More than 100 of the restaurant industry’s food-safety executives came to Washington, D.C. this week for our annual Quality Assurance Executive Study Group meeting. The reason? To share information and best practices that keep their companies, customers and food supply safe. What went down: Speakers, including Beth Johnson, founder and CEO of Food Directions LLC; Food &… read more
Aramark announced that it entered into definitive agreements to acquire two companies that will deliver growth and strengthen the company’s competitive position across its portfolio of Food, Facilities and Uniforms businesses. “Today is an historic day at Aramark as we announce we will join forces with two leading companies that will significantly improve how we… read more
Amplify Snack Brands, Inc. a leading marketer and manufacturer of branded better-for-you snack food products announced the promotion of Malcolm Burns to Senior Vice President and Managing Director International, effective October 5, 2017. Mr. Burns joined Amplify at the beginning of 2017 as Head of European Finance and has been leading the International business in… read more
Hearthside Food Solutions announces the signing of a definitive agreement to purchase Standard Functional Foods Group, a unit of privately held Standard Candy Company, subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions. SFFG is a contract manufacturer of nutritional and functional bars located in Nashville, Tennessee. The planned acquisition of SFFG will further enhance Hearthside’s… read more
Communal tables, more televisions, tablet computers everywhere, a disappearing back of the house, growing grab-and-go options and countless other factors represent the hallmarks of today’s changing foodservice landscape. Today’s consumers expect great food, but what keeps them coming back for more is excellence in every aspect of execution. No detail is too small in their… read more
The robot takeover of the restaurant industry has been delayed. Eatsa, the automated chain that emerged in 2015 and quickly expanded last year, has closed all but two of its seven locations, both in its home market of San Francisco. The company plans to work more with other chains to help them use its platform…. read more
In the 1980s and ’90s, when Americans were struggling to get dinner on the table after work and shuttling kids between activities, microwaves, frozen dinners and fast-food restaurants were mainstays. Unlike recent generations, consumers today are shifting toward eating more dinners at home, including those purchased at restaurants, according to The NPD Group’s most recent… read more
Restaurant operators and technology experts shared their advice for choosing, rolling out and expanding upon tech solutions for foodservice at the National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Innovation Summit. Here are some key takeaways from the three-day event held last week in Austin, Texas. Seek out tech that simplifies, solves problems. Four in five restaurant operators agree that… read more
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