Foodservice Equipment

Some McDonald’s espresso machines are out of commission
The chain is still determining the scope of restaurants impacted. Espresso-based items may not be available until the issue is resolved

McDonald’s may have found a workaround solution for its notoriously broken ice cream machines, but its espresso machines are now causing some issues. Melitta, the manufacturer behind many of the chain’s CT8 espresso machines, has advised operators to stop using them while it investigates a faulty component.

The Wall Street Journal first reported the issue Tuesday morning, which McDonald’s confirmed in an email to Nation’s Restaurant News.

“Our supplier, Melitta, informed all of their customers of a potential equipment safety risk for one of its machines. We have moved quickly to decommission these machines in restaurants and are staying in contact with our supplier to safely resolve the issue,” McDonald’s said in a statement.

McDonald’s is still determining the scope of restaurants impacted, but NRN can confirm the Louisville, Ky., market is impacted. The company also notes that a limited number of beverages from the chain’s menu are expected to be impacted. Espresso-based items such as hot and iced lattes may not be available in certain restaurants until the issue is resolved. Non-espresso-based beverages, including hot and iced brewed coffee, are not affected by the outage.

There are 21 coffees listed on McDonald’s McCafé menu, and most are cappuccinos, lattes, and macchiatos, as well as an Americano, which is also espresso-based.

“Melitta Professional Coffee Solution, to proactively ensure safety, has recommended a temporary stop use for the affected customers of the Melitta CT8 Espresso Machine. We are investigating the two impacted machines. Our intent is to determine the root cause and provide a remediation plan that allows us to move forward,” a Melitta spokesperson said in a statement.

Notably, this outage comes on the heels of McDonald’s partnership with Doodles for its “GM Spread Joy” campaign, offering customers who purchase any Doodles McCafé coffee the opportunity to unlock exclusive digital collectibles for a limited time.

The company has also shared its ambitions in the past year to develop a more robust coffee business, as the category continues to grow at a material clip. During McDonald’s Investor Day event last year, Jo Sempels, president of International Developmental Licensed Markets, called coffee a “very attractive category” because of that growth, as well as its high profitability and consumer habituation. For its part, McDonald’s McCafe is 30 years old, and the company sells nearly 8 million cups of coffee a day.

“That makes us the number two coffee player globally,” Sempels said. “While we’ve had success, we still haven’t realized our full global potential.”

To do this, McDonald’s plans to break down disparities across its global markets, better leverage its scale advantages, lead with food, and address “known gaps in consistency.”

“First and foremost, we’ll establish McCafe as part of our core menu offering and as our only brand for coffee at McDonald’s,” Sempels said. “Next, we’ll address inconsistencies in availability, experience, and taste by reducing over 100 types of equipment to a smaller list of only five global suppliers. This will ensure gold-standard execution around the world while still giving markets the flexibility to address local tastes and preferences.”

The company is also focusing more on cold coffee, which is experiencing a staggering increase in demand.

“We are developing a plan on how to best adapt and execute against cold coffee beverages and that plan will provide convenience, value, and a high-quality taste synonymous with McDonald’s,” Sempels said. “We’re giving our customers even more reasons to visit.”

Contact Alicia Kelso at Alicia.Kelso@informa.com

Source https://www.nrn.com/quick-service/some-mcdonald-s-espresso-machines-are-out-commission

MUFES To Showcase Sessions on Leading Technologies
FSTC’s David Zabrowski and Richard Young will present findings on heat pump water heaters and all-electric kitchens.

Focused on advanced, technical content, FER’s Multiunit Foodservice Equipment Symposium will offer multiple sessions by the Food Service Technology Center, part of Frontier Energy and a leading resource for energy efficiency in foodservice.

Take a closer look at the sessions:

Guide to heat pump water heaters: Find out what to know about the leading-edge technology, which helps reduce utility bills, courtesy of David Zabrowski, vice president of Frontier Energy and the FSTC. He has more than 30 years of experience in energy efficiency research.

All-electric kitchen case studies: Take a tour of all-electric kitchens, from restaurants to noncommercial foodservice facilities, with Richard Young, director of Frontier Energy and the FSTC. Electrifying kitchens marks one of the bigger trends in sustainability. Young joined the FSTC more than 35 years ago and has contributed to the USGBC’s LEED rating system and the EPA’s Energy Star program.

MUFES will take place January 27-29 in Clearwater Beach, Fla., at the Hyatt Regency. These two FSTC sessions are part of a two-day education program, featuring 10 sessions total. For a complete agenda, and to register for the event today, visit fermag.com/mufes. Attendance is reserved for multiunit chain and noncommercial operators with facilities, engineering and purchasing responsibilities.

Join us at MUFES by registering today at fermag.com/mufes.

Source https://www.fermag.com/articles/mufes-2025-to-showcase-leading-technologies/

Unox Names Derrick Richardson President, CEO
Unox, offering combi and speed ovens, has announced the appointment of Derrick Richardson as president and CEO of Unox North America.

Richardson brings decades of leadership experience in the foodservice and commercial equipment industries. He has a track record of success in scaling operations, including 14 years at Franke Foodservice Systems, where he served in various leadership capacities, including president.

“Derrick’s expertise and passion for excellence align perfectly with Unox’s mission to inspire and empower our customers through intelligent technology and advanced cooking solutions,” says Nicola Michelon, CEO of Unox Group, in the release. “We are confident his leadership will further solidify our position as a trusted innovator in North America.”

Luciano Delpozzo previously led Unox; he has since taken the role of president at Middleby Coffee Solutions Group.

Source https://www.fermag.com/articles/unox-names-derrick-richardson-president-ceo/

Ice Machine Maker Shares Promotion
With nearly four years of experience at the company under his belt, the individual is moving up in the south-central region.

Hoshizaki America has promoted Sean Evans to regional sales director for the south-central region.

Evans has been with Hoshizaki since 2021, starting as an area sales manager for the south-central region, and playing a key role in driving the team’s high performance.

Cumulatively, he has over 15 years of experience in the HVAC/R industry. His journey in the industry began during his service in the U.S. Air Force, where he gained experience in refrigeration. He later earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from Southwestern College.

“Sean’s dedication to excellence, combined with his extensive industry experience, makes him the ideal leader for our South-Central sales team,” says Scott Meyer, vice president of regional sales at Hoshizaki America. “We are excited to see him thrive in this new role as we grow together.”

Source https://www.fermag.com/articles/ice-machine-maker-shares-promotion/

Tabletop & FOH

Table for One – Elevating the Solo Dining Experience
Across the globe, and largely amongst younger age groups, more and more people are choosing to go out to eat by themselves. Solo dining – a time dedicated to eating a meal alone at a sit-down restaurant – is an opportunity for diners to practice self care over a meal, whether that be by relaxing and reflecting at the end of a long day or even by engaging the mind with a book or catching up on the news. In a joint survey by OpenTable and KAYAK, 60 percent reported having dined solo at a sit-down restaurant within the past year. As we witness a rise in remote work, busier than ever schedules and evolving family structures, it is no wonder that more and more people today are engaging in solo dining. I often travel alone as a result of my career, and business travel is changing too: for many companies, having large numbers of employees traveling isn’t financially prudent – but being a solo diner doesn’t mean our expectations around our dining experience have changed. Just the “cover count.”

According to a 2024 global survey by Lightspeed, 45 percent of consumers are taking part in solo sit-down meals, and a further 34 percent categorize the experience as a form of self care – citing the peace and quiet of the meal and the opportunity to partake in people-watching as top priorities to get out of the experience. With solo dining on the rise globally, consumers are fundamentally changing the way they dine out. Considering these changes, it’s critical for restaurants to meet their diners where they are and adapt to serve their evolving customer base. The success of restaurants going forward will increasingly depend on their ability to accommodate the real-time changing preferences of diners in an intentional way, including the growing preference for solo dining. The key to achieving this is proper staff training, adopting and leveraging technology to enhance the dining experience and manage operations, as well as cultivating a personalized experience and welcoming environment for all solo diners.

Staff Training
As the team that diners interact with from the moment they enter the restaurant to when they’ve paid the bill and leave, a properly trained staff is a crucial component of any dining experience – and even more so for solo diners. As reported in Lightspeed’s consumer survey, 30 percent cited that they dine alone to try out new places, meaning that solo diners are bringing with them an opportunity to impress and retain a new customer. As such, maintaining a high level of service, from how often waiters visit diners at their tables, to offering recommendations and answering questions, is critical to enhancing the overall experience for solo diners new and returning.

As more and more people partake in the experience and more restaurants implement measures catered specifically to solo diners, a customer-centric approach is key.

Catering to solo diners is more just than seating them as restaurants would any other customer. As a step further, offering a flexible menu catered to solo diners – with smaller portions to reduce food waste and allow the diner to taste more dishes – provides waiters with an additional opportunity to make personalized recommendations specific to these menu offerings. Offering a solo dining menu gives staff a new way to connect with their customers that is exclusive to solo diners. It’s easy to assume that a single diner is not going to bring as much revenue (or tips) to the table, but solo diners also have great flexibility in what they choose to order and the pace at which they dine. Good operators understand that the party of four that spends $250 over three hours on a four top isn’t more “valuable” than the solo diner that spends $70 in sixty minutes on a two top, or a solo seating experience. Solo diners are a good opportunity to revisit some of the basics of revenue per cover, and table turn.

At the same time, for diners who choose to utilize the solo dining experience as an opportunity to recharge, read a book or work on a laptop or tablet, restaurant staff can respond appropriately to either not overly disrupt customers or seat them at a table away from noisier groups or loud music. In any case, training staff to accommodate solo diners and prioritize their dining experience just as they would larger parties remains an important step to enhancing the experience for customers.

Leveraging the Right Technology for a Seamless Dining Experience
For restaurants looking to both capitalize on the rise of solo dining and maintain their success and profitability on a broader scale, evaluating the systems and technologies these businesses rely on to operate is paramount. By investing in a single POS system – equipped to manage operations in both the back and front of house while handling payments processing – restaurants take the first step toward optimizing their overall restaurant operations, and as a result, can provide a better dining experience for every customer (regardless of party size!). Single POS systems offer several features that can be beneficial to restaurants in serving solo diners – such as the opportunity to reserve a table in advance or access a restaurant’s floor plans to optimize party seating. If your concept supports it, having a POS system that stores information about your solo diner: their preferences and dining history, can enable you to keep bringing that diner back over and over again. A solo diner is much easier to get a detailed dining profile from, even simply by reviewing the check. The combination of the right, diner-focused technology, with the ability to get the same (or even more) revenue per hour out of the table, means you can create an exceptionally personal experience that you might not be able to otherwise provide.

When it comes to ordering and paying, the adoption of handheld devices utilized by waiters means that diners can look forward to a quick and hassle-free process, as orders are sent directly to the kitchen and diners are offered the option to tap their credit card or phone to pay at the table. Along with streamlining the ordering and payments processes for diners, these systems are also built to provide crucial insights for restaurant owners themselves, including inventory management, customer-behavior tracking and the ability to identify top-performing staff. With these insights at hand, restaurants can better cater the dining experience for their customers regardless of party size, ensuring that their operations are running smoothly even on their busiest nights of service.

Cultivating a Personalized Experience and Welcoming Environment
Casual dining or fine dining? Cuisine type? Restaurant layout, ambiance, menu design, atmosphere and location are all just a number of factors that make no two restaurants the same. The dining experience for a single person, two people or an entire party of fifteen will look different depending on the restaurant itself and the time of day. Keeping this in mind, how should restaurants that are looking to embrace the rise in solo dining look to respond?

To accommodate diners partaking in a solo meal or drink, restaurants should prioritize providing a dedicated area of seating that does not limit diners to the back of the restaurant or bar seating – a location that often makes solo diners feel hidden or burdensome. Bearing in mind that solo diners may use the time to catch up on work, read the news or respond to emails, having a table set up that allows for enough room for the diner’s meal and drink along with a laptop or small tablet is just one measure restaurant staff can take. An intentional set-up, combined with a flexible menu offered only to solo diners, can be tailored to any restaurant regardless of the type of cuisine they offer or dining style and lets customers know that they are valued intentional customers, not outliers.

While solo dining is not a new practice among diners globally, it is undoubtedly a trend on the rise. As more and more people partake in the experience and more restaurants implement measures catered specifically to solo diners, a customer-centric approach is key. Whether gaining feedback directly from customers or through an online platform, restaurants should hear what diners and their staff prefer when it comes to dining alone, and take actionable steps to respond to suggestions or recommendations. It remains a learning experience for all parties involved, but with the right training implemented and the right platform to optimize overall operations, restaurants can both elevate and enhance the dining experience for all. If you see me at your restaurant dining solo, don’t hesitate to offer me your most adventurous or new menu options – especially those smaller plates!

Adoniram Sides

Source https://modernrestaurantmanagement.com/table-for-one-elevating-the-solo-dining-experience/

Exploring the freshest flavor trends of autumn
Autumn flavors are many and varied, but the classics tend to feature sweet and spicy profiles, offering a warmth that turns hearty dishes into culinary delights.

While pumpkin pie spice has dominated the market for years, other fall flavors are vying to grab consumer interest, with both sweet and savory applications. Here are a few new autumn flavor trends that restauranteurs and food manufacturers should pay attention to.

Crisp Apple
Apples are a year-round staple in many households, but they’re particularly abundant during the fall harvest season. While this autumnal fixture isn’t exactly new, it seems that some in the food industry are leaning in hard on apple flavors this season.

This year’s fall menu from Starbucks has the expected pumpkin fare, but it also features several apple additions, including Iced Apple Crisp Cream Chai, Oatmilk Iced Apple Crisp Shaken Espresso, and Oatmilk Apple Crisp Macchiato. This tangy delight could be set to overtake pumpkin spice offerings, at least for a little while.

Ginger
Peppery and slightly sweet, ginger is prized for its zesty and refreshing flavor profile. With its pungent bite, you might not expect ginger to meld with other fall flavors. However, it all depends on how you use it.

Ginger is frequently found in fall treats, where it adds brightness to earthier spices like cinnamon and cloves. For example, it’s one of the ingredients in pumpkin pie spice.

You can also use ginger to elevate fall beverages and bring a zippy appeal to squash soups, salty pork, and even pasta. Consider adding ginger and spicy garlic to a Bolognese to amp up the flavor complexity.

Doubanjiang
Whether you’re just jumping on the gochujang bandwagon or you’ve been a fan of the sweet-heat Asian staple for years, it’s time to switch gears and try the latest spicy trend: doubanjiang.

Popular in Sichuan cuisine, this fermented bean sauce features a complex profile born of just a few simple ingredients, including broad beans (also called fava beans), er jing tiao chili peppers, soybeans, salt, and wheat flour.

Unlike gochujang, which is usually the base for a sweeter sauce, this dark, fermented paste has a savory, salty appeal, with mild heat and intense aromas supplied by the peppers.

Doubanjiang brings a full-on umami boost to several Sichuan preparations, including hot pot and stir-fried dishes with chicken, pork, and tofu. Chefs can easily pair it with everything from fried rice to squash stews to meatloaf.

Garlic
The beauty of garlic is that it’s so versatile. Roasted or sauteed, it brings a rich, savory appeal to meats, soups, pasta dishes, and more. It can also add complexity to sweet preparations.

Black garlic, for example, offers a mild garlic flavor with sweet and somewhat tangy notes, thanks to the fermenting process. It is frequently compared to molasses or dried dates but with an earthier undertone.

Like fresh garlic, black garlic can uplift savory preparations like pasta, pizza, or grilled meats. It also pairs beautifully with rich chocolate desserts or balsamic glazes for ice cream and fresh fruit.

Another addition to the fall lineup is spicy garlic, a pairing of garlic and spicy peppers. While spicy garlic has become a popular option for wings, it could also add a kick to rich, creamy sauces for pasta or meat dishes — think spicy garlic chicken alfredo.

Sweet and Spicy Never Go Out of Style
You don’t have to stray from the sweet and spicy expectations that accompany fall, but you do have to find ways to make classics new for consumers who are bored by seasonal standbys like pumpkin spice. Mixing novel ingredients with beloved fall recipes is a great way to get customers to dip their toes in new waters.

To learn more about Symrise and other food trend insights, contact the team today!

Source https://www.fooddive.com/spons/exploring-the-freshest-flavor-trends-for-autumn/732852/

Understanding the Lifecycle of a Seasonal Hire
With the holiday season often comes a surge in dining out: shoppers are grabbing quick bites between stores, families are reconnecting over dinner at their favorite hometown restaurants, and people are seeking professionally-prepared meals for their various holiday gatherings. Restaurants added nearly 70,000 jobs this September, a sign of hope that demand will grow despite inflation-weary consumers’ pullback on restaurant spending.

Seasonal hires can have an outsized impact on how a restaurant fares during a busy period. Whether the business has just staffed up for the holidays or experiences their busy period at a different time of the year, investing in seasonal talent is a crucial part of labor strategy year-round.

To facilitate a successful seasonal hiring process, restaurant operators must understand the full lifecycle of a seasonal hire – from recruitment to onboarding to retention – and how each stage presents an opportunity for restaurants to enhance their business and cultivate stronger teams.

Hiring and Recruitment: Making a Strong First Impression
As the competition for skilled food service employees remains fierce, restaurants should be boosting their employee engagement strategies well in advance of their busy season. According to a new survey, 61 percent of frontline retail and restaurant managers say this year’s talent isn’t as skilled and experienced as in previous years – but there could be operational barriers at play, keeping the best workers from even clicking ‘apply.’

The first step to hiring a successful crop of seasonal talent is to listen to the needs of full-time staff. Restaurant operators should have an ongoing dialogue with employees about where they need support during normal and lull periods, then proactively plan for how a busy period could impact those challenges. While some restaurants may need more employees with a certain skillset, like management, others may need to focus seasonal hiring on a specific area of the restaurant, be it the kitchen, the dining room or both.

Restaurants also need to make sure they’re hiring seasonal talent well before their busy period hits, even if those employees don’t come aboard right away. For example, a restaurant at a ski resort should start hiring for the winter peak in early September. This way, non-local employees can secure housing, managers have adequate time for training, and the business has ample runway to find the best employees for their needs.

Perhaps the most important factor in attracting strong seasonal talent is creating a positive employee experience. Paying a living wage is a baseline, but today’s hourly employees need more from a seasonal job (or any job, for that matter). Recent data shows that hourly workers’ top factors for loving their job are their coworkers and flexible schedules. Restaurants that create a culture where employees can forge meaningful connections with their teammates and enjoy a healthy work-life balance – even amid the busy season – will be more competitive in the battle for strong seasonal talent.

Opportunities and Challenges of Onboarding Seasonal Talent
Once teams are solidified for the season, the next phase is onboarding, which may be the most critical moment in the seasonal employee lifecycle. During onboarding, restaurants give employees their first real taste of the job experience, from the culture to the pace of the workflow, while also equipping them with the skills and knowledge they need to be successful. It’s a lot for employers to balance, especially on the accelerated timeline associated with seasonal hiring. But it’s a balance they have to master. Employees who have a poor onboarding experience are twice as likely to start looking for another job, and if they quit as the season nears its peak, it can have a serious impact on the business.

Successfully onboarding seasonal employees requires treating the process as more than just a list of “to-dos” to cover off on with new employees. Instead, restaurants should view onboarding as a series of opportunities, both for strengthening their current full-time workforce and giving new hires a meaningful head start.

For one, an influx of seasonal talent is a chance for restaurants to get meaningful feedback and improve their operations. Seasonal hires, no matter how long they end up staying, enrich their employers with new skills and fresh perspectives, whether they’re bringing a specialization from their previous job, or simply have great ideas about how to make operations run smoother.
However, this diversity of experience can also cause challenges. Seasonal workers may be coming from another industry or a different region, or this may be their first hourly job entirely. All of these can contribute to a learning curve in onboarding. Effective, inclusive training should be a part of the onboarding process for all employees, but especially those who are new to the restaurant work environment. Proper training ensures that seasonal employees are productive and provide customers with great service quality – all the more reason to hire early.

The introduction of seasonal hires can also provide flexibility for full-time staff. With more hands on deck to cover shifts, employees will feel more empowered to take time off, ask to swap shifts and be more assertive about their schedule preferences. A busy period may seem incompatible with increased flexibility, but that doesn’t have to be the case. If they haven’t already, restaurants should employ modern scheduling technology and better communications systems to break down barriers to flexibility.

By preparing for the challenges of onboarding new staff while prioritizing workers’ needs, restaurants can solidify a more successful labor operations strategy for the long term, leading to better business outcomes overall.

Engagement and Retention
Seasonal employees can provide a rich pool of potential full-time talent. The temporary nature of their employment gives restaurants the opportunities to test the waters; they give employees the chance to acclimate to their roles and demonstrate their best skills without committing to a permanent hiring decision. This is the time to look out for “green flags”: traits like a strong work ethic, good relationships with coworkers and customers, and a sense of loyalty to the business, even though they don’t expect to be there for very long. At the same time, it’s also an opportunity for restaurants to catch “red flags,” such as constant tardiness or an unwillingness to support teammates.

Even if strong seasonal hires can’t join the staff permanently, keeping them engaged and supported throughout their temporary employment can encourage them to come back in the next year. These returning employees lower the number of new hires employers need to interview, hire, and onboard in the next season, providing an already successful and loyal seasonal staff. They also save restaurants time and money on additional hiring and onboarding costs.

A single busy season can impact a restaurant’s success for all the seasons to come, and nowhere is this more true than in the workforce. Labor budget permitting, restaurants have a unique opportunity to convert their star seasonal hires into permanent staff – but it requires deep investments in the employee experience year-round.

Rushi Patel

Source https://modernrestaurantmanagement.com/understanding-the-lifecycle-of-a-seasonal-hire/

Food & Beverage News

Farm in Scotland Sells the Country’s Most Expensive Cup of Coffee
A “flat white” comes in at $344.

LONDON (AP) — It’s an enormous price to pay for a little cup of coffee, but the man behind the pitch promises it won’t leave a bitter taste behind because it comes with a sweetener: a share of a dairy farm.

A Scottish dairy is offering what it bills as the U.K.’s most expensive cup o’ joe: 272 British pounds ($344) for a flat white — a double shot of espresso topped with a layer of steamed milk and a fleeting work of foam art.

The costly cup is actually a perk for purchasing shares in Mossgiel Organic Dairy’s crowdfunding campaign to enlarge its sustainable operation and produce more milk. Investors who buy 34 shares in the farm get a certificate for a flat white that can be redeemed starting this weekend at one of 13 coffee shops in Scotland that use the dairy’s milk.

“This coffee costs nearly 80 times the price of an average flat white in the U.K. — but it’s much more than just a lovely drink,” said owner Bryce Cunningham. “We know it sounds crazy, but when you break it down, it’s a pretty good deal. How much is the future of farming worth?”

The price tops the eye-watering 265 pounds that Shot London, a coffee bar in the posh Mayfair and Marylebone neighborhoods, charged for a flat white made with rare beans from Okinawa, Japan. The Telegraph reported in April that it was the most expensive coffee in Britain.

Before launching the coffee promotion, Cunningham had already raised more than a third of the 300,000 pounds he is seeking from small investors as he tries to get a 900,000 pound loan that will help him double operations and expand out of Scotland and as far as coffee shops in London.

Shareholders receive other rewards, too, such farm tours, milk delivery discounts and invites to special events. But investors are also given a standard warning that they could lose some or all of the money they invest — except for the coffee.

The tenant farm in Mauchline, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of Glasgow, was worked in the 18th century by poet Robert Burns, who penned “Auld Lang Syne” and many other well-known works. Burns, who is considered the national poet of Scotland, wrote while working in the fields there for two years and his face graces each glass bottle of Mossgiel milk.

Cunningham, a former service manager for Mercedes-Benz, took over the operation in 2014 after his father and grandfather died in 2014 from terminal illnesses.

The collapse of milk prices that year and other problems forced him to sell off most of the herd and reinvent the business as an organic farm. He uses a process to “brew” the milk, instead of pasteurize it, that he said gives it the creamer taste and texture of raw milk without the health risks.

Todd Whiteford, one of the owners of The Good Coffee Cartel in Glasgow that is serving the costly cups, said they’ve been using Mossgiel’s milk for several years. Despite “outrageous offers” from competitors to switch, he said other milk producers can’t match the quality and consistency that makes for “rounder, smoother and sweeter” cappuccinos, lattes and flat whites — and better coffee art.

“Theirs is the best. I’ll argue with anyone about that,” Whiteford said.

Anyone who splashes out to buy a Mossgiel coffee, though, will be getting the same cup other Coffee Cartel customers can purchase for 3.10 pounds. But Cunningham says there will be a taste of virtue with every posh cup.

“They’ll have the self-transcendence that coffee is doing greater good than just perhaps buying it otherwise,” Cunningham said.

Source https://www.foodmanufacturing.com/consumer-trends/news/22927108/farm-in-scotland-sells-the-countrys-most-expensive-cup-of-coffee

The Weekly Sip: Pizza Hut uncorks tomato wine | Anheuser-Busch spends $14M to improve Houston brewery
In other beverage news, PKN debuted a barista version of its pecan milk for lattes and cappuccinos.

Pizza Hut uncorks tomato wine
A popular chain restaurant is making its first foray into alcohol with a tangy beverage that can be paired with a slice of pizza.

Tomato Wine by Pizza Hut, made in collaboration with Kansas winery Irvine’s Just Beyond Paradise, is made from tomatoes and infused with basil. The drink, which contains a blend of herbs and spices and notes of tomato and toasted oak, is designed to evoke a baked pizza crust. Its taste is similar to chilled white wine, the company said.

“As a brand who has pioneered many firsts in the industry, we took a beloved, classic pairing of pizza and red wine and flipped it on its head as we aim to spark intrigue and create a more memorable holiday pizza party,” Elyse Slayton, Pizza Hut’s director of advertising, said in a statement.

The wine is available for a limited time at the winery’s website.

Other brands outside of the alcohol industry have used limited-time launches to boost exposure for their products. In 2020, French’s Mustard collaborated with brewer Oskar Blues on a beer based on the popular yellow condiment. That same year, convenience store Sheetz debuted a beer that infused its glazed vanilla donut holes.

Anheuser-Busch brews efficiency with $14M investment
Beer giant Anheuser-Busch is forging ahead with its plan to restructure its manufacturing facilities.

The Budweiser and Michelob Ultra brewer announced this week a $14 million investment in its Houston Brewery to make the plant more efficient. Along with equipment upgrades, improvements will be made to warehouse roofs and wireless connectivity, as well as the installation of air rinsers on its production lines to decrease water usage.

This is the latest investment the beer giant has made in the Houston facility. Last year, it spent $22.5 million on the factory’s internal systems to improve workplace safety.

According to Anheuser-Busch, it has spent more than $2 billion in the last five years on its supply chain. Earlier this fall, it announced a $16 million expansion to its Los Angeles brewery to increase capacity for trendy ready-to-drink cocktails such as Nütrl and Cutwater.

Part of the AB InBev-owned brewer’s manufacturing strategy is closing less profitable plants. In August, the company announced plans to shutter a distribution facility in Medford, Massachusetts and move its operations in the region to a nearby wholesaler.

Pecan milk maker pioneers plant-based coffee
One brand believes its new plant-based milk alternative is the perfect match for a morning cup of coffee.

Source https://www.fooddive.com/news/the-weekly-sip-pizza-hut-uncorks-tomato-wine-anheuser-busch-spends-14m/733576/

Leftovers: Kraft Mac & Cheese rolls out bagel flavor | Kit Kat’s new seasonal shape
The offering is the first limited-time product for the pasta and cheese dish, and Hershey launches the chocolate-wafer confection designed to look like Santa.

Kraft Heinz’s famous Mac & Cheese is turning to bagels for inspiration.

The popular offering is introducing Kraft Mac & Cheese Everything Bagel flavor. The first small batch drop for the brand, with the release of fewer than 15,000 boxes, is less than two percent of the number of boxes of Original Kraft Mac & Cheese the brand sells each day. The offering will be sold only at Walmart.com, with a pre-sale beginning November 25.

Kraft Heinz said nearly half of Americans customize their macaroni and cheese by adding extra seasonings and ingredients, affectionately known as “mac hacks.”

“Our goal is to introduce new products that deliver on what our fans are craving,” Sara Roashan, associate director of innovation for Kraft Mac & Cheese, said in a statement. “Last year, we launched a contest to give fans a forum to share what flavors they would want to see from us. After receiving hundreds of requests for an Everything Bagel flavor, we’re thrilled to officially introduce it to the world.”

The limited-edition flavor was developed as part of Kraft Mac & Cheese’s new flavor-focused expansion pilot. The program taps into market and social media trends, consumer feedback and fan suggestions to bring new flavors to market in record time.

During the next year, the brand plans to release more small-batch e-commerce launches, limited-edition in-store products and permanent additions to the portfolio. Kraft Heinz is currently testing more than 60 potential new flavors.

The flurry of new product launches comes as Gen Z and other consumers look for new and unexpected flavors from their favorite food brands, according to data supplied by Kraft Heinz. It also coincides with growth in flavored mac & cheese that has outpaced total mac & cheese category growth by 7x over the last few years, IRI noted.

Kraft Heinz has been aggressively innovating several of its iconic brands, including A.1. Steak sauce, Lunchables, Philadelphia cream cheese and Crystal Light, to boost sales and keep its products competitive with fickle consumers. It has set a goal of generating $2 billion in incremental net sales by 2027.
Kit Kat gives Santa a break

The rectangular Kit Kat is taking on a more seasonal image this holiday.

Hershey is launching the first-ever seasonal shape for the popular confection with Kit Kat Santas. The limited-time offering is adorned with imprinted boots, a jolly smile and an even crispier wafer-to-chocolate ratio than a traditional Kit Kat bar, the confections giant said in a statement.

The Kit Kat Santas are available at nationwide retailers in 8.85-ounce snack-size bags. The company also is partnering with Simon Property tGroup to give people visiting Santa in three malls — one in New York, Illinois and California — a free Kit Kat for being on the “Nice List.”

“Our first-ever shape, KIT KAT Santas, builds on the KIT KAT brand’s product portfolio to offer a new way to bring fun to consumers,” Scott Sorensen, Kit Kat’s associate manager, said in a statement. “This seasonal twist on our traditional KIT KAT bar is sure to become a newfound annual ritual, giving fans a taste of more of what’s to come from the brand.”

While Kit Kat has introduced different flavor variations of the chocolate wafer bar, the new shape is a notable change. More unique Kit Kat shapes will likely be released by Hershey to coincide with other major holidays and occasions.

Hershey has used a similar strategy with its multi-billion dollar Reese’s brand. The chocolate-covered peanut butter cup introduced its first unique shape with Reese’s Egg in 1966. Since then, it has introduced everything from trees and hearts to pumpkins, ghosts and even ugly sweaters.

Source https://www.fooddive.com/news/leftovers-kraft-mac-cheese-bagel-flavor-kit-kats-santa-shape/733393/

HVAC & Plumbing

Elections 2024: What Will it Mean for the Trades?
Republicans win the White House and Congress—what is the tenor moving forward from the building trades industry?

As Donald Trump assembles his cabinet for confirmation and readies for his second term in office, contractors will try to gauge the president elect’s potential policies as they relate to increased tariffs, tax reform, regulatory rewiring, the skilled trades, and American investment, to name a few.

During the first Trump Administration, we saw significant efforts to reduce regulations alongside strong support for US manufacturers and their export initiatives. “A second President Trump term presents an opportunity to build on this by investing in critical infrastructure, fostering domestic job growth, and boosting U.S. exports from domestic plumbing manufacturers. However, the industry continues to require meaningful regulatory reform,” says Dain Hansen, Executive Vice President, Government Relations, The IAPMO Group.

The plumbing sector, for example, is a $92 billion sector of the economy and the work that contractors do supports every community and family in America, stresses Hansen. “I anticipate that the Trump Administration would focus on preserving local jurisdictions’ flexibility to adopt standards that meet their unique needs. There will also be an opportunity to get the various federal departments and agencies on the same page by adopting voluntary consensus standards that will save taxpayers money, expand incentives and opportunities, and promote long-term resiliency.”

According to Plumbing Manufacturers International (PMI), CEO and Executive Director, Kerry Stackpole, its members appreciate the desire to moderate regulations but also prefer stability. “We have made great strides relating to environmental responsibility, sustainability, and water efficiency. Our members are proactively planning for likely changes in the economy and working through the potential impact of tariffs and new circumstances in international trade. We hope the new administration will seek stability, lower interest rates, and work to minimize uncertainty in all markets,” says Stackpole.

But Stackpole is realistic in his approach. “We do expect a greater focus on deregulation. PMI members have clearly illuminated the importance of water conservation and consumer preference for WaterSense products, for example. Water shortages and having access to safe, clean water is a bipartisan issue. States such as California will continue to favor more water efficiency rather than less and this state continues to have a major influence over the rest of the nation. As we do every day, PMI will work to find reasonable middle ground for plumbing manufacturers within this dynamic.”

Hansen concurs saying that as this Administration seeks to cut government spending overall, “We will continue to advocate for programs that are industry supported, protect public health, and that help deliver clean water and sanitation.”

Mike Bellaman, President and CEO, Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), has said that ABC is optimistic about the future of America’s construction industry and the opportunities to advance policies that protect free enterprise, reduce regulatory burdens and expand workforce development. With leaders and lawmakers committed to promoting economic growth and supporting the principles of fair and open competition, there is confidence that the construction industry will thrive and all workers will be given the opportunity to build America with fewer obstacles.

In addition, “We expect to see federal agencies offering a more cooperative approach with communities to educate contractors,” says Ben Brubeck, ABC’s Vice President of Regulatory Labor and State Affairs. Brubeck also says that there is a sense of relief in terms of tackling big-ticket items such as inflation, attention to the skilled trades and the loosening of the regulatory grip of the Biden administration. “This is good for advocacy work,” says Brubeck.

Seeing Red
Did I mention an all-red Congress? “A Republican Congress and administration will bode well on energy policy as PHCC members confront bans and restrictions on natural gas connections and appliances across the country,” says Mark Valentini, Vice President of Legislative Affairs, PHCC-National Association. “This will also bode well for tax policy as certain provisions in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 are set to expire which have been beneficial for many contractors, especially when considering Congress revisiting the corporate tax rate and potentially lowering it to 15% down from 21%.”

Valentini’s cohort, Charles White, VP Regulatory Affairs, PHCC-National Association, says that we can expect to see legislation on tax reform and energy in the new Congress. “Tight margins particularly in the House will require all Republicans to be on board to pass anything,” says White. “It is possible that the new administration will review regulations that are currently in litigation, like the residential gas furnace rule, and perhaps decide to pull back those rules for revisions. This could also affect decisions on whether to appeal adverse court rulings such as the recent ruling against the US Department of Labor’s Overtime Rule.”

Tariffs and the Industry
There is a back-and-forth debate brewing whether instituting tariffs is beneficial to the American economy and the American worker. IAPMO’s Hansen says that economists have different views on the topic of tariffs, but the plumbing industry is well-positioned to support continued domestic production of what our country needs—and increase US exports to other countries.

“Any policy that strengthens our manufacturing muscle is good for the economy and increases job opportunities in the trades. Programs such as the Market Development Cooperator Program and Standards Alliance at USAID, along with the Department of Commerce’s Foreign Commercial Service, provide vital support to US exporters. We hope the administration will continue backing these programs to ensure US products remain competitive overseas. We continue to monitor the impact tariffs are having on our global industry as manufacturers move locations to avoid these costs,” says Hansen.

While IAPMO is cautiously optimistic and vigilant, PMI shares concern. “During his campaign, President Trump spoke about his desire to increase tariffs—as high as 60% on Chinese goods, 10% to 20% across the board on all foreign goods, including Europe, and 25% on imports from Mexico, unless they curb the number of immigrants coming across the border. If he’s successful, these tariffs will have an inflationary impact, increasing the costs of production and in turn the costs of products in the marketplace. That’s certainly one of the biggest concerns plumbing manufacturers have right now.

“Our stance on this issue all along is that tariffs are harmful to the economy because they increase costs for manufacturers and have an inflationary impact on customers wishing to purchase plumbing products. These increased costs lead manufacturers to provide fewer jobs and they have less money for compensation as well. From an economic standpoint, we see no benefits from tariffs. PMI has always been an advocate for free and fair trade among nations,” says Stackpole.

ABC’s Brubeck says that tariffs are a negotiating tool to renegotiate policies with other countries. “While having a hard time getting materials from overseas, resolving the domestic supply chain is a good thing,” says Brubeck.

Commitment to the Trades?
While President Trump’s first term had support from the trade’s rank and file, the Industry Recognized Apprenticeship Rule, for example, received more negative public comments than perhaps any other rule, suggests White. Those negative comments came overwhelmingly from those same rank and file workers. “Polling data throughout the election shows that the President-elect enjoyed substantial support from skilled blue-collar workers, but his future actions must support their jobs in the workforce,” says White.

Bellaman says that ABC looks forward to working with the Trump administration and Congress to advance policies that solve the issues that the construction industry faces, including the skilled labor shortage of more than half a million, widespread regulatory burdens and inflation and tax challenges. “We welcome the opportunity to work with a president who is willing to welcome all of the US construction industry to rebuild America.”

Source https://www.contractormag.com/around-the-web/article/55245542/elections-2024-what-will-it-mean-for-the-trades

EPA Targets Refrigerant Leaks, Cylinder Disposal, and More
New regulations focus on how to better manage, recycle, and reuse HFCs

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently issued a final rule to create a new program aimed at improving the management, recycling, and reuse of HFCs under the AIM Act. This initiative, known as the Emissions Reduction and Reclamation (ER&R) program, will implement regulations governing nearly all aspects of the installation, service, repair, and disposal of equipment that contains certain HFC refrigerants and their substitutes.

The ER&R program includes, among other things, requirements for repairing leaks on certain appliances; the installation and use of automatic leak detection (ALD) systems on large refrigeration systems; a standard for reclaimed HFC refrigerants; using reclaimed HFCs to service certain existing equipment; and removal of HFCs from disposable cylinders prior to discarding them. EPA is also finalizing alternative recycling criteria for ignitable used refrigerants, including some HFCs and their substitutes.

At nearly 700 pages, this new regulation covers a lot of ground, and there are many questions regarding its implementation. At a recent webinar hosted by EPA’s GreenChill program, Christian Wisniewski, environmental protection specialist at EPA’s Stratospheric Protection Division, provided an overview of the ER&R program and explored some of the key details in the rule.

Leak Repair
Regarding the leak repair requirements, the compliance date begins January 1, 2026, and applies to refrigerant-containing appliances that contain at least 15 pounds of refrigerant, where the refrigerant used is either an HFC or an HFC substitute with a GWP greater than 53. In general, many of the provisions are similar to those under the EPA Section 608 regulations and include provisions related to recordkeeping, reporting, and some similar timelines, said Wisniewski.

“The leak repair provisions are required when an appliance that meets these criteria is leaking above the applicable leak rate, which for commercial refrigeration is 20% [30% for industrial process refrigeration and 10% for comfort cooling and other appliances],” he said. “We also want to note that the finalized provisions would not apply to those appliances used in residential and light commercial air conditioning.”

To that end, EPA is currently finalizing a narrow exemption from the leak repair provisions in this final rule for refrigerant-containing appliances within the residential and light commercial air conditioning and heat pump subsector. According to Wisniewski, the EPA understands that there may be overlap with some residential-like applications and those appliances used in light commercial applications but that, in general, the “term is categorized by the particular appliance, and it’s typically those used to cool individual rooms, single-family homes, or small commercial buildings.”

However, this is causing some confusion, as the EPA has chosen not to define residential and light commercial air conditioning and heat pumps in regulatory terms. Instead, the Agency is using the terminology established by the Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program to indicate the types of refrigerant-containing appliances that would be categorized within this subsector. This may include PTACs, VRF systems, unitary air conditioning, and certain rooftop units commonly found in residences, as well as small retail and office buildings, which typically have a charge size of less than 15 pounds.

Several attendees at the webinar expressed concern about this lack of a definition, with one noting that it will be difficult for end users to determine whether their equipment is commercial or light commercial. The attendee added, “Technically, light commercial equipment goes all the way up to 25 tons and can hold 50 pounds [of refrigerant]. There is difficulty in companies understanding which applies to them. Most of them would be predisposed to choosing light commercial, so that they wouldn’t be obliged [to follow the leak repair requirement].”

Another attendee added, “In the SNAP program, there is no category called commercial — they only have light commercial air conditioning, and according to them, even supermarket rack systems are considered light commercial, and they can have 600 pounds of refrigerant in them. In a large supermarket company under Section 608, maybe 20,000 appliances are being regulated. If you include light commercial, the number of appliances can go up to 120,000 that are regulated, and if you don’t include light commercial, it might be 40,000. So this is a really, really big deal for industry, and nobody knows what in the world to do with this. Even within the different parts of the EPA, it seems very contradictory.”

With the compliance date just around the corner, the attendee added that EPA is not leaving the industry a lot of time to comply.

“We basically needed to start six months ago to get that done,” she said. “There aren’t enough service technicians in the country to capture all of that data in a year. I don’t see anyone being able to comply with this on January 1, 2026, if we don’t have an answer to these questions as fast as possible. I’m speaking with a great sense of urgency, but I cannot tell you how much confusion is out there based on this and how limiting the lack of clarity is to the entire industry.”

Leak Detection
The final rule also mandates the installation and use of ALD systems in certain new and existing commercial refrigeration or industrial process refrigeration appliances. Starting January 1, 2026, these appliances that contain 1,500 pounds or more of a refrigerant that includes an HFC, or a substitute for an HFC with a GWP above 53, will need to use an ALD system.

For new systems, the ALD system must be installed either at the time of the appliance installation or within 30 days afterward. For existing appliances, ALD systems are only required for those appliances that were installed on or after January 1, 2017, and before January 1st, 2026. Existing appliances would have until January 1, 2027, to install and use an ALD system.

“There are no requirements for ALDs for comfort cooling appliances, unless an appliance that’s doing comfort cooling is serving a dual function with commercial refrigeration or industrial process refrigeration and meets those criteria above as well,” said Wisniewski. “Under the rule, a direct or indirect ALD system may be used to detect leaks, and there are recordkeeping requirements related to things like installation and annual calibration and a few other items as well.”

Reclamation
Reclaimed refrigerant is also addressed in the ER&R program. Starting January 1, 2026, the rule prohibits the sale of refrigerants recovered from stationary equipment to a new owner unless the refrigerant is reclaimed first or sold specifically for reclamation or destruction. The rule also sets a standard limiting reclaimed HFC refrigerants to a maximum of 15% virgin HFCs by weight, applying only to the HFC portion of any blend. Additionally, containers of reclaimed HFCs must be labeled to certify they contain no more than 15% virgin HFCs, and reclaimers must keep records of this at the batch level.

Starting January 1, 2029, the rule also requires reclaimed HFCs to be used when servicing and repairing refrigerant-containing equipment in the supermarket system, refrigerated transport, and automatic commercial ice maker subsectors. Even if a company has virgin HFCs in its inventory, it will not be permitted to use them in existing equipment within these subsectors after 2029. Wisniewski added that the HFCs could be used for servicing equipment outside of these subsectors, however.

“The rule also establishes certain limited reporting requirements for reclaimed HFCs, where the reporting would be required by reclaimers and refrigerant distributors or wholesalers that sell reclaimed HFCs for servicing equipment in these subsectors.”

Disposable Cylinders
EPA has long sought to ban non-refillable refrigerant cylinders, but after losing that argument in court, the Agency is now focusing on regulating the residual refrigerant left in these non-refillable cylinders, commonly referred to as the heel. Therefore, starting January 1, 2028, disposable cylinders that have been used in the servicing of either refrigerant container equipment or fire suppression equipment must be sent to a reclaimer, fire suppressant recycler, final processor, or refrigerant supplier for removal of the heel before the cylinder is discarded, said Wisniewski.

“Once that heel is removed, it must be sent to a reclaimer or a fire suppressant recycler,” he said. “An alternate compliance method is also available to allow certified technicians to remove the heel and evacuate the disposable cylinders to a specified level of vacuum. In this case, the disposable cylinder may be then discarded to a final processor, so long as a certified technician provides a certification statement that the heel was removed and the cylinder was properly evacuated. The final processor must retain the certification statement as a record.”

For more information about the HFC phasedown, visit EPA’s website: www.epa.gov/climate-hfcs-reduction.

Source https://www.achrnews.com/articles/163749-epa-targets-refrigerant-leaks-cylinder-disposal-and-more

Developing the safety mindset: Why it matters
5 steps to achieve a culture around safety.

The single most important goal of every employer is to ensure that all workers return home to their loved ones, every day, in as good or better condition than when they went to work. It’s a simple thought; something we’ve heard in a variety of ways and on many occasions, but it’s also a universal truth.

It’s universal because of the silent stakeholders; every parent, grandparent, and child of our workers. For them, it’s not an ask or a want to have their loved ones come home healthy, it’s a demand; and something all organizations are well-served to appreciate. For safety leaders, the challenge is fulfilling this promise effectively.

So what are the key elements of a safety system that can deliver on that promise? What actions and behaviors must be cultivated in the workforce to sustain safety excellence over time? What culture will foster the safety mindset we’re looking for in our team? From the c-suites of big corporations to the field offices at the construction site, the answers will carry consequences for better or for worse. The solutions chosen will have a direct impact on injury rates and incident severity.

The two essentials of a high performing safety systems are buy-in at all levels of the business and tangible, vocal leadership throughout the chain of command. They are critical elements but, on their own, insufficient for moving the needle on safety performance permanently. We also need guiding principles; foundational beliefs that define our values and guide our efforts. This article will highlight five safety principles I consider indispensable.

From the c-suites of big corporations to the field offices at the construction site, the answers will carry consequences for better or for worse. The solutions chosen will have a direct impact on injury rates and incident severity.

Elevating the safety mindset of a workforce is strongly correlated to reducing incident rate. It’s the high tide that raises all boats. Mindset affects decision making, education practices, accountability, and awareness. Meaningful adoption of these principles is your fastest path to success in that regard.

Make safety the first filter in your decision making. It should be the first consideration, before service, sales, or anything else. Parents do this for their children instinctively, the best safety leaders do it for the workforce as well.
Strive for excellence in safety onboarding. This is the founding stone of any great safety culture. For companies with a TCIR of 1.0, it’s a strategic element of the business. Getting a new hire on the right path from the start is strong indicator of future safety performance.
Add value to safety communication through unexpected engagements. Unexpected touchpoints with unexpected frequency that are sustained over time have a powerful impact on safety culture and safety behavior of the workforce. Safety is not a separate system supporting operations, it must be treated as an integral component of it.
Set high standards and hold to them. Leading by example, insisting on high quality inspections, and showing urgency in incident response are important characteristics of this principle. The goal is to promote a “when you see something, say something” behavior in the workforce to improve safety in real time.
Inspire and empower your workforce. Developing great mentors will improve the quality of onboarding and continuing education activities. Delegating safety responsibilities empowers others on the team to think critically about safety. Praising great safety behavior will increase the chances of it being repeated. These are good examples of culture building activities and great reasons for giving safety a significant weight in performance reviews.
Source https://www.supplyht.com/articles/106233-developing-the-safety-mindset-why-it-matters

Controls Engineering & IoT

Ag Tech Company Says its Indoor Farm Is Powered by a Small Nuclear Reactor
The facility is the first vertical farm of its kind in the world.

Indoor aeroponic pioneer AEssense LLC has announced the deployment and launch of cultivation operations of the world’s first vertical farm powered by a small modular reactor in Northwestern China.

“For the first time, by integrating AEssense’s broad spectrum aeroponic vertical farming platform with reliable, low-cost, clean energy from the SMR in Gansu, we have a viable and profitable food security solution that does not increase the world’s carbon footprint,” said AEssense President and CEO Robert Chen. “Broad spectrum vertical farms powered by SMRs can be deployed where they are needed. We have high expectations that this first deployment is a game changer in the fight to end global hunger.”

AEssense provided its single-layered AEtrium-4 and four-layer AEtrium-2.1 SmartFarm automated aeroponic grow systems to outfit this facility. Aeroponics delivers speedy growth with zero soil requirements and very low water usage. Upon commissioning, a wide variety of leafy greens were immediately started, including lettuce, ice plant, water spinach, amaranth and stevia.

AEssense’s broad spectrum platform can also be used to cultivate a wide variety of other crops, including fruiting plants and root vegetables to meet consumer demand.

The AEssenseGrows AEtrium System delivers sensor-driven automation to execute the inherent benefits of aeroponics. The company’s Guardian Grow Manager central management software monitors grow conditions 24/7 and, if needed, automatically adjusts key variables such as nutrients, irrigation, pH, temperature, or lighting to maintain optimal conditions year-round.

Source https://www.foodmanufacturing.com/facility/news/22926699/ag-tech-company-says-its-indoor-farm-is-powered-by-a-small-nuclear-reactor

Pizza-making robot tops the tech on Consumer Electronics Show menu by Centerplate at Las Vegas Convention Center
CES attendees fuel up with upgraded menu items, nitro coffee, a robot that can make 300 pizzas per hour and more at world’s biggest tech show.

The Consumer Electronics Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center last week is the world’s largest technology gathering, and Centerplate has revved up its culinary offerings to match the intensity, from pizza-making robots to succulent chicken sandwiches and more, the menu items found here are up-to-the-minute. The dining experience is overseen by Centerplate’s Chef Kristine Raymer, who aimed to create a guest-centric, user-friendly and locally authentic experience at the tech show.

As attendees check out topics ranging from virtual reality to the Internet of Things (IoT) to smart cities, artificial intelligence, digital health, gaming and more, the various food concepts developed by Raymer and her team feed their culinary cravings. Check out a few of the upgraded menu items and don’t miss the robo-pizza maker, the latest frontier of the well-loved portable slice.

Contact Tara at Tara.Fitzpatrick@informa.com

Follow her on Twitter @Tara_Fitzie

Source https://www.foodservicedirector.com/top-50-contract-companies/pizza-making-robot-tops-the-tech-on-consumer-electronics-show-menu-by-centerplate-at-las-vegas-convention-center

The Power Of A Connected Equipment Strategy
A connected equipment strategy that uses Internet of Things (IoT) technology can help facility managers minimize business interruptions and reduce waste during winter storms.

he challenging hurricane season is ending soon, but many facility managers have another potential nightmare on their hands—winter’s crippling storms, ultra-low temperatures, and power outages. Multiple states may experience warmer than average winter days this year, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). However, facility managers still need to prepare for that one cold snap that bursts pipes, or that one blizzard that shuts down all the power. That’s especially important for facilities that operate 24/7, such as restaurants, convenience stores, and school or college cafeterias that need to serve students except in the most dire circumstances.

Even if they can’t control Mother Nature’s impact, facility managers who are responsible for dozens or hundreds of locations are using technology like IoT (Internet of Things) to minimize resulting business interruptions. Connecting their equipment — such as HVAC, lighting, freezers, refrigerators, ovens, and dish machines — can help them stay operational and safe while reducing waste. The data from this connected equipment gives facility managers new insights and keeps them in control. They can preempt risks and stay up and running, even when the radio blasts, “Let it Snow.”

Connected Equipment Strategy
IoT platforms that integrate weather-monitoring software can prevent burst pipes by automatically turning up the heat in affected locations to keep pipes warm and intact. (Credit: Adobe Stock / Generated with AI by Jane Studio)

Preparing For The Deep Freeze
Consider a Midwest chain of convenience stores that are about to encounter below-zero temperatures and want to prevent burst pipes. New IoT platforms that integrate weather-monitoring software are preempting these disasters, which can result in seven-figure losses. Not only do they alert facility managers in real time; they automatically turn up the heat in affected locations to keep pipes warm and intact.

Safe Food. Healthy Students
Or, consider a public school cafeteria that families depend on to serve their children warm and nutritious meals. The school is responsible for ensuring that the food is safe, but it’s easy for conditions causing spoilage to go undetected. A winter storm could hit on a Friday night and knock out power until Sunday morning, ruining some refrigerated perishables without anyone’s knowledge. But when facility managers connect their walk-in coolers or reach-in units using IoT, the game changes: They receive alerts about outages in time to restock for Monday morning and prevent food-borne illnesses.

Maximizing The Customer Experience; Increasing High-Margin Sales
Those are just two examples of the many ways that a connected equipment strategy can help facilities perform at their best without downtime. Others include:

Maximizing customer service in all conditions: Picture travelers pulling off the highway during a storm for a French fry break at their favorite 24/7 fast-food chain. They walk in only to discover that the fryers are completely out of service, and drive to the competitor at the next exit. IoT platforms are designed to detect subtle signs of fryers’ declining performance in time for preventative maintenance. This has an additional benefit: a reactive overhaul can cost three times as much as proactive servicing. Moreover, routine maintenance keeps machines out of landfills and improves brands’ sustainability.

Increasing high-margin item sales: Coffee is a high-margin item for 24/7 convenience stores, and on a stormy day it can be the one item shoppers really crave. Connected coffee makers are providing stores with the data and analytics to perk up every coffee aficionado. By staying on top of the right stocking level for beans, and shoppers’ preferred flavors by time of day, stores can be ready to please no matter what the weather holds.

Automating routine tasks: Employees can inadvertently forget about routine tasks like food temperature checks and HACCP (hazard analysis critical control point) logs when facilities are short-staffed. Automating them using IoT can be especially helpful when bad weather forces some team members to stay home.

Reducing electricity usage and costs: Even in the winter, southern states can experience a sudden heat wave that has everyone cranking up the air conditioning. Artificial intelligence-enabled solutions that integrate with IoT platforms help facilities to avoid this reflex, which can contribute to massive outages. They optimize air conditioning use during times of peak business demand, when utilities charge much more, and reduce stress on the grid at the same time.

Despite Mother Nature’s power and fury, IoT enables facilities to continue operations — safely and profitably — while providing customers and diners with an oasis from the outside. Even in a deep freeze, their revenues and service can continue to heat up.

Drew Holst is Vice President of Sales & Marketing with Powerhouse Dynamics

Source https://facilityexecutive.com/the-power-of-a-connected-equipment-strategy/

Jan/San & Disposables

ISSA Show North America Elevates Global Cleaning, Facility Solutions and Public Health Standards at Annual Showcase
ISSA Show North America, the most comprehensive global event dedicated to cleaning and facility solutions, gathered more than 600 exhibiting brands to connect with distributors, building service contractors, facility service professionals and residential cleaning firms at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, November 17-21.

ISSA Show North America, hosted alongside the Building Service Contractors Association International’s (BSCAI) Contracting Success conference, convened more than 12,000 registered industry professionals from 75 countries to discover products, technology, services and materials enhancing the standards of clean. Leading suppliers exhibiting on the expansive trade show floor included Clorox Pro, Georgia-Pacific Professional (GP PRO), Hoover & Oreck Commercial, Kimberly-Clark Professional, Nilfisk, Procter & Gamble Professional (P&G PRO), Rubbermaid Commercial Products, Reckitt Benckiser Professional, Spartan Chemical Company, Inc. and SC Johnson Professional, in addition to 137 first-time exhibitors.

“ISSA Show North America is the cleaning industry’s most important event, gathering the entire industry and fostering innovation and collaboration through organic networking in the expo, curated meeting spaces and access to thought leaders. These connections go beyond the show floor, and into our homes, businesses, schools and establishments worldwide, ensuring cleaner, safer environments for all,” remarks Ed Nichols, Show Director of ISSA Show North America. “Alongside the unparalleled access to these trusted brands and products, we celebrate innovation, the industry’s emerging leaders, global contributors, game-changers and all those working to redefine how the world cleans and prioritizes safety.”

In addition to its robust show floor, ISSA Show North America delivered 165 hours of conference programming across four days, including essential training, management courses and global trend presentations. Education topics included employee engagement strategies, artificial intelligence, robotics and automation, building customer trust, leveraging partnerships and much more. Specialized areas on the expo floor brought to life top-of-mind industry discourse through the Sustainability & Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Hub, Business Solutions Theater and the CleanMeet Zone, hosting panel discussions, networking meetups, educational presentations and roundtable discussions.

“This event is a true representation of the global reach of the cleaning and facility solutions industry, bringing together thousands of professionals from numerous countries, spanning every sector of the cleaning and hygiene industry,” shares John Barrett, Executive Director of ISSA. “It is a testament to ISSA’s worldwide position and underscores our commitment to uniting annually under one roof as we celebrate progress and collectively create plans for future success.”

Innovation is a key component to drive purposeful change in the commercial and residential cleaning industry, which is estimated to employ 3 million frontline workers in the United States. To showcase the latest industry innovations, the ISSA Show Innovative Leaders Award Program and Innovation Showcase featured 33 new and groundbreaking technologies and products, including operational software, cleaning agents, compostables and air cleaners. Award categories included automation and equipment, business technology and digital services, facility solutions care, hygiene solutions and environmental and sustainability innovation. Winners were determined by a panel of judges that included professionals and thought leaders from across the cleaning and facility solutions industry.

Announced on the show floor, the ISSA Show Innovative Leaders Industry Choice Award was presented to Otuvy for its Otuvy operational software for commercial cleaning. Onsite attendees voted for the winner, considering factors like impact, practicality, sustainability, originality and competitive advantage.

Additionally, the annual IEHA Housekeeping Olympics, hosted Monday at Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay, drew a spirited crowd cheering on teams competing in challenges showcasing their skills and teamwork. Among the contenders were eight teams from MGM Resorts properties, including Excalibur, Luxor, Mandalay Bay, Bellagio, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, ARIA, Park MGM and MGM Grand. Ultimately, Resorts World Las Vegas emerged as the overall champion, claiming victory and earning accolades for their performance.

ISSA Show North America returns to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, November 10-13, 2025. To stay up to date with announcements and show news, visit www.issashow.com.

About ISSA Show North America

In partnership with ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association, ISSA Show North America offers an unmatched conference program featuring over 100 education sessions, workshops, panels, training and certification courses over four days. The event and the association are committed to changing the way the world views cleaning by providing its members with the business tools they need to promote cleaning as an investment in human health, the environment, and an improved bottom line.

For more information about ISSA Show North America, visit www.issashow.com.  Follow ISSA Show North America on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.

About ISSA

With more than 10,500 members-including distributors, manufacturers, manufacturer representatives, wholesalers, building service contractors, in-house service providers, residential cleaners, and associate service members-ISSA is the world’s leading trade association for the cleaning and facility solutions industry. The association is committed to changing the way the world views cleaning by providing its members with the business tools they need to promote cleaning as an investment in human health, the environment, and an improved bottom line. Headquartered in Rosemont, Ill., USA, the association has regional offices in Milan, Italy; Toronto, Canada; Sydney, Australia; Seoul, South Korea; and Shanghai, China. For more information about ISSA, visit www.issa.com or call 800-225-4772 (North America) or 847-982-0800. Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube.

About Informa Markets

Informa Markets, a subsidiary of Informa plc (LON:INF), creates platforms for industries and specialist markets to trade, innovate and grow. Our portfolio comprises more than 550 international B2B events and brands in markets including Engineering, Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals, Infrastructure, Construction & Real Estate, Fashion & Apparel, Hospitality, Food & Beverage, and Health & Nutrition, among others. We provide customers and partners around the globe with opportunities to engage, experience and do business through face-to-face exhibitions, specialist digital content and actionable data solutions. As the world’s leading exhibitions organizer, we bring a diverse range of specialist markets to life, unlocking opportunities and helping them to thrive 365 days of the year. For more information, visit www.informamarkets.com.

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Source https://www.issa.com/industry-news/issa-show-north-america-elevates-global-cleaning-facility-solutions-and-public-health-standards-at-annual-showcase/

How Much Paper Was Recycled in 2023?
Understanding the Paper and Cardboard Recycling Rates

Paper is one of the most highly recycled materials in the U.S. Paper recycling rates have continuously grown over recent decades and remain consistently high.

In 2023, 46 million tons of paper was recycled. The paper recycling rate was 65-69% and the cardboard recycling rate was 71-76%.

Our rates include paper and packaging recovered for recycling from different streams including:

Residential: Curbside, apartment building communal or drop-off recycling.
Industrial: Manufacturing, factories, gas and electric plants, etc.
Commercial: Grocery stores, big box stores, office buildings, etc.
Institutional: Hospitals, schools, etc.

Did You Know
About 80% of U.S. paper mills use some recycled paper to make new products.

How is AF&PA’s New Rate Calculated?

AF&PA updated our recycling rate methodology.

The new rate is calculated as the amount of paper recycled compared to the amount of paper available for recovery. Aspects of the calculations are based on estimates, which makes the rates best expressed as a range.

The previous rate measured the amount of paper recycled compared to the amount of paper used.

Our updated recycling rate methodology will help address data gaps by using:

Industry data
Knowledge and subject matter expertise
Detailed U.S. trade data.
Explore our recycling rate methodology
How is the Paper Industry Helping to Improve Recycling?

Investing in and improving paper recycling has been an industry priority for decades. The paper industry is working to capture even more paper from the waste stream for recycling.

Our efforts include:

Voluntary goal setting
Increasing the use of recycled paper
An ownership stake in the recycling system
Investing in recycling education
Developing resources
Conducting research

How Can I Make Sure My Paper and Cardboard Gets Recycled?

The recycling process, especially at home, starts with you. Here’s what you can do to help make sure your paper products end up at one of our mills:

Check your local guidelines for what’s accepted. This helps avoid contamination.
Keep paper products dry and clean.
Empty and flatten cardboard boxes to save space.
If something isn’t currently accepted in your area like pizza boxes or paper cups, ask your local government why not. Send them our guidance.
Paper mills want your paper products back. We want to recycle paper products. We need to, actually. It’s a key part of our manufacturing process. Let’s work together to keep paper recycling a success story!

Source https://www.afandpa.org/news/2024/how-much-paper-was-recycled-2023

First U.S. Child Tests Positive for Bird Flu 
So far this year, 55 human cases of H5 bird flu have been reported in the U.S., with 29 in California where the child lives.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed a child infected with bird flu in Alameda County, California. This is the first reported bird flu virus infection in a child in the United States and follows a reported case in a teen in Canada.

Consistent with previously identified U.S. human cases, the child reportedly experienced mild symptoms, received flu antivirals, and is recovering at home. Meanwhile, CNN reported the Canadian teen has been hospitalized in critical condition with the virus since early November. It is unknown how the Canadian teen and the California youth caught the bird flu virus, and investigation into the cases is ongoing by health officials.

For the U.S. child, initial testing showed low levels of bird flu viral material detected, and follow-up testing of the child several days later was negative for bird flu but was positive for other common respiratory viruses.

During the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) department investigation, all household members reported having symptoms and specimens were collected from them. All test results from members of the household were negative for bird flu. Contact tracing continues, but currently no evidence exists of person-to-person spread of bird flu from this child to others. To date, no person-to-person spread has been identified associated with any of the bird flu cases reported in the U.S.

This case was detected through influenza testing and reported to CDPH through influenza surveillance. This is the second U.S. case identified through national surveillance. CDC continues to monitor available data from influenza surveillance systems, particularly in states affected by outbreaks in animals, including California, where widespread outbreaks of bird flu have been detected in wild birds and domestic poultry since 2022 and dairy herds since August 2024 in that state.

Limited and sporadic human infections with bird flu virus, when animal exposure was not identified, are very uncommon but have occurred, primarily in countries other than the U.S., the CDC said. These instances underscore the importance of ongoing surveillance and investigations at the local, state, and federal levels.

Including this most recent case, as of Nov. 22, 55 human cases of H5 bird flu have now been reported in the U.S. this year, with 29 in California.

CDC’s risk assessment for the public is low. However, people with exposure to infected or potentially infected animals, such as birds, dairy cattle, or other animals (including livestock), or to environments contaminated by infected birds or other animals, are at higher risk of infection. CDC recommends avoiding unprotected exposures to sick or dead animals, including wild birds, poultry, other domesticated birds, and other wild or domesticated animals (including cows).

Additionally, on Monday the CDPH warned consumers not to drink one batch of cream top, whole raw milk from Raw Farm, LLC of Fresno County due to a detection of bird flu virus. A recall has been issued.

No illnesses associated with this lot of raw milk have been reported. Out of an abundance of caution, and due to the ongoing spread of bird flu in dairy cows, poultry, and sporadic human cases, CDPH said consumers should not consume any of the affected raw milk. Customers should immediately return any remaining product to the retail point of purchase. CDPH is also notifying retailers to remove the affected raw milk from their shelves.

Public health experts have long warned consumers against consuming raw milk or raw milk products due to elevated risks of foodborne illness. Outbreaks due to Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, toxin-producing E. coli, Brucella, Campylobacter, and many other bacteria have all been reported related to consuming raw dairy products.

Source https://cmmonline.com/news/first-u-s-child-tests-positive-for-bird-flu

Industry Spotlight

How to Deliver Customer Experience in QSR’s Digital Age
The COO of Marco’s Pizza on what it takes to meet guests where they want to be.

If your brand operates in the QSR industry, it is safe to say you’ve seen the way that we connect with our customers has dramatically changed. The in-store guest experience, once the most important touchpoint of customer satisfaction, is no longer the sole driver of success. Today, with a growing reliance on digital platforms and off-premises dining, operators must pivot to ensure the guest experience remains exceptional, as consumer behaviors continue to evolve and change like the mainstream adoption of third-party delivery apps.

The pizza industry is no stranger to this concept, as a majority of our orders historically have been through delivery. Now, as the rest of the industry begins to focus on this new age customer service, Marco’s Pizza remains steadfast on the following principals to continue delivering quality customer service in an ever-changing consumer landscape.

Empower Teams Through Training and Support

Behind every exceptional customer experience is a well-trained and empowered front-of-house and back-of-house team. It goes without saying, that to be in the quick service industry, you need to maintain speed, but accuracy is also paramount to meet customer expectations. This is why situational training programs are vital to the business and help to grow remarkable teams through remarkable experiences.

Training programs should focus not only on the technical skills required to prepare and package meals, but also on the importance of maintaining quality, consistency while ensuring teams are empowered to take care of the customer. Additionally, providing team members with the tools and technology they need to succeed—whether it’s advanced kitchen equipment or real-time data on order performance—can significantly improve efficiency and job satisfaction.

Through the years, we have developed and implemented a standardized training model that integrates our belief that a motivated and well-supported team is an efficient one. By providing our teams with ongoing training and the latest technology, we ensure that they are equipped and empowered to deliver the best possible experience to our customers, even in a fast-paced environment.

Optimize Online Ordering for a Seamless and Personalized Experience

In the age of digital convenience, online ordering and mobile apps are no longer just an added convenience—they are essential components of the customer journey. A well-optimized platform should offer a seamless, intuitive experience that not only makes it easy for customers to place orders but also personalizes the interaction.

Personalization is the ultimate goal. Through customer profiles based on past orders, dietary preferences, and even local trends, QSRs are getting closer to creating more customized experiences that resonates with each customer. Additionally, the integration of loyalty programs within these platforms further enhances customer engagement, offering rewards and incentives that encourage repeat business.

To better serve our customers and franchisees in the digital age, we have invested extensively in our in-house proprietary tech stack, MOMS (Marco’s Order Management System). This one stop shop for managers and owners provides comprehensive tools that not only optimize back-of-house operations, but provides real time data and support that boosts the bottom-line for our system. While AI continues to evolve at a rapid pace, we continue to test implementations of the technology as we explore voice-to-text ordering, integration of third-party delivery, AI and machine learning to generate automated promise times, and more. And this platform continues to develop and evolve to meet the ever-changing needs of our franchisees and guests.

Ensure Efficiency & Quality with Delivery Services via Innovative Kitchen Equipment

The demand for delivery has surged in recent years, making it critical for QSRs to not only meet but exceed customer expectations. A key element in delivering exceptional off-premises service is the efficiency of delivery and quality of the food once it reaches the customer’s door.

Innovative kitchen equipment plays a significant role in maintaining optimization. This can be from automating a previously time-consuming task or having equipment that can better prepare for peak hours. By implementing such innovations, QSRs can ensure that the quality of the product isn’t compromised, even when it’s consumed away from the restaurant.

Marco’s, for example, continues to commit to and invest in innovative kitchen equipment, such as pizza lockers, warming racks, and dough rounders. To be innovative, you need to be in touch with the latest trends, which means actively researching new and emerging technologies in the industry. When we introduce new technologies, it’s crucial to use concrete data to guide these decisions, ensuring that the equipment we deploy truly makes a difference in customer experience – whether that be reducing their wait times, improving order accuracy, or increasing the freshness of their order in pickup scenarios.

Furthermore, streamlining delivery operations with advanced routing software and tracking systems can significantly reduce delivery times, enhancing the overall customer experience. Integrating AI into these systems is one method that delivers beyond what traditional software can. Recent implementation of our Automated Promise Time program is a prime example. This AI-driven tool predicts the time needed to prepare and deliver an order by considering factors such as store capacity, oven time, driver availability, weather, and traffic. Such innovations help us consistently meet the high standards required for an exceptional customer experience every time.

Enhance Drive-Thru and Curbside Pickup with Advanced Technology Integrations

For many QSRs, drive-thru and curbside pickups have become the primary points of contact with customers. As such, these channels must be optimized to provide a fast, efficient, and pleasant experience.

Advanced technology integrations, such as digital menu boards, AI-powered ordering systems, and contactless payment options, can drastically reduce wait times and minimize errors. Additionally, integrating real-time updates via mobile apps or SMS allows customers to know exactly when their order is ready, further streamlining the pickup process.

At Marco’s Pizza, we’ve seen a significant improvement in customer satisfaction by implementing pick-up windows and doors, as well as expanding our curbside services with these technologies. By focusing on speed, accuracy, and convenience, we ensure that our customers can receive their favorite meals in the convenience of their cars.

The everchanging consumer landscape presents both challenges and opportunities for QSRs. While growing pains are a part of the evolution of any great organization, implementing the above strategies can streamline this process so your team can be serving customers better and faster. While every organization might take a different path, the importance of customer experience isn’t going away in this digital age. Companies will need to continually adapt in order to appeal to consumers in the competitive marketplace and thrive for years to come.

John Meyers is the chief operating officer of Marco’s Pizza.

Source https://www.qsrmagazine.com/story/how-to-deliver-customer-experience-in-qsrs-digital-age/

Blackstone acquires majority stake in Jersey Mike’s
CEO Peter Cancro, who purchased the sub shop in 1975, will maintain a significant equity stake and will continue to lead the business

Private equity giant Blackstone will acquire a majority ownership position in Jersey Mike’s, the fast-growing sub shop purchased by Peter Cancro in 1975. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Cancro will maintain a significant equity stake and continue to lead the business. The partnership with Blackstone is intended to help enable Jersey Mike’s to accelerate its expansion across and beyond the U.S. market, and continue its technology and digital transformation, according to the companies.

“We believe we are still in the early innings of Jersey Mike’s growth story and that Blackstone is the right partner to help us reach even greater heights. Blackstone has helped drive the success of some of the most iconic franchise businesses globally and we look forward to working with them to help make significant new investments going forward,” Cancro said in a statement.

Related: Jersey Mike’s CEO Peter Cancro wins the 2024 Restaurant Leader of the Year award

Cancro has served as chief executive officer since 1975, overseeing the brand’s growth to nearly 3,000 locations across the country. The chain totaled $3.4 billion in sales last year, a 25% increase over 2022, according to Technomic data, with 12% year-over-year unit growth. In 2019, Jersey Mike’s finished the year with 1,665 locations, illustrating its recent expansion. The company is on track to reach $4 billion in sales and 3,000 units in 2024, with international expansion in Canada and Europe in the pipeline.

Cancro was named the 2024 Restaurant Leader of the Year in April during the Restaurant Leadership Conference where he noted that one of Jersey Mike’s differentiators is its annual Day of Giving – when all participating stores donate 100% of the day’s sales to a local charity of their choice. The company also prides itself on being a training company that just happens to sell sandwiches, conducting more than 5,000 classes in the field impacting nearly 35,000 employees, for instance. This focus on training ensures consistency across the system as it continues to grow, executives have noted.

Rumors about a Blackstone deal have been swirling since the spring. Addressing those rumors in April, Cancro said the company is “always for sale.”

“Jersey Mike’s has grown for more than half a century by maintaining an unrelenting focus on quality (and delicious sandwiches) – consistently building on its loyal customer base as it has scaled nationwide. Blackstone has deep experience helping accelerate the expansion of high-growth franchise businesses and this area is one of our highest-conviction investment themes. We are excited to partner with an entrepreneur of Peter’s caliber and the talented Jersey Mike’s team. Our capital and resources will help support key investments in growth and technology for the benefit of Jersey Mike’s customers and exceptional franchisees,” Blackstone senior managing director Peter Wallace said in a statement.

The transaction is expected to be completed in early 2025 subject to certain closing conditions, including applicable regulatory approvals. Guggenheim Securities and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC are acting as financial advisors and White & Case LLP served as legal counsel to Jersey Mike’s. Barclays and Bank of America are acting as financial advisors and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP served as legal counsel to Blackstone.

Blackstone, one of the nation’s largest investment firms, has also recently invested in Tropical Smoothie Cafe and 7Brew.

Contact Alicia Kelso at Alicia.Kelso@informa.com

Source https://www.nrn.com/fast-casual/blackstone-acquires-majority-stake-jersey-mike-s

Chipotle marks 1,000th Chipotlane milestone and plans unit growth acceleration
The chain anticipates 8% to 10% new unit growth each year after a record number of domestic openings this year

Chipotle will open its 1,000th Chipotlane this week, marking a milestone for the model that was first introduced in 2018 to support digital orders. The Chipotlane format now represents nearly 30% of Chipotle’s more than 3,600-unit domestic system, with that ratio expected to grow – the company forecasts 315 to 345 new restaurants in 2025, with at least 80% including a Chipotlane. That is compared to the anticipated 285 to 315 new units opening this year, which marks a record number for the company.

To get a sense of Chipotle’s acceleration of the Chipotlane model, consider that the 500th such location opened just two years ago, while the model itself was introduced nearly six years ago.

There’s a reason the chain is bullish on the model. Digital sales have remained above 30% since hitting a pandemic peak, while new restaurants with the pick-up lane have generated higher volumes and bigger returns than a traditional Chipotle restaurant format, according to the company. It also generates faster throughput, completing orders in less than 30 seconds. Because of this efficiency, Chipotle said it is building a real estate pipeline that will accelerate new unit growth in the 8% to 10% range each year, again, with a majority featuring a Chipotlane.

“Chipotlanes are a critical piece of our long-term growth goal of reaching 7,000 restaurants in North America,” chief brand officer Chris Brandt said in a statement. “This restaurant format is the fastest way for fans to get Chipotle and has proven to increase sales, margins, and returns.”

Chipotle has also made a few investments to support its digital business as it ramps up the Chipotlane model. For instance, its Augmented Makeline – a cobotic makeline built in collaboration with California-based tech company Hyphen – is currently in test at a Corona del Mar, Calif., restaurant building bowls and salads. According to the company, approximately 65% of all digital orders are bowls and salads, so the makeline also has the potential to free up more time for employees so they can focus on assistance elsewhere and on dine-in guests.

Chipotle’s 1,000th Chipotlane restaurant is located in the greater Kansas City area at 14833 West 151st Street in Olathe, Kan. It will be open daily from 10:45 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Contact Alicia Kelso at Alicia.Kelso@informa.com

California voters narrowly reject $18 minimum wage increase
Proposition 32 was rejected in California, which would have raised the minimum wage from $16 to $18 an hour by 2026

Californians rejected Proposition 32, the legislation that would have raised the state minimum wage from $16 an hour to $18 an hour by 2026 and would have been the highest minimum wage in the country.

The Associated Press called the results of the Election Day proposition vote on Tuesday night, with 50.8% of voters voting against the proposition, and the legislation failing to pass by more than 244,000 votes. Critics of the bill predicted that if it had passed, a higher minimum wage would have led to further price inflation and job cuts.

“With the economy and costs top of mind for many voters this election, that message appears to have resonated,” Jennifer Barrera, the California Chamber of Commerce president and CEO, told AP News.

Without the minimum wage increase, California still has one of the highest minimum wages in the country, second only to Washington State, which will be at $16.66 starting Jan. 1. California’s minimum wage has also doubled since 2010, and it was the first state to reach the $15 threshold (a notable goal for many years, as in the “Fight for $15” fast-food worker protests from more than a decade ago).

California is the only state with a separate minimum wage just for fast-food workers. After the passage of AB 1228 in fall 2023, the minimum wage for most fast-food workers increased to $20 an hour on April 1. In June, Placer.ai noted that higher statewide menu price increases in response to the new legislation had led to a dip in traffic. By August, Revenue Management Solutions found that restaurant traffic had declined by nearly 6% in California, at a much faster clip than the rest of the country, on average.

While proponents of minimum wage growth argue that when lower-wage workers earn more, they can spend more, which will stimulate the economy, experts believe that voters were just pushed too far this time around and that price inflation was a top-of-mind issue for many people.

“It is certainly sending a message that Californians across the political spectrum are fed up with higher costs and greater uncertainty on Main Street,” John Kabateck, state director of the National Federation of Independent Business, told The Los Angeles Times.

Other minimum wage legislation results around the country were mixed this Election Day. Alaska voted in favor of raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, while Missouri voted against raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour.

Contact Joanna at joanna.fantozzi@informa.com

Source https://www.nrn.com/news/california-voters-narrowly-reject-18-minimum-wage-increase

Subway CEO John Chidsey is stepping down at the end of the year

New York (CNN) — Yet another fast food CEO is stepping down.

Subway announced Tuesday that its CEO, John Chidsey, will retire at the end of 2024. Executive Carrie Walsh will replace him as interim CEO.

Chidsey, the first chief executive outside of the chain’s founding family, joined Subway as CEO in 2019. His departure marks another entry on the list of fast food chain CEOs who have stepped down this year for a variety of reasons, including Starbucks, Chipotle, Shake Shack, and Wendy’s.

Subway, which is owned by a private equity firm, doesn’t reveal specifics about its sales like much of its publicly traded competition. But in recent years, the chain has struggled to keep up with sandwich-making rivals, and data from trade magazines showed that it is facing sales declines from headwinds affecting chains like McDonald’s and Starbucks too. The chain’s store count is also shrinking, closing 400 restaurants in the US last year and finishing 2023 with the lowest store count since 2005.

The company also made expansive menu changes under Chidsey. Last year, the company said it would freshly slice its deli meat to compete with fast food rivals, instead of its traditional method of pre-slicing meat at factories. He also doubled down on pushing orders to its app.

And prior to that, Subway revealed its most extensive menu change to date, switching gears towards more customization and digital growth.

The vast majority of Subways are owned by franchisees, and the company said around 80% of stores would display the $6,000 slicers. But some franchise owners said they were underwhelmed by the investment, noting they haven’t seen a huge difference in sales since implementing the change.

Subway also joined the value wars this year by announcing a $6.99 foot long for a limited time. But another deal, a $6.99 meal for a 6-inch sub with a drink and cookies or chips, will end earlier than planned on December 26 after reportedly lackluster performance.

Incoming interim CEO Walsh is currently the company’s president of Europe, Middle East and Africa and also served as global chief marketing officer. Chidsey will stay on in an advisory role, the company said.

– CNN’s Jordan Valinsky contributed to this report.

The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

Source https://www.wral.com/story/subway-ceo-john-chidsey-is-stepping-down-at-the-end-of-the-year/21742242/

High-Margin Franchise Built for Gen Z and Profitability
Maximizing “FOMO” to attract younger audiences.
In an era where most consumers, especially younger audiences, are constantly connected to screens, restaurants have a powerful opportunity to capture their attention. Reaching this audience through digital channels isn’t just beneficial for restaurants, it’s essential for growth. For Hoppin’ Brands, a vibrant self-pour taproom and cocktail bar, marketing isn’t just a strategy; it’s the heart of the business. Known for delivering a unique, tech-savvy customer experience, Hoppin’ is rapidly growing, with five locations across North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas and six more slated to open by next year.

To connect with their core audience, Gen Z and millennials, Hoppin’ creates a feeling of “FOMO” (fear of missing out), enticing young adults with a high-energy atmosphere and a range of engaging events. “Our goal is to create that feeling online, even before people step foot in the door,” says Rich Moyer, Hoppin’s CEO and founder. “Then we deliver it when they arrive.” From themed trivia nights to music bingo events tied to current pop culture icons. “We stay current without following the typical brewery model,” says Scotty Kent, Hoppin’s marketing director.

At its core, Hoppin’ isn’t just about serving drinks. “On the HQ level, we’re a marketing company,” Moyer says. Franchisees don’t need to worry about the complexities of digital marketing, Hoppin’s team handles it all. They run ads, manage social media accounts, respond to customer reviews, and develop local, targeted campaigns. “We don’t want franchisees spending their time trying to keep up with digital marketing trends when they could be focusing on operations and building community relationships,” Moyer says. “By handling digital marketing centrally, we free them up to do just that.”

To further support franchisees, Hoppin’ Brands conducts monthly marketing, financial, and operational calls. The marketing calls discuss past performance, current campaigns, and the month’s strategic focus, while also encouraging franchisees to bring ideas for local initiatives. The financial and operational calls focus on identifying ways to improve profitability, a critical element of Hoppin’s low-waste, high-margin model.

Unlike traditional bars and restaurants, Hoppin’ reduces food-service demands by centering its concept around alcohol sales and collaborating with food trucks. “We focus on the high-margin side—alcohol—while eliminating the back-of-house complexities of food service,” Moyer says. Hoppin’s gross profit margins range from 78–82 percent, with keg waste kept to around 3–4 percent, far below the national average of 24 percent. Additionally, the self-pour system minimizes waste and theft, furthering the financial advantage for franchisees.

In addition to offering an attractive financial model, Hoppin’ Brands provides franchisees with a fun, inclusive culture. With its focus on high-margin products, innovative marketing, and a dynamic social environment, Hoppin’ is reshaping the bar franchise industry. “We’re all about the experience,” Moyer says. “The self-pour system is part of it, but it’s our vibrant atmosphere, outdoor spaces, customer experience and activities that keep people coming back.”

CTA: To learn more about franchise opportunities, visit Hoppin’ Brands website.

By Olivia Schuster

Source https://www.qsrmagazine.com/sponsored_content/high-margin-franchise-built-for-gen-z-and-profitability/

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