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December 7, 2016

NAFEM Show Program Heats Up

Made your reservations yet for the E&S industry’s biggest exhibition? Hurry up… The NAFEM Show 2017 is looking to be a killer of a show. Literally. The three-day show in Orlando, Fla., even caps off with a closing night performance by The Killers.

More than 500 booths are already set for the Orange County Convention Center’s exhibit floor, and many of the show’s (and thus the foodservice equipment and supplies industry’s) most innovative concepts can be seen in the WHAT’S HOT! WHAT’S COOL! product gallery.

The centrally located gallery, in Booth #1840, will focus on concepts and products featuring technology advances, labor lifesavers, consumer-first innovations, specialty equipment, and eco- (and budget-) friendly options.

New to the gallery this year is “The Inspiration Station,” a series of four discussions designed to generate conversation around the latest equipment and supplies trends. It be led by Mike Colburn and Mary Esther Treat, founders of product design firm Ideas Well Done. These independent experts will weigh in on some of the things they’ve seen on display in the gallery and encourage questions and comments from the audience. Inspiration Station discussions will take place Feb. 10 and 11, from 11-11:30 a.m. and 2-2:30 p.m.
 
Click to learn more about The NAFEM Show or register.

December 7, 2016

Arvidson Tapped For Antunes’ International Sales Management Team

Darren Arvidson has joined Antunes as International Sales Manager, and has taken over responsibility for the Carol Stream, Ill., company’s sales in the Middle East and India, as well as in select countries in Europe.

Arvidson brings nearly 25 years of sales and marketing experience to the position, including serving as regional manager-Europe for the commercial foodservice division of Vitamix and as regional sales manager for Pacojet AG.

“Darren brings significant experience in international foodservice sales, and we look to leverage his expertise to understand the unique challenges of our global customers and provide innovative, custom solutions to meet their needs,” says Daniel Schmidt, Antunes’s director of sales.

December 7, 2016

Former AutoQuotes President Joins Specifi To Run U.S. Business

Industry veteran Michael Greenwald has been appointed President, The Americas, at Specifi LLC as the company initiates its launch into U.S. market. Greenwald brings to Specifi, which offers a global, end-to-end kitchen design/equipment specification and software platform, more than 35 years of experience in the foodservice equipment and supply distribution channel. He was most recently…

December 7, 2016

FDA Clarifies Menu Labeling Rule

The Food and Drug Administration will soon publish a final rule formally extending the compliance date for menu labeling regulations to May 5, 2017. The extension aligns the compliance date, which had been Dec. 1, 2016, with the May enforcement date. The regulations require disclosure of certain nutrition information for standard menu items in certain…

December 7, 2016

Labor Department To Push Appeal On Overtime Rule

The Labor Department is challenging an injunction that has put a hold on changes to federal overtime regulations.

December 7, 2016

Gas Prices Rise On OPEC Agreement; Decent Jobs Report

Employment and gasoline price trends are among two of the most important drivers of foodservice sales. Data released during the past week has jobs growth looking positive while gasoline prices have risen, though modestly, since an agreement by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries to cut production.

The U.S. added 178,000 non-farm payroll jobs in November, a bit above economists’ expectations. The unemployment rate fell to a post-recession low of 4.6%, but mostly because of a drop in the number of Americans looking for work. Average hourly earnings fell slightly after several months of strong gains. Still, average hourly wages have risen 2.5% during the past 12 months, well ahead of the 1.6% gain in the Consumer Price Index during the past 12 months. Leisure and hospitality continued to add jobs with 29,000 created in November, including18,800 in foodservice.

Meanwhile, average gasoline prices, which had been falling for nearly a month as cheaper winter blends were being produced, have risen for eight consecutive days since OPEC announced an agreement to curtail production beginning Jan. 1. An average gallon of regular stood at $2.181 on Dec. 5, up from $2.125 the previous Monday, down from $2.222 a month ago and up from $2.042 a year ago. Crude oil prices have surged 12% since the announcement of the agreement. Still, while non-OPEC members such as Russia have said they will participate in the cuts, oil analysts and traders remain skeptical.