Siegfried Meister, a pioneer in combi-steamer ovens and founder, majority shareholder, and chairman of Rational AG, died July 28 at the age of 78 after a brief illness. Meister’s guiding company principle was not sales or profit but providing the greatest possible customer benefits. When he started producing convection ovens in Landsberg, Germany, more than… read more

The Middleby Corporation announced the acquisition of Globe Food Equipment Company, a leading brand in slicers and mixers for the commercial foodservice industry. Based in Dayton, Ohio, the company has approximately $50 million in annual sales.  “Globe is a trusted leader in food preparation products known for performance, reliability, value, and reducing operator’s costs. The… read more

Warren Buffett’s company is acquiring a major stake in Pilot Flying J truck stops and it will become a majority owner within about five years. The ubiquitous truck stops, 750 of them in 44 states and Canada, make up the 15th largest private company in the U.S., according to Forbes, with revenue of more than… read more

The National Catering Equipment Centre in Bristol debuted in September as a showcase for a broad spectrum of catering equipment and products from more than 40 suppliers. The specialized facility welcomes industry professionals and catering enthusiasts to come and share ideas, learn more about the products, and get advice from the center’s on-hand team of… read more

As Director of Consultant Services, Sheila will focus on the Foodservice Consultant community to increase awareness and gain acceptance of Jackson Warewashing products. She will work with Foodservice Consultants, coordinating and collaborating with Consultants to ensure confidence in products, service and operation. Sheila brings a wealth of experience from her tenure working on the foodservice… read more

The continued evolution of the foodservice dealer community took an interesting twist last week with the owners of Massachusetts-based B&G Restaurant Supply forming a partnership with Florida-based Johnson-Lancaster and Associates. The two companies opened a joint office in Westwood, Mass., that will go to market as Eastern B&G Food Service Equipment and will ultimately include… read more

Middleby Corporation acquires Sveba Dahlen Group, a leading manufacturer of high-quality bakery ovens, baking equipment and planetary mixers in Northern Europe. Sveba Dahlen was founded in 1948 and has a market leading position within professional high-quality baking ovens and baking equipment in Northern Europe. The company sells its products under three premium brands, Sveba Dahlen,… read more

Singer Equipment Co. has acquired the business of Ashland Equipment, the Belcamp, Md., dealer. Ashland has a large contract equipment presence in its home state, Delaware, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., markets, serving healthcare, higher education, K-12, business and industry, and restaurant segments. Rod White will continue leading the new division, which will operate as Ashland… read more

The Middleby Corporation announced the acquisition of QualServ Solutions, LLC, a global commercial kitchen design, manufacturing, engineering, project management and equipment solutions provider. QualServ, based in Fort Smith, Ark., has annual revenues of $100 million. “QualServ is a respected industry leader providing a unique set of services and equipment solutions for the commercial foodservice equipment… read more

David W. Andow Named President of System Concepts, Inc., Developer of the FOOD-TRAK® Food & Beverage Management System System Concepts, Inc., leading provider of food and beverage procurement, inventory, and culinary control software solutions, announced the appointment of David W. Andow to the new position of company President. SCI’s FOOD-TRAK® cloud-based and in-house applications are… read more