaned, the unit will be implementing is an particular. operation’s sustainability goals.” more sustainable, and energy consumption alone antibacterial/antiviral technology “Antiviral and antibacterial technology have Its use of R290 refrigerant takes sustainability will make a huge difference,” says Tappé. that has been available, but the way been available for several years, but many operators to the highest level for this equipment category. Ice-O-Matic focuses on simplifying we’re applying it to our products have not taken advantage of this due to the cost of “The ice machine industry has undergone preventative maintenance for operators and, in is different and new,” says Tappé. an ice machine,” says Alex Tappé, Vice President tremendous changes in the process, ensures the equipment operates more This new ice bin feature utilizes of Sales and Marketing at Ice-O-Matic. “However, manufacturing equipment and sustainably. a built-in, concentrated ozone- this technology will be the focus of foodservice converting to much more friendly “The Gourmet Series comes with an electronic produced gas application. equipment and ice machines moving forward.” products with better GWP,” board, which makes units easier to service and “It is focused on ice in the bin, Widespread adoption of hydrocarbon refrigerants says Tappé. extremely energy efficient,” says Tappé. “The air not so much on the machine itself,” like R290 began in 2012, and this environmentally This wasn’t an easy shift, as R290 filter also is removable for easier cleaning and says Tappé. “With this treatment, friendly technology has become more commonly can’t be used with compressors of maintenance.” operators have the option to be even used in commercial refrigeration. Not only is a certain output. For this reason, Sizing flexibility also ensures the proper ice more focused on ice safety.” there significantly less refrigerant charge and the refrigeration industry was able machine is purchased to meet the production The antiviral/antibacterial environmental impact with hydrocarbons, but these to adopt the more sustainable needs as well as the available space. technology is an option built into also have lower discharge temperatures in general. refrigerant, whereas the ice machine The Gourmet Series not only has a space-saving Ice-O-Matic machines or can be “We’re consistently moving toward more segment was faced with more profile for undercounter use but also has front air used as an after-market product. sustainable products using R290 refrigerant,” challenges. discharge, which is preferable in smaller footprints. “What it comes down to is an says Tappé. “It has been used by refrigeration “Refrigerators have lower “With these front-breathing units, intake operator’s needs and offering the equipment manufacturers but has not been horsepower compressors than and outtake are all in the front, so units can run best features on ice machines as far commonplace for ice machines, as we are dealing ice machines,” says Tappé. “The efficiently in tight spots,” says Tappé. “This is what as cleanability, sustainability and with limitations in terms of performance.” refrigerant charge required for 1 hp operators are always looking for with ice machine flexibility,” says Tappé. “Our industry Fortunately, when it comes to ice makers, there compressors and higher can be an issue placement. Our broad lineup with slim dimensions has come so far in terms of the quality have been great strides made in recent years to with R290 because of the flammability provides flexibility with location, which is an of ice machines being produced today; enhance both food safety and sustainability. potential.” important aspect of the machine.” it’s raised everyone’s level of quality.”

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AS SEEN ON TV If you turned on your TV recently and thought you saw an XpressChef high- High-Speed speed oven…you probably did. ACP was featured on the “In Depth Series” with Laurence Fishburne in the fall of 2020. The A Q&A with Greg Stak, CFSP, program, which airs on public television Vice President of Sales, ACP Inc. stations, features reports on a wide variety Cooking of subjects, ranging from technology to Made Easy with medicine to business. XpressChef

With the increased emphasis At the same time, kitchen space is Many operators are turning on delivery and takeout across tightening up. to high-speed ovens. Do most When people hear ACP, they think of oven has convection, impingement, all foodservice segments, how GS: It is. Space is always at a operators understand all the microwave ovens. But you also have infrared radiant and microwave assist. important is speed of production? premium in a commercial kitchen. things a high-speed oven can do? expertise in high-speed ovens. Our products are assembled and Greg Stak: Today, speed of Whether it’s a QSR, fast-casual or GS: Operators are getting GS: e ACP name stands for fabricated right here in the USA and production is more important than  ne-dining operation, kitchen space educated and are more understanding Accelerated Cooking Products. are backed by our ComServTM service ever. If customers are dining on- is expensive and hard to come by. of high-speed oven capabilities, but I While our Amana brand was at the network. If for any reason the unit premises, the days of leisurely dining When operators can purchase a piece think there’s still a lot to learn. ey forefront of microwave technology, requires service, a fully trained and are gone. ey want to get their food of equipment with a small footprint may not understand the technology, we’re also at the forefront of high- quali ed professional is going to take According to Greg Stak of ACP, the show’s delivered as quickly as possible. In that easily and economically produces the inner workings, the di erent speed oven technology. Taking care of it. producers were interested in the technology terms of delivery and takeout, there’s consistently high-quality menu items, cooking platforms and how they all the knowledge we’ve learned from Some of these ovens are compact that ACP has brought to cooking methods. lots of competition, and it’s vitally that checks a lot of the boxes o their interact with each other to produce decades of producing top-quality and attractive enough to be front- “Here’s a manufacturer with a lot of history important to the operator to get food wish lists. a quality product. ey may also microwaves and combining that with of-house items as well. We also o er that’s at the forefront of quick-cooking plated and presented as quickly as Specialty equipment can be a great need some culinary expertise to other proven cooking technologies models that are ventless, so there’s technology with the microwave and now possible so no delivery or takeout thing for an operator. But devoting understand how to produce their was a natural transition for us. no need for any kind of overhead or is on to the next generation of accelerated time is wasted. square footage to a piece of equipment menus in a high-speed oven because We o er XpressChef TM high-speed external ventilation. cooking,” he says. The ease of the user Speed of service is as important that has limited applications at the you can do so many things: baking, oven technology in di erent size XpressChef high-speed ovens are interface was also a selling point, Stak says, as ever but you have to combine that expense of an item that can produce roasting, breakfast items, lunch, footprints. e 2c has convection versatile enough to do thousands of “because almost anyone can use it. Whether with the quality of product that’s multiple menu items may not be the snacks, dinner — the options are and microwave assist technology; menu items, so they’re perfect for they’re a highly trained chef or a new hire being produced. Getting a bad pizza best use of kitchen space. almost limitless. Because you can do the 3i adds impingement. e 4i today’s shrinking kitchens. fresh in the kitchen, as long as they can in 10 minutes is not better than Another way operators can so many things in a small footprint, follow pictures, they can use this product.” getting a great pizza in 15 minutes. maximize their kitchen space is with once they understand the technology It’s really important that while speed ventless equipment, which saves operators come to see that this is an of service is emphasized, the quality overhead space by eliminating the investment that can save them money. of the product does not su er. need for a vent or hood. ey can perhaps eliminate some pieces of equipment and free up a whole lot of space in their kitchen.

Established: First aff ordable Manufacturing: acpsolutions.com BRAND microwave WATCH 1947 oven, the Amana ONLY Radarange®, sold: manufacturer of commercial microwave 1967 ovens fabricated and assembled in the USA 80 Aliworld Aliworld 81 XpressChef 2c XpressChef 3i XpressChef 4i 06 Our Companies

COOKING BAKERY MEAL DELIVERY, REFRIGERATION WASHING ICE CREAM ICE MAKERS COFFEE CONTRACT, PREPARATION & & WASTE & BEVERAGE MACHINES DISTRIBUTION STORAGE SOLUTIONS MANAGEMENT DISPENSE & SERVICE

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Ali Group is the largest, most diversifi ed global leader in the foodservice equipment industry. An Italian corporation founded 57 years ago, the engineering heritage and traditions of several of its companies stretch back more than 100 years and include some of the most respected names in the industry.

Through its subsidiaries, the Ali Group designs, manufactures, markets and services a broad line of equipment used for commercial food cooking, preparation and processing. With 58 manufacturing sites, over 10,000 employees in 30 countries and 79 brands, it gives life to the most extensive product portfolio in the industry, operating in almost every hospitality and catering sector. www.aligroup.com