Energy-Efficient Equipment Dominates NAFEM Show
More manufacturers are targeting the burgeoning c-store foodservice arena
More than 500 foodservice equipment exhibitors filled over 760,000 square feet in Orlando's Orange County Convention Center for The NAFEM Show 2013. Distributors, manufacturers, consultants, end users and other attendees at the Feb. 7-9 event, organized by the North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers (NAFEM), represented all areas of the foodservice industry, from convenience stores to fine-dining restaurants.
Convenience Store News made the rounds on the expo floor, checking out the latest and greatest equipment geared to the convenience channel, which has been rapidly increasing its presence and impact on the overall foodservice industry. Energy efficiency, water savings and minimal countertop footprints were among the attributes being touted in the equipment designed with the c-store market in mind. A number of auto-timed, mix-your-own milkshake and smoothie blenders were also on display at this year's show.
For c-store retailers that want to offer creative, frozen treats, Vitamix showed off its Automatic Mix'n Machine, winner of a National Restaurant Association 2012 Kitchen Innovations Award. The unit is both quiet and convenient, offering programmable settings and hands-free operation as it mixes soft/hard ice cream or yogurt with candy, cookies and other toppings. Unlike some frozen treat mixers, the Mix'n Machine is designed to let operators decide on their own portion control rather than stick to preset mixes, company representatives told CSNews.
For quality dispensed beverages, Scotsman Ice Systems introduced the C0722, a compact, self-monitoring cuber that produces 700 pounds of cube ice in just 24 hours. Energy efficiency and lower water consumption are the highlights of the unit. According to the company, retailers who need to save counter space should give this 22-inch wide by 29-inch tall cuber a second look. Additionally, the C0722 works well with the Coca-Cola Freestyle touchscreen fountain machine, which is growing in popularity among c-store chains.
Energy and space savings were also among the features highlighted as Hobart, Traulsen and Baxter showcased a number of convection ovens for convenience store operators looking to launch or improve a hot foodservice program. Hobart's range of full-size, gas convection ovens is Energy Star-qualified, while the Baxter Hybrid Convection Oven places an advanced airflow system inside a compact footprint. Hobart also showed off its new Advansys LXe Undercounter Warewashers; one model has a PuriRinse option that adds a fresh-water rinse after sanitization to remove chemical residue.
In addition to the expo floor, NAFEM Show attendees had access to the "WHAT'S HOT! WHAT'S COOL!" New Product Gallery in the center of the exhibit hall, where they found forward-thinking products that demonstrate tangible improvements to operations. To be included in the gallery, products were judged on aesthetic impact, cost reduction, new food-service applications and additional benefits. The display was sectioned off according to six distinct groups: Primary Cooking; Prep and Warewashing; Refrigeration and Ice; Smallwares/Tabletop and Serving; Display/Transportation/ Storage; and Technology.
The NAFEM Show 2013
Feb. 7-9, 2013
Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fla.