Industry Spotlight The next step for Jersey Mike’s? Europe and a new CEO, eventually The sandwich chain, which just completed its sale to Blackstone, is thriving in Canada and wants to cross the pond. But it also has big plans here and ultimately will bring in a new chief executive. Peter Cancro doesn’t like… read more
Global Foodservice News
Three Ways to Defend Cleaning Bids
Every building service contractor has faced the situation where a customer tries to negotiate price. In many cases, they’ll come out and say, “If you reduce your price to X, we’ll sign the contract right now!” In these situations, it’s important to stick to your guns and lean on the facts. Here are a few… read more
International Paper surpasses environmental goal and conserves over 1 million acres of forestland
Forest restoration initiative, completed six years ahead of schedule, reinforces commitment to biodiversity and climate action International Paper (IP) announced it has exceeded its goal of conserving and restoring 1 million acres of ecologically significant forestland. This milestone strengthens biodiversity protection, carbon sequestration, and sustainable land management. “We are thrilled to have surpassed one of… read more
4M Building Solutions Acquires Brokate Janitorial
4M Building Solutions, a full-service commercial cleaning, janitorial, housekeeping, and disinfection solutions business, has acquired Brokate Janitorial. As one of the nation’s largest janitorial service providers, 4M serves over 215 million square feet of space daily with more than 6,900 team members across 27 states. Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, and backed by O2 Investment… read more
Hi Auto Picks Up Speed with $15 Million Funding Round to Fuel Its AI-Powered Drive-Thru Voice Assistant
Hi Auto, an Israel-based startup pioneering AI-powered voice ordering for drive-thru restaurants, has raised $15 million in a Series A funding round led by Delek Motors, along with participation from the Zisapel Family, Vasuki Tech Fund, Allied Group, Goldbell Investments, the Meir Barel Group, and a publicly traded restaurant company whose identity has not yet… read more
DoorDash and Coco Robotics partner to offer US sidewalk robot delivery
Robot deliveries will be offered for DoorDash customers in Los Angeles and Chicago. DoorDash and Coco Robotics have expanded their sidewalk robot delivery service to select US markets, following a successful pilot programme with Wolt in Helsinki, Finland. The deliveries are now operational in Los Angeles and Chicago, with almost 600 merchants participating, allowing customers… read more
A Machine Using Ultrasound, AI Can Gauge the Fattiness of a Tuna Fish
Sonofai can do the job in just 12 seconds. KAWASAKI, Japan (AP) — Seafood lovers know the fatty marbling is what makes tuna sashimi and sushi so tasty, so for the industry, it’s the fish’s level of fattiness that’s used to judge its quality and pricing. Usually, several people assess how fatty a tuna is… read more
Report: Contractors Push for Growth Despite Headwinds
LOS ANGELES — ServiceTitan Inc., which offers software for trades businesses, released its Commercial Specialty Contractor Industry Report, a study of more than 1,000 specialty contractors, primarily in HVAC, plumbing, and electrical, that focus much of their business on construction. The report reveals that amid significant hurdles, contractors are pushing for growth, with 93% focused… read more
Rheem® and Ruud® Hosted Record-Breaking Attendance for 2025 Pro Partner™ International Conference
Thousands of Pro Partners™ from around the world gathered for innovative industry learning and networking while celebrating 100 years of Rheem® Rheem®, a leader in the HVAC/R and water heating industry, celebrating a century of excellence, and Ruud®, a part of Rheem’s family of 50 global brands, marked a major milestone, hosting the largest Pro… read more
Tariffs Drive Surge in March Construction Materials Prices
Both overall and nonresidential construction input prices are 0.8% higher than one year ago. WASHINGTON, DC — Construction input prices increased 0.5% in March, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index data released April 11. Nonresidential construction input prices increased 0.6% for the month. Both… read more