INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

DoorDash is nearing a deal to buy Instacart, report says

The deal would bring together two delivery giants and provide a major boost for DoorDash’s growing grocery business.

The biggest food delivery app in the U.S. may be about to get even bigger.

DoorDash is in “advanced talks” to acquire grocery delivery service Instacart, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday. The deal would bring together two delivery giants and provide a major boost for DoorDash’s growing grocery business.

It follows reports in recent days by The Information and Bloomberg that Instacart was considering a sale, with DoorDash rival Uber named as another interested party.

Instacart stock has surged on the news, while DoorDash and Uber shares have slumped.

The potential DoorDash-Instacart deal could value Instacart at $17 billion and could be finalized as soon as this week, per the Journal. The report cited people familiar with the matter and said there are no guarantees that a sale will happen.

An Instacart spokesperson declined to comment on the reports. DoorDash also declined to comment.

Though DoorDash began as a restaurant delivery service, it has rapidly expanded into delivering groceries and other products using its large courier network. It now offers delivery from many of the biggest grocery chains in the U.S., including Albertsons and Kroger, and in February, it said it was the largest grocery and retail delivery app in the country by order volume last year.

DoorDash does not report financial details of those segments individually, but has said it has more than 200,000 grocery and retail stores on its marketplace.

Instacart, meanwhile, has long been a leader in third-party grocery delivery, with more than 2,200 grocery store brands and 100,000 stores on its marketplace.

It is smaller than DoorDash overall, with $3.75 billion in revenue last year compared to $13.72 billion for DoorDash. And though it has been generating revenue growth, Instacart has also been facing pressure from DoorDash and fellow food delivery rival Uber Eats as they push further into grocery.

According to credit and debit data from Consumer Edge, DoorDash’s share of spending across major delivery apps rose from 44% in the second quarter of 2021 to 59% in the third quarter of 2026, while Uber Eats’ rose from 16% to 18%. Instacart’s share fell from 26% to 18% over that same period. Those numbers cover all delivery categories, not just groceries.

“These trends partly reflect the expansion of DoorDash and Uber Eats into grocery, convenience and other retail categories, increasingly competing in areas historically associated with Instacart,” said Michael Gunther, SVP of research and market intelligence at Consumer Edge, in a statement.

Based on that data, acquiring Instacart would significantly increase DoorDash’s share of the grocery delivery market, putting it in closer competition with other grocery delivery leaders Walmart and Amazon.

It would be DoorDash’s third major acquisition in two years, following its purchases of U.K.-based delivery app Deliveroo and the SevenRooms reservation platform last year.

And it would continue to concentrate the food delivery business into the hands of just a few large players. Since 2018, DoorDash and Uber have acquired a number of smaller U.S. rivals, including Caviar, Postmates, and the alcohol delivery service Drizly, as well as international delivery services Wolt and Getir.

Uber also has a pending deal to acquire European giant Delivery Hero, and earlier this month, it announced plans to buy ezCater, the big workplace catering marketplace, for $2.3 billion in cash.

Source https://www.nrn.com/restaurant-technology/doordash-is-nearing-a-deal-to-buy-instacart-report-says

 

Nelson Peltz and Greg Flynn make a $1.4B offer for Wendy’s

The fast-food chain’s former chairman and one of its largest franchisees have offered $7.35 per share for the struggling fast-food chain.

Nelson Peltz’s off-again, on-again consideration of a Wendy’s take-private deal is apparently on again.

Trian Fund Management, the activist investor’s hedge fund, has made a $1.4 billion offer for the struggling fast-food chain, according to a regulatory filing on Wednesday, or $7.35 per share. Mega-franchisee Flynn Group is working with Peltz on the deal, as are investment firms BlueFive Capital and Sixth Street Partners.

The news sent the company’s share price up more than 15% in premarket trading.

Wendy’s in a statement on Wednesday said that it has formed a committee featuring board members who are not affiliated with Trian to evaluate the proposal. The company has hired Morgan Stanley as a financial adviser and the legal adviser Simpson Thacher and Bartlett. “Under Bob Wright’s leadership as president and chief executive officer, Wendy’s is moving with urgency and has identified core strategic areas of focus to improve performance and accelerate the business,” the company said in its statement.

As much as anything, the offer demonstrates just how far Wendy’s has fallen over the past couple of years. While the acquisition price represents a 20% premium off the company’s closing price on Tuesday, it still represents a 10% decline from the share price at the beginning of the year.

Peltz spent 17 years as Wendy’s chairman before stepping down in 2024 and has been the chairman emeritus since then. He has twice publicly explored an acquisition in recent years, first in 2022, then again in 2026, when Trian disclosed in a regulatory filing that it was talking with financiers about a potential deal. Those reports initially indicated Flynn’s role in the group seeking to take the company private.

Peltz and Trian control more than 16% of Wendy’s stock. The filing indicated that the offer was subject to negotiation.

The brand has struggled in recent years, struggles that appeared to begin with a 2023 restructuring that followed Peltz’s initial attempt at an acquisition, which was followed by the unexpected replacement of CEO Todd Penegor in early 2024.

Kirk Tanner, the chosen replacement, lasted 18 months before he left to take a job with Hershey’s. The company spent about nine months without a chief executive before Wendy’s hired longtime former executive Wright to be CEO.

The chain’s same-store sales have declined six straight quarters, including a 7.9% decline in the second quarter, when traffic was down 12.5%.

UPDATE: This story has been updated to add a comment from Wendy’s.

Source https://www.nrn.com/mergers-acquisitions/nelson-peltz-and-greg-flynn-make-a-1-4b-offer-for-wendy-s

 

Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Joint acquired by Green Shoot Brands

The smashburger-and-craft-beer chain has 22 units across the Southeast.

The 22-unit Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Joint has a new owner.

The Harrisonburg, Virginia-based chain has reportedly been acquired by Florida-based investment firm and franchise operator Green Shoot Brands, which has a portfolio of nine restaurant brands.

According to its website, Green Shoot operates about 410 restaurants, including Little Caesars, Dave’s Hot Chicken, Nothing Bundt Cakes, PopUp Bagels and the GoTo Foods concepts Auntie Anne’s, Cinnabon, Jamba, and Carvel.

The group was founded in 2019 with the acquisition of Fresh Dining Concepts, including the four GoTo Foods brands. In 2024, Green Shoot began diversifying after Mike Evans, a former IHOP and Pizza Hut franchisee, joined as CEO, adding more brands to the portfolio.

Jack Brown’s was reportedly founded in 2009 by childhood best friends Mike Sabin and Aaron Ludwig, who debuted the smashburger-and-craft-beer concept in Harrisonburg. The chain has grown into Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, and North Carolina.

According to The Tennessean, Sabin, Ludwig and Jack Brown’s President Jason Owenby will continue to run the company.

Neither Jack Brown’s nor Green Shoot officials responded to requests for more information.

Source https://www.nrn.com/mergers-acquisitions/jack-brown-s-beer-burger-joint-acquired-by-green-shoot-brands

 

What the midterm elections mean for restaurants

With affordability reshaping party politics, restaurants can’t look to a single party to defend all their interests, the National Restaurant Association said.

affordability and on controversial actions undertaken by President Trump’s administration, ranging from tariffs on major trading partners to the war with Iran. Polls currently favor the Democratic Party to take at least one house of Congress. That outcome shouldn’t be a surprise given recent history, according to Sean Kennedy, chief advocacy officer at the National Restaurant Association.

“There has been a consistent mandate for change in virtually every election since 2000. There have been 13 midterm or presidential elections since 2000. In 11 of those, there’s been a change in power, in either the House, the White House, or the Senate,” Kennedy said during a pre-election media briefing last week.

Beyond partisan control, Kennedy said this tendency toward change means trade associations have to prioritize a flexible approach to politics — no single party can guarantee an industry’s interests.

“Actions in Washington can have a tremendous impact on the price of a restaurant meal or restaurant item that customers are looking at,” Kennedy said.

The NRA’s priorities haven’t shifted much, Kennedy said, and the association plans to defend the tip credit, advocate for immigration reform and argue against tariffs on foodstuffs — all areas Kennedy identified as priorities earlier this year.

Restaurant Dive has spent the last six months identifying key issues facing restaurants and taking the industry’s temperature on political issues, ranging from municipal outdoor dining regulations to national public health issues. Check out the following articles to get a sense for what’s at stake in 2026 and where regulation may be heading, regardless of who controls Congress.

Source https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/nra-midterm-election-priorities-immigration-tip-credit/833923/

 

Restaurants are about to inherit the food industry’s hardest labeling problem

Multistate operators need to create a single plan to address allergen notifications that satisfies cross-state regulations, writes Steritech’s Chris Boyles.

The following is a guest post from Chris Boyles, vice president of food safety at Steritech, a company focused on food safety. Opinions are the author’s own.

Food manufacturers work hard to get allergen labels right. Even so, undeclared allergens keep turning up near the top of the U.S. recall list. They caused nearly half of all food recalls in 2023 and about one-third in 2024, according to U.S. PIRG Education Fund analyses of federal data.

When those failures happen, carelessness is rarely the cause. More often the problem is monotony. A plant worker may run the same cleaning step or changeover hundreds of times, and eventually one of those repetitive steps gets a little less attention than it needs. The mixer shared by two products isn’t fully cleaned between runs, and traces of milk or wheat end up in the next batch.

Restaurants are now being asked to solve the same problem, with far less routine and standardization than a plant, and with menus that change much more often.

The rules are already moving
Since July 1, California’s SB 68 has required chains with 20 or more U.S. locations to tell guests in writing which of the nine major food allergens are in each menu item they serve in California. It’s the first law of its kind.

For most operators, though, the bigger driver is the FDA Food Code. It isn’t law on its own, but nearly every state writes some version of it into its regulations.

The 2022 edition added a requirement that operators notify guests in writing which major food allergens are in unpackaged food. A growing number of states have adopted it, and these new requirements carry over to the FDA’s 2026 Food Code which was released on Sept. 17.

The provision itself, 3-602.12(C), is written broadly. It requires operators to tell consumers in writing “of the presence of major food allergens as an ingredient in unpackaged food items,” but it doesn’t say the notice has to be specific to each item.

The guidance FDA gives inspectors, in Annex 7, goes further: it says the written notification must declare which major food allergens “are contained in that food item.”

Most states adopt only the provisions into law, so that’s what operators see. Most inspectors, however, are trained and standardized on both the provisions and the annexes. That leaves room for misunderstanding between operators and the inspectors they work with.

Why restaurants have it harder
Recipes get adjusted, suppliers get swapped, and the menu turns over with every promotion.

Limited-time offers show the problem clearly. If an LTO involves a major allergen, the brand may need a new supplier, reprinted allergen information and retrained staff, all for something that disappears in six weeks. The guest with a sesame allergy only wants to know whether the new item on the menu is safe to eat.

The hidden risk is how much restaurants rely on their suppliers to be accurate and consistent. A sauce supplier has a production outage, and your buyer has to find a replacement fast. The new product is labeled correctly, but its formula uses egg and the old one didn’t. When it’s received at the restaurant, the case looks the same and the sauce tastes the same. Nobody checks the ingredient panel, and the allergen guide or menu still says what it said last month. When a guest asks whether the dish has egg in it, a team member gives a sincere, confident and wrong answer.

This can’t be fixed solely inside the four walls of individual locations. The fix has to start with buyer protocols and supplier approval, and include a dependable way to pass changes along when they happen.

A sign is a start, not a system
Some operators post a single advisory sign at the entrance or point of sale listing every major allergen used anywhere in the building. If a guest with a peanut allergy knows peanuts are in the kitchen, they may decide the risk of cross-contact from shared equipment is too high.

The problem is that a sign leaves the hard questions to a conversation with the person taking the order. The guest must know how to ask the right question. The team member has to know the answer, or know to find someone who does. The best operators will use both an advisory sign and a documented, well-maintained system to ensure they execute correctly every time.

What to do in the next six to 12 months
The Food Code isn’t the only standard to watch. A number of states have passed their own allergen requirements, and some go further than the newest Food Code.

If you operate in several states, don’t build a different program for each one. Build one standard that meets the strictest requirement you face, wherever it comes from.

Source https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/restaurants-are-about-to-inherit-the-food-industrys-hardest-labeling-probl/833533/

 

AES Restaurant Group Becomes World’s Largest Arby’s Franchisee

The company began with six restaurants in 2004.

AES Restaurant Group has become the world’s largest Arby’s franchisee following its acquisition of 23 restaurants in the Knoxville, Tennessee, market from parent company Inspire Brands.

The deal brings the Indiana-based operator to 362 Arby’s restaurants across 20 states and expands its presence in East Tennessee. AES began with six restaurants in the Indianapolis and Lafayette markets in 2004.

Owner and CEO John Wade said the milestone brings added responsibility to employees, customers, and the communities where the company operates.

“Growth alone has never been our measure of success,” Wade said in a statement. “Our success is defined by the strength of our restaurants, the opportunities we create for our employees, and the experience we deliver to our guests. Becoming the world’s largest Arby’s franchisee is an extraordinary milestone, but it also brings an even greater responsibility to deliver on those commitments every day.”

AES is headquartered in Zionsville, Indiana, and was recognized as Arby’s Franchisee of the Year in 2019. The company said it plans to focus on integrating newly acquired restaurants, improving performance, and developing future leaders as it continues to grow.

Jay Bedrosian, president and COO, said the company wants incoming restaurant teams to benefit from the experience and support available across its portfolio.

“We want our restaurant leaders to have the support and direction they need to run strong operations, and we want every location joining AES to benefit from the organization behind it,” Bedrosian said in a statement. “We are building an organization designed not simply to grow, but to grow stronger.”

The operator also supports local nonprofits through the AES Restaurant Foundation, which allows employees to nominate organizations for grants. The foundation has raised nearly $7 million over six years, with donations awarded to the communities served by its restaurants, according to the company.

“Our restaurants are part of the fabric of their communities,” Wade said. “Our employees live there, raise their families there, and understand the needs of their neighbors. We want our success as a company to create opportunities not only for our team members, but also for the communities that support us. That responsibility becomes even more important as we grow.”

Source https://www.qsrmagazine.com/story/aes-restaurant-group-becomes-worlds-largest-arbys-franchisee/

 

Guac Mexi Grill Enters US, Plans 95 Units

The Canadian fast-casual Tex-Mex restaurant brand will focus on opening units in Georgia, South Carolina and Florida.

Guac Mexi Grill, a Canadian fast-casual Tex-Mex restaurant brand, has signed a 95-unit U.S. development deal, marking its entry into the American restaurant market. The 10-year expansion strategy will focus on Georgia, South Carolina and Florida. The first units will open in 2027.

Guac Mexi Grill is celebrating its 10-year anniversary after launching in Ontario in 2016. It has 55-plus units across Canada.

“Entering the United States with a 95-unit development agreement reflects our long-term vision for the brand,” says Trushna Makadia, CEO of Guac Mexi Grill, in the release. “We’re approaching this expansion with the same commitment to operational excellence and guest experience that has shaped our growth since 2016.”

Guac Mexi Grill offers customizable burritos, bowls, tacos and other Tex-Mex menu items. Its restaurant format fits traditional retail plazas, shopping centers, street-front locations and select nontraditional venues.

The brand says it differentiates its offering through house-made sauces, guacamole prepared in-store, fire-grilled proteins and an elevated industrial-modern restaurant environment. It says it combines the speed and convenience of quick-service dining with an emphasis on culinary preparation and guest experience.

Source https://www.fermag.com/articles/guac-mexi-grill-enters-us-plans-95-units/

 

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FOODSERVICE EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES

7 Industry Events To Note in 2027

Mark your calendar for these events geared toward foodservice equipment and supplies professionals.

As 2026 starts to come to a close, the foodservice equipment and supplies industry turns to what’s coming up in 2027. Note the following industry events:

Feb. 9-10
FCSI The Americas Symposium
Foodservice Consultants Society Int’l.
Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fla.
fcsita.org(opens in new tab)

Feb. 11-13
The NAFEM Show
North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers
Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fla.
thenafemshow.org(opens in new tab)

March 15-17
Multiunit Foodservice Equipment Symposium
Foodservice Equipment Reports
Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa, Clearwater Beach, Fla.
fermag.com(opens in new tab)

May 22-25
National Restaurant Association Show
National Restaurant Association
McCormick Place, Chicago
nationalrestaurantshow.com(opens in new tab)

Sept. 13-16
FEDA Annual Executive Leadership Conference
Foodservice Equipment Distributors Association
Omni La Costa Resort & Spa, Carlsbad, Calif.
feda.com(opens in new tab)

Oct. 3-5
CFESA Annual Conference
Commercial Food Equipment Service Association
La Quinta Resort & Club, Palm Springs, Calif.
cfesa.com(opens in new tab)

Jan. 30-Feb. 2, 2028
MAFSI 2028
Manufacturers’ Agents Association for the Foodservice Industry
Omni Amelia Island Resort & Spa, Amelia Island, Fla.
mafsi.org(opens in new tab)

Plus, stay tuned for dates for FER’s How To Spec Live 2027!

Source https://www.fermag.com/articles/7-industry-events-to-note-in-2027/

 

Corey Burns Joins Middleby as VP, Middleby Service

Burns brings 30 years of experience to the newly created role at Middleby.

Corey Burns has joined Middleby as vice president, Middleby Service. He brings 30 years of experience to the company, having worked throughout the foodservice industry in a variety of roles, including engineering, manufacturing, sales and executive levels.

In this newly created role, Burns will lead the development and growth of customer-facing solutions across the Middleby portfolio. These solutions include installation, preventive maintenance, connected kitchen monitoring, chain account engagement and other life cycle services.

“We are thrilled to welcome Corey to the Middleby Service team,” says Kevin Fink(opens in new tab), senior vice president of Middleby Service, in the release. “His diverse background and deep industry experience will be an asset as launch new service initiatives companywide.”

Source https://www.fermag.com/articles/corey-burns-joins-middleby-as-vp-middleby-service/

 

John Boos & Co. Promotes Smith to President

Patrick Smith has more than two decades of sales and commercial leadership experience, including over 15 years in the foodservice equipment industry.

John Boos & Co. has formed new strategic commercial and consumer divisions, and appointed new executive leaders for each.

On the commercial side, Patrick Smith—previously the manufacturer’s vice president of commercial foodservice sales—was promoted to president, commercial group; in this role, he will lead Boos Steel and oversee sales and production. During his tenure at John Boos & Co., Smith has forged strategic partnerships and strengthened relationships with key sales channel partners and chain-account customers, notes the release.

Industry veteran Mark Adkison joins as president, consumer group, leading the consumer business of both John Boos & Co. and JK Adams(opens in new tab).

Meanwhile, Greg Nuxoll has been promoted to lead the executive team through the new growth phase as interim chief executive officer and chief financial officer. Nuxoll has 30 years of finance and management experience, including over three years as John Boos & Co.’s chief financial officer. In his new role, he will lead the overall strategy, growth and evolution of the John Boos holding company, including its divisions and strategic brands, JK Adams and BK Resources.

“While we continue to honor our woodworking and steel manufacturing heritage, the way we serve and meet the needs of our customers has evolved,” Nuxoll says in the release. “By establishing two dedicated divisions, Commercial and Consumer, backed by shared services, we can focus on our expertise and accelerate innovation under a strong leadership team.”

Source https://www.fermag.com/articles/john-boos-co-promotes-smith-to-president/

 

Diversified Foodservice Supply Appoints COO

The parent company of AllPoints and TundraFMP welcomes Chris Cassidy as its COO.

Diversified Foodservice Supply has hired Chris Cassidy as its COO. He has more than 25 years of executive leadership experience spanning global supply chain management, logistics technology and operations.

Most recently, Cassidy served as president and CEO of ConData, a global freight audit and analytics firm. Prior to that, he was CEO of Mojix, a supply chain software company, guiding the business through its merger with Seagull Software. His career also includes time spent at GSK, UPS and Trax Technologies.

“Chris brings extensive operational expertise, technology experience, and a proven track record of leading and growing organizations,” says Lev Peker, CEO of DFS, in the release. “His background in global logistics and supply chain management will be instrumental as we strengthen our distribution capabilities, improve service for our customers, and position DFS for long-term growth.”

As COO, Cassidy will oversee DFS’s distribution, customer service, project management office, human resources and marketing operations. He’ll focus on driving accountability, strengthening operational execution and aligning DFS’s operating capabilities with commercial priorities to better serve customers and support continued growth.

DFS brands include AllPoints, TundraFMP, KNG, HoodFilters.com, Gaskets Unlimited and Espresso Parts.

Source https://www.fermag.com/articles/diversified-foodservice-supply-appoints-coo/

 

Gator Chef Appoints Purchasing Specialist

The Illinois-based dealership has named Henry Jones to the role. He’ll manage vendor relationships, optimize procurement processes and help drive operational growth.

Gator Chef, based in Lisle, Ill., has hired Henry Jones as its purchasing specialist. His responsibilities will include managing vendor relationships, optimizing procurement processes and helping drive operational growth.

Jones serves as a detail-orientated supply chain professional specializing in centralized operational purchasing and has been in the industry for over four years. From industrial warehousing to privatized corporate environments all the way to the federal government, he has been involved in various purchasing and logistics operations. His career includes time spent at Fermilab, where he worked as a procurement associate for the scientific enterprise computing team and strategic commercial purchasing teams.

Gator Chef recently earned a Gold Award for extraordinary service(opens in new tab) from FEDA.

Source https://www.fermag.com/articles/gator-chef-appoints-purchasing-specialist/

 

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TABLETOP & FRONT OF HOUSE

More than 1,000 Starbucks coffeehouses redesigned across the U.S. and Canada

Our coffeehouse uplifts are bringing softer seating, textures, beautiful artwork, greenery and local design touches.

As part of our Back to Starbucks plan, we began piloting new coffeehouse designs in Southern California and New York before expanding that approach to other cities, including Chicago. Our coffeehouse uplifts are bringing softer seating, textures, beautiful artwork, greenery and local design touches.

We want our coffeehouses to feel welcoming, where our customers will want to stay longer, connect more and feel at home.

Today, we’re scaling this work across North America, bringing redesigned cafés to more communities across the U.S. and Canada and expanding while building on the launch of coffeehouse uplifts in Mexico.

Since late 2025, we’ve uplifted more than 1,000 coffeehouses across the U.S. and Canada, reaching a major milestone in our effort to reinvest in the coffeehouse experience at scale. We’re now accelerating our pace with the intention of completing at least 1,500 uplifts by fiscal year-end 2026 and accelerating further in fiscal 2027.

This marks an important moment as we move from early test-and-learn pilots to a broader rollout focused on improving the coffeehouse experience and strengthening our role as a Third Place for our customers and communities.

More uplifts are now underway across a growing number of markets including Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Nashville, Orlando, Seattle and Washington, D.C., among others. In Canada, we’re working on uplifts in coffeehouses in Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary. In Mexico, we’re piloting uplifted locations across Mexico City, Monterrey, Acapulco and Ensenada, with plans for more locations as part of a broader reinvestment in the market.

Every uplift starts with the neighborhood and is tailored to reflect the community it serves. Here are some examples of what that looks like:

Austin, Texas

Serving a community with strong military ties, the 360 & Bee Caves coffeehouse was recently uplifted as part of the Starbucks Military Family Coffeehouse program. Thoughtful updates and community-inspired details help create a welcoming space designed to foster connection and belonging. The coffeehouse incorporates elements that honor military service while creating a warm environment where service members, veterans, military families and neighbors can gather and connect.

Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C

For 25 years, the Starbucks Capitol Hill coffeehouse has been a neighborhood gathering place in one of Washington, D.C.’s most historic communities. The uplift honors the area’s architectural character and national heritage while creating warmer gathering spaces designed to help customers connect and stay awhile. Locally inspired artwork, reclaimed wood floors and preserved architectural details reflect the neighborhood’s rich history, while layered materials and ambient lighting create a welcoming atmosphere.

Chicago, Illinois

The Chestnut & Spruce coffeehouse in downtown Winnetka, Illinois, near Chicago, blends local history with a refreshed coffeehouse experience. Located in a historic building originally known as “The Laundry,” the uplift preserves original brick walls, timber ceilings and other architectural details that connect the space to its past. New gathering spaces, enhanced lighting and locally inspired elements create a warm and comfortable environment while celebrating the character of the neighborhood.

Los Angeles, California

At the intersection of Wilshire and Santa Monica Boulevards, this Starbucks is rooted in one of Beverly Hills’ most iconic crossroads, a storied gateway that embodies the city’s enduring elegance. The uplift transforms the existing space through a balance of refinement and comfort. Painted brick walls become a backdrop for an installation by a local artist artwork, adding warmth, texture and a handcrafted quality to the interior. Signature Starbucks green accents thread throughout the space, while rugs, plush seating and velvet drapery soften the industrial architecture. Artwork inspired by the iconic palettes of Beverly Hills’ renowned retail destinations further grounds the experience in its surroundings, resulting in a coffeehouse that feels both elevated and effortlessly local.

Punta Norte, Mexico City

As one of the first coffeehouses selected for Mexico’s coffeehouse uplift pilot, Punta Norte helps bring the evolved Starbucks coffeehouse experience to Latin America and the Caribbean. Located within one of the Mexico City area’s largest shopping destinations, the uplift brings together comfort, warmth and a strong sense of place through inviting seating, layered materials and locally inspired artwork. A redesigned espresso bar brings customers closer to the craft behind every beverage.

A broader push to improve the coffeehouse experience
Coffeehouse uplifts are just one example of Back to Starbucks in action, translating investments in the customer experience into changes customers can see and feel.

These redesigns are part of a broader set of changes we’re making to improve the customer experience inside our cafés.

Alongside coffeehouse uplifts, we’ve rolled out Green Apron Service to create a more personal experience and improve service times, reintroduced ceramic cups and glassware for customers who want to stay, brought back condiment bars, expanded access to power outlets and more.

Together, these changes reflect a shift from pilot to scale — bringing a more welcoming, comfortable and connected coffeehouse experience to more communities across North America and beyond.

Source https://about.starbucks.com/press/2026/more-than-1000-starbucks-coffeehouses-redesigned-across-the-us-and-canada/

 

Four Ways Restaurants Can Protect Service Quality During the Holiday Rush

The holiday rush puts every part of the restaurant under pressure at once. More reservations and larger parties leave less room to recover when something goes wrong.

After more than a decade working with restaurant operators, I’ve learned that the busiest services are rarely won by asking teams to move faster. They’re won by making the right decisions before the dining room fills.

That preparation matters because diners judge service on more than speed. Lightspeed’s latest research found that 46 percent of American diners surveyed ranked order and billing accuracy as one of their top service priorities. Attentiveness followed at 41 percent, while speed came in at 35 percent.

Here are four ways restaurants can prepare for the holiday rush while protecting the accuracy and personal attention that bring guests back.

1. Plan Around the Reservations That Shape the Night
Large parties are expected during the holidays. What’s easier to miss is what time they arrive, and how many arrive at once. Ten two-tops arriving over an hour create a different kind of service from four large parties arriving within the same 15 minutes. The cover count may be similar, but the pressure on the kitchen and floor is not.

That is why it helps to use reservation data to look at booking by arrival time rather than covers alone. Once you can see where large parties cluster, you can adjust available booking times to spread them out. When that is not possible, prepare for the pressure by starting prep earlier or putting one manager in charge of pacing from the first seating.

Total covers tell you how busy the restaurant may be. The timing and size of those reservations tell you how to prepare.

2. Build a Holiday Menu the Kitchen Can Execute
Holiday menus often try to create excitement by adding choices. But every new item gives the kitchen another decision to make when consistency matters most. During a peak service, that added complexity can increase ticket times as orders begin to stack up.

Identify the dishes that sold well and that the kitchen could execute consistently at volume, then build the seasonal menu around those proven items.

For group bookings, a fixed family-style menu can make the kitchen’s workload more predictable while giving guests a sense of value. 32 percent of American diners said restaurant prices had made them more likely to share dishes or order fewer items, while 39 percent considered family-style dining good value for money.

Guests still want the holidays to feel distinctive. A fixed, seasonal menu can deliver variety without asking the kitchen to learn an entirely new routine during its busiest services.

3. Give Every Update an Owner
Busy services rarely fall apart all at once, they unfortunately begin to fray when information stops moving.

It starts with something small, like an order modification being missed, or an unexplained delay when the kitchen assumes the server has shared an update that didn’t happen. During the holiday rush, those small gaps can quickly create a negative guest experience.

Diners notice, and it leaves a lasting impression. Before the service starts, identify the handoffs most likely to fail and decide who owns each update. For example, for a delayed ticket, the team should know who is monitoring the timing, who alerts the server, and who updates the guest. The exact workflow may be different from one restaurant to another, but responsibility should never be unclear.

A prepared team cannot prevent every delay, but it can keep a delay from becoming confusing.

4. Protect the Attention Guests Value
Personal attention is often one of the first things lost when a restaurant gets busy. It can happen when managers are pulled into operational problems, while servers have less time to read a table and recognize when a guest needs something.

The same survey found that 82 percent of American diners consider personal attention from service staff the single most important aspect of their experience. During the holidays, protecting that attention means giving teams greater visibility into what is happening across the dining room.

Restaurants have always relied on instinct to manage the rhythm of service. The opportunity now is to make that rhythm more visible and repeatable without taking the human element out of hospitality. Digital tools use dining-flow data to help servers and managers follow each table’s journey, from the first drinks to the bill. By making pacing issues and slowdowns easier to spot, it can help teams keep service moving at the right rhythm while remaining attentive to guests.

The purpose of that preparation is simple: when the next rush arrives, the team should spend less time reacting to preventable problems and more time noticing what guests need.

Prepare Before the Pressure Arrives
The holidays test every part of a restaurant: the kitchen, the floor and the systems connecting them. Once the dining room is full, a missed detail or unclear responsibility becomes much harder to resolve. Most guests will not tell staff directly when something goes wrong. Only 36 percent of American diners surveyed said they would do so after receiving poor service.

That is why the operators who are best prepared for the season remove as much uncertainty as possible before service begins. Each decision made in advance is one the team does not have to make mid-service, leaving managers and servers more room to stay present with guests.

Speed will always matter during the rush. But diners rank accuracy and attentiveness above it. Protecting both when demand peaks gives guests a reason to return over and over again.

As SVP, Hospitality, Adoniram Sides manages Lightspeed’s global hospitality product portfolio, leading teams from North America to Australia. His leadership is backed by a solid foundation of experience in product development and technology with +10 years of experience building tools and providing data for the restaurant, hospitality, and events industries. Prior to Lightspeed, Sides led the product strategy and launches at Upserve, the leading fine dining software platform in the United States. He is a board member of the RI Hospitality Association and has an ongoing commitment to the Rhode Island community as a board member of the Rhode Island Hospitality.

Source https://modernrestaurantmanagement.com/four-ways-restaurants-can-protect-service-quality-during-the-holiday-rush/

 

Balancing Cleanability, Comfort, and Style in Restaurant Upholstery

Restaurant seating has to work hard. It’s exposed to spills, frequent turnover, repeated cleaning, and near-constant use, all while needing to support the ambiance and brand identity that keeps guests coming back. Choosing the right upholstery means balancing cleanability and durability with comfort and style.

Guests may not consciously notice upholstery performing well, but they will notice when it is not. A stained, cracked, sticky, or visibly worn seat can shape their impression of the dining room before a server reaches the table. The right performance textile helps protect that first impression while supporting the operational realities behind it.

The question is not which quality matters most. It is how to balance each consideration based on the way a particular seat and space will actually be used.

Cleanability Is Not Optional
Restaurant teams rarely have the time or resources to manage high-maintenance upholstery. Seating materials need to support efficient cleaning between guests and withstand broader sanitation protocols.

Before specifying a textile, operators should review its approved cleaning methods and determine whether they align with the restaurant’s actual maintenance routine. Useful attributes may include bleach cleanability, stain resistance, moisture protection, and the ability to withstand repeated cleaning without discoloration, cracking, or changes in texture.

Cleanability should be considered as part of the material’s overall construction, not as a surface-level feature. A textile may perform well after one spill but respond differently after months or years of repeated use and cleaning. Operators should ask how the material has been tested for long-term appearance retention, stain resistance, colorfastness, and exposure to commonly used cleaning products.

Sustainability as a Material Standard
Sustainability used to be a separate conversation from performance. Operators often assumed that achieving greater durability or easier maintenance required accepting materials with a less favorable environmental profile. Material innovation is beginning to challenge that assumption. Textiles incorporating recycled, rapidly renewable, or bio-based content are increasingly being engineered to meet the performance expectations of demanding commercial environments.

When reviewing environmental claims, operators should look for specific and verifiable information. What percentage of the material comes from recycled, renewable, or bio-based sources? Does it avoid chemicals of concern, such as intentionally added PFAS? Has it been evaluated for indoor air quality? Are its claims supported by recognized third-party certifications rather than solely by the manufacturer?

Third-party certifications and supporting documentation can offer insight into chemical emissions, material ingredients, manufacturing practices, and end-of-life considerations. While no single certification tells the entire story, independent verification can help operators distinguish measurable progress from broad environmental claims.

Where Comfort Meets Hospitality

Durability and cleanability address essential operational needs, but hospitality spaces must also feel welcoming. In areas where guests are likely to linger, including booths, banquettes, bar seating, and lounges, the tactile experience of the upholstery becomes especially important.

Comfort is not limited to cushion depth or seat geometry. Upholstery also shapes how a seat feels at first touch and over time through qualities such as softness, breathability, and flexibility. Soft-touch, residential-inspired performance materials are helping eliminate the assumption that durable upholstery must feel utilitarian.

Leather-like textures, refined grains, nuanced colors, and softer finishes are increasingly available in materials designed for daily commercial use. These options allow booths and lounge areas to feel connected to the restaurant’s broader design story rather than appearing to have been selected solely for ease of maintenance.

Comfort should still be evaluated alongside performance. A material used on a deep banquette must withstand the same food spills, repeated cleaning, and guest turnover as the rest of the dining room. The goal is to create a surface that feels intentional and inviting while remaining practical for staff to maintain.

Questions to Ask Before Specifying Upholstery

Durability, cleanability, comfort, and sustainability do not carry the same weight in every part of a restaurant. The right balance depends on the seat’s location, frequency of use, and role within the guest experience. Before selecting a textile, operators and design teams should consider several questions.

How heavily will the seat be used?

A dining chair that turns several times during a service may face different demands than a lounge chair occupied by one party for an extended period. Performance requirements should reflect the actual use of the seat rather than one blanket standard applied throughout the restaurant.

How will the material be cleaned?

Review who will maintain the seating, how often it will be cleaned, which products will be used, and how much time is available between guests. A strong specification should work with the restaurant’s routine rather than depend on an idealized maintenance process.

Which performance claims are most relevant?

Double-rub results can be useful, but they should be reviewed alongside stain resistance, moisture protection, cleaning compatibility, flexibility, colorfastness, and warranty coverage. Operators should also confirm that the testing method is appropriate for the intended application.

Are environmental claims transparent and verified?

Ask for percentages, certification documents, testing information, and clear explanations of material content. Terms such as “sustainable,” “green,” or “responsible” are most meaningful when they are supported by measurable evidence.

Where will comfort make the greatest difference?

Booths, banquettes, private dining areas, and lounge seating may warrant greater investment in soft-touch materials because guests interact with those surfaces for longer periods. Quicker-turn seating may call for a different balance of attributes.

How will the upholstery age?

A material should be evaluated not only for how it looks when installed but also for how it may respond to years of use, cleaning, light exposure, and contact with food and beverages. Long-term appearance retention can affect both the guest experience and the frequency with which seating must be repaired or replaced.

The most successful restaurant specifications do not prioritize one characteristic at the expense of every other consideration. They match the material to the work each seat must perform.

By asking for transparent testing, understanding how a textile will be maintained, and evaluating comfort and environmental impact alongside durability, operators can make more informed decisions. Thoughtful material choices help seating support the restaurant’s design vision, withstand daily service, and remain welcoming to guests over time.

Danielle O’Kane is Senior Director of Sales at Ultrafabrics, with more than 25 years of experience across commercial interiors and performance textiles. Since joining the company in 1999, she has held leadership roles spanning sales strategy, business development, customer growth, and market expansion. In her current role, she leads sales initiatives across the corporate, healthcare, and hospitality markets, working closely with customers, manufacturers, designers, and industry partners to understand market needs, identify opportunities, and develop strategies that support growth.

Source https://modernrestaurantmanagement.com/balancing-cleanability-comfort-and-style-in-restaurant-upholstery/

 

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FOOD & BEVERAGE NEWS

Why candy prices are scary high ahead of Halloween

Rising ingredient costs have prompted confectionery giants such as Hershey to broaden trick-or-treating options to include salty snacks.

High cocoa and sugar prices are giving consumers a fright ahead of Halloween and prompting more food manufacturers to lean into salty snacks as an option for trick-or-treating.

Halloween candy prices are up over 15% in 2026, according to an analysis from Groundwork Collaborative and the Century Foundation, or four times higher than overall inflation. Increased prices could prompt consumers to cut down on treats this year, with a LendingTree survey finding that 35% of consumers shopping for the holiday plan to skip out on candy.

Consumers are spending less on candy

Rising ingredient costs hit the candy and sweets industry hard, prompting many companies to raise prices at a time when consumers are already pulling back on spending due to widespread inflation. Approximately 65% of ingredient costs in the confectionery industry come from cocoa beans, sugar and corn syrup — all of which have faced supply shocks that have sent costs spiraling, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Extreme climate conditions in growing regions of West Africa created cacao shortages and prompted prices to reach record highs. Prices for U.S. products made from cacao increased about 144% from December 2019 to November 2024, according to the BLS.

A similar story has played out in sugar, where drought has led to lower supply out of Mexico, the largest source of raw and refined sugar imports for the U.S. Prices for sugar manufacturing increased nearly 44% from December 2019 to November 2024, the BLS said, while prices for corn sweeteners rose over 26% during the same period.

As companies grapple with the higher costs, many have moved to pass the price increases to consumers. Mondelēz sour gummy candy variety packs cost 39% more in 2026 than they did in 2025, according to Groundwork’s analysis, while Hershey’s seasonal Reese’s increased in price by over 23%.

Consumer candy prices rise as manufacturing costs mount
Producer price index, consumer price index and import price index for confectionery products

Beyond raising prices, companies have also introduced more packaging sizes at a variety of price points and changed formulations to rely less on expensive ingredients like cocoa. Many manufacturers have leaned more on fillings and wafers to reduce the amount of chocolate in products and respond to consumer demand for multi-textural experiences.

But some manufacturers have gone further than ingredient changes by repositioning their non-candy portfolio as an option for consumers during the spooky season. Hershey, for the first time, added salty snacks to its Halloween lineup this year, releasing fun-sized packs of Pirates Booty and Skinny Pop.

PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay took a similar approach, launching a Fright Night Mix of Doritos and Cheetos snacks to hand out to trick-or-treaters. The company also released fun-sized snacks under its NKD line that have no artificial dyes or flavors, giving parents a better-for-you option for the holiday.

Consumers’ enthusiasm for Halloween still remains incredibly strong, according to the National Confectioners Association, with 81% of Americans planning to celebrate this year. The group estimates that 85% of Americans say they’ll participate by handing out treats to trick-or-treaters.

The $55 billion confectionery industry generated $7.8 billion in sales during last Halloween, NCA said, up 5.9% from 2024. The four big seasonal holidays — Valentine’s Day, Easter, Halloween and Christmas — accounted for 63% of confectionery sales last year.

Hershey CEO Kirk Tanner said at a Barclays conference in September that in an inflationary environment, smarter innovation and execution will win consumers over more than pricing alone.

“It’s not about price discount and buy one, get one free,” Tanner said. “You have to win consumers over with the best ideas and core brand relevance.”

Editor’s note: This article has been updated with data from the National Confectioners Association.

Source https://www.fooddive.com/news/halloween-candy-inflation-2026-hershey-mondelez/833754/

 

Food and beverage layoffs accelerate

The sector has slashed close to 30,000 jobs as of September, up 76% from the same period last year.

Food and beverage industry layoffs accelerated in 2026 as companies struggled to adapt to declining consumer spending and a shift in eating habits.

Food producers have slashed a total of 29,693 jobs as of September, according to executive outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. This marks a 76% increase from the 16,835 cuts announced for the same time period in 2025.

The food industry accounted for a bulk of layoffs in August and September, according to the firm. Food producers cut 7,982 jobs in August, with a large portion of these losses attributed to Tyson Foods closing three facilities. Another 7,326 jobs at food producers were cut in September.

This month, multiple food and beverage giants announced facility closures and layoffs, including Nestlé, Guinness and PepsiCo.

Food Dive compiled a list of some of the biggest food industry layoffs over the last three months. Many companies say the closures are needed to simplify operations and better focus on areas ripe for growth.

Source https://www.fooddive.com/news/food-beverage-industry-layoffs-closures-increase/833710/

 

Nestle USA names top trends for 2027

ARLINGTON, VA. — A shift in the protein craze, the rise of fruity and zesty flavors and products with built-in premium additives are among the trends Nestle USA predicts will shape the industry in 2027.

The predictions come from Nestle’s 2027 Food and Beverage Trend Forecast, a collection of industry shifts the company foresees driving change in the food and beverage sector.

“We track thousands of early signals across conversations every year, and only a handful become meaningful trends,” said Linh Phillips, director, consumer insights and foresight, Nestle USA. “What’s coming through clearly is that value has become personal. Consumers are defining what’s ‘worth it’ on their own terms — whether that means more flavor, a specific benefit or an experience that feels made for them.”

The top trend in the predictions list is a surge of zesty flavors. Going hand-in-hand with the increase in consumers looking for spicy flavors, research found internet searches with the phrase “zesty foods” have jumped more than 130% year over year, while sales in the sour category have risen by 309% since 2022.

Nestle also predicts that protein isn’t going anywhere but is shifting into a complementary ingredient. Approximately 63% of consumers are committed to increasing their protein intake, according to the company, but the desire for multifunctional foods is changing how they shop. To meet this demand, manufacturers are expected to roll out protein-forward products that also contain ingredients such as collagen, probiotics and fiber.

The third trend prediction suggests that consumers will increase their consumption of fruit-infused coffee and matcha lattes. Nestle found consumer interest in fruit-forward coffee has highly increased, with Generation Z coffee drinkers saying they prefer to drink coffee with strong flavors. Research also found the matcha category is projected to hit $7.3 billion by 2030, driven by fruit-flavored innovations.

Choosing products inspired by global flavors was a leading trend in 2026 and is expected to carry over in 2027, according to Nestle, but the trend is becoming more focused. The report found that 66% of consumers are interested in experimenting with regional-specific variations of global cuisines. For example, consumers are 30% more satisfied with regional Mexican preparations compared to “generic” variations.

Nestle’s final prediction sees consumers turning to products formulated with an extra bonus that promotes a premium feel. Nestle found that almost 75% of consumers believe a product with extra ingredients and special touches in its formulation is worth the higher price point. Forty-five percent of consumers are consistently looking for new flavors and foods to try. Nestle predicts consumers will turn away from ordinary variations of a product to experiment with varieties that feature elevated presentations, bolder flavors and unique textures which, by 2027, will be “built in rather than added on.”

 

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HVAC & PLUMBING

Watsco residential equipment sales grow 7% on stabilizing market

The company reported growth in both residential unit volume and average selling prices during the third quarter

The residential HVAC market is continuing to stabilize following the transition to A2L products, according to Watsco.

What’s happening: North America’s largest distributor on Tuesday reported a seven percent year-over-year increase in residential equipment sales during the third quarter, including five percent growth in unit volume and a two percent increase in average selling prices. (Those figures reflect same-store sales, excluding acquisitions.)

On the company’s earnings call, Watsco VP of Corporate Development Rick Gomez said the five percent unit growth reflected a low double-digit increase on the “residential new construction, multi-family side of the market” and low single-digit growth in add-on/replacement (AOR).
That’s an improvement from the second quarter, when residential AOR volumes were flat year-over-year.
The big picture: “[W]e are closer to a trend line, but we are not quite at the trend line. Units are still, call it, 10 percent to 15 percent below where they were two years ago,” Gomez said, referring to AHRI shipments. “Those volumes today are where they were around mid-2018.”

“I think more importantly, we are still dealing with a consumer that is uncertain and unsure about the state of things,” he added.
State of play: Through the first three quarters, Watsco’s residential equipment sales are up four percent year-over-year on a same-store basis.

Of note: Watsco completed its acquisitions of Sun Belt-focused Jackson Supply and Northeast-focused The Granite Group in June and early October, respectively, adding 107 locations and $730 million in annualized revenue.

The Granite Group marks Watsco’s fourth acquired business that serves dual-trade HVAC and plumbing contractors.
Of more than 800 locations, 112 now offer both HVAC and plumbing products, with Watsco CEO Albert Nahmad saying that the company is “committed to growing in the plumbing market.”
Looking ahead: Executive Vice President Paul Johnston said the company is seeing “a lot of” metal prices going up, including steel.

“We really do not have a lot of indication yet from the OEMs on what direction they are going to be going,” he noted. “But obviously with the cost of freight, with the cost of metal, which is what these products are made of, we expect to have some price increases this fall going into next year.”

Source https://homepros.news/watsco-residential-equipment-sales-grow-7-on-stabilizing-market/

 

AHR Expo Announces 2027 Innovation Awards Winners

NEW PRODUCTS: From cooling and refrigeration to software, building automation and more, the latest group of annual winners will ALL be on display this January at AHR Expo in Chicago.

WESTPORT, CT, Oct. 15, 2026 – The International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo) has announced the winners of the 2027 AHR Expo Innovation Awards. Winners in 10 industry categories are chosen annually, representing some of the most innovative products and technologies available in the market today.

“The recognition of an Innovation Award winner is a notable achievement in the HVACR industry,” said Show Manager Jeff Stevens. “We’re honored to recognize the commitment, ingenuity and hard work of these manufacturers and the teams behind them as they bring new and inventive solutions to market. The Innovation Awards not only celebrate these accomplishments, but also serve as a benchmark for excellence, highlighting the inventiveness and dedication to solving the industry’s most challenging issues. It is a meaningful distinction of the work being done to move our industry
forward.”

Each year, the Innovation Awards draw hundreds of submissions from manufacturers showcasing breakthrough designs, never-before-seen solutions and meaningful advancements to existing products and technologies. Entries are carefully evaluated by a panel of third-party judges composed of distinguished ASHRAE members. Submissions are assessed based on overall innovative design, creativity of the product or service, real-world application and the potential to make a meaningful impact on the market.

“The Awards are an encouraging moment to see more manufacturers meeting industry challenges with creativity,” continued Stevens. “The winning products, along with all of this year’s finalists, demonstrate the HVACR industry’s ability to respond to critical demands and evolving challenges with innovative solutions to support the shared goals of energy efficiency, compliance, cost-effectiveness and improved equipment performance.”

An exciting benefit of flourishing innovation, and as result the rising number of entries to the Innovation Awards, is the ability to strengthen the industry through funding awarded to the AHR Expo Workforce Development program. A portion of entry fees is set aside to supplement programs offering HVACR academics. The program, celebrating its fifth year in Chicago, aims to trigger industry growth through experiences geared to inspire future members of the HVACR community.

Funds collected from the entry fees are donated to programming at the student level, including field trips to the show, curated introductions to professionals and manufacturers, equipment for hands-on learning in school laboratories, and monetary donations to student programs in the hosting city.

We invite you to learn more about workforce development on ahrexpo.com and encourage you to get involved.

Winners for the 2027 AHR Expo Innovations Awards:

BUILDING AUTOMATION
Winner: LumenRadio
Innovation: W-BACnet Compact
AHR Booth: S6049

W-BACnet Compact is the industry’s smallest wireless BACnet MS/TP cable replacement, enabling fast, reliable building automation retrofits without running RS485 wiring. Featuring snap-on installation, Bluetooth commissioning, auto-baud detection and LumenRadio’s interference-resistant wireless mesh, it dramatically reduces installation time, cost and disruption while preserving full BACnet interoperability.

Finalists: Delta Intelligent Building Technologies, Building Canvas (Booth S6129); Schneider Electric, EcoStruxure™ Foresight Operation (S6110).

COOLING
Winner: Thermal Energy HQ
Innovation: SkyRadiance
AHR Booth: N1056

SkyRadiance is a radical innovation in cooling, sending heat to the cold sky via the infrared spectrum. The combination of a passive radiative cooling film with TEHQ’s patented fluid management system creates a unique and capable active cooling solution.

Finalists: Johnson Controls, Inc., YORK® YK-HT Two-stage Centrifugal Chiller (S7510); Nu-Calgon, Cool Worx (Booth S6744).

HEATING
Winner: Eco-logical LLC
Innovation: Split System Heat Pump Water Heater, Omni Series
AHR Booth: N4616

The Omni Series Split system heat pump water heater is the first in the country that uses refrigerant between the heat pump and the tank. Available in a 120-Volt, 50-gallon tank, and a 240-volt, 50-gallon tank and Energy Star tested, the unit is to be the 2nd most efficient heat pump water heater in the country, with a UEF of 4.23. It is the only solution to install heat pump technology into the small closet of a mobile home, and works without cooling down the room because the heat pump remains outside.

Finalists: Copeland, Variable-Capacity Heat Pump Compression Portfolio (Booth 7110); Lochinvar, LLC, Regent™ commercial tankless water heater (S7564).

INDOOR AIR QUALITY
Winner: Kingspan Insulation LLC
Innovation: Kingspan KoolDuct® System
AHR Booth: S9359

The Kingspan KoolDuct® System is the first rigid phenolic pre-insulated ductwork system to be UL 181 listed as a Class 1 Air Duct. It integrates thermal insulation, air-leakage control and acoustic performance into a single lightweight assembly that helps improve HVAC efficiency, indoor air
quality and installation productivity.

Finalists: AtmosAir Solutions, Awair Omni (Booth S7594); MANN+HUMMEL Air Filtration Americas, VB2 RPX Elite & Ultra (Booth S7520).

PLUMBING
Winner: Milwaukee Tool
Innovation: M18™ Brushless Pipe Threading Oiler
AHR Booth: N2555

The M18™ Brushless Pipe Threading Oiler delivers the easiest, cleanest portable threading experience on the jobsite. The durable steel frame attaches quickly and securely to a pipe vise delivering unrivaled mess containment. This completes Milwaukee’s portable threading system,
now delivering disruptive productivity throughout each step in the portable threading process.

Finalists: Eco2 Systems LLC, SANCO2 Module (N1546); Viega, Viega Cleaned & Bagged Systems (N2124).

REFRIGERATION
Winner: Chemours
Innovation: HFO-1336mzz(E)
AHR Booth: S6734

A.I. and high-performance computing are pushing heat loads beyond the practical limits of traditional air, water, and even single-phased liquid cooling. Chemours’ Two-Phase Direct-to-Chip Liquid Cooling Fluid, HFO-1336mzz(E), is engineered for this new thermal reality: a closed-loop, two-phase cooling fluid that removes heat directly at the chip.

Finalists: Danfoss, Danfoss ACE (Advanced Control Edge) Convenience – Edge Refrigeration Control System (Booth N2510); HexaDense, HexaDense High-Density Immersion Pod (Booth N3721).

SOFTWARE
Winner: Rebar
Innovation: A.I. MEP Operating System
AHR Booth: N4129

Rebar is the first end-to-end operating system built for the MEP trades. Today, that work is spread across spreadsheets, PDFs, email threads, and single-purpose tools, with no single system built for how the trade actually operates. Rebar brings the whole workflow into one platform: full mechanical takeoff, pricing, bid management, and project management — a true system of record and system of action, effectively a business in a box for reps and contractors. Specialized A.I. agents power each step behind the scenes: one reads blueprints and specs to identify equipment and generate a bill of materials, another lets estimators edit takeoffs by describing a change in plain language instead of manually re-marking plans, and a third organizes incoming bid documents and routes them into the right workflow.

What once took hours or days now runs in just minutes, with the estimator directing and reviewing each step. Built from firsthand experience inside mechanical supplier offices, Rebar already covers estimating-to-bid end-to-end, and is extending into spec review, submittals, and full project management.

Finalists: Cool Calc Manual J (DCNE), Cool Calc (Manual D) Duct Design (Booth N3546); EffectiV, SelectiV (Booth N1231).

SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS
Winner: SPX Cooling Tech
Innovation: Marley® WaterGard Filtration System
AHR Booth: S6949

Marley® WaterGard™ is a water-saving membrane filtration system designed for evaporative cooling towers and adiabatic cooling equipment. The system pre-treats incoming makeup water by physically blocking and rejecting dissolved minerals commonly found in municipal water supplies, including chlorides, calcium carbonate and silica. This allows cooling systems to operate at significantly higher cycles of concentration (COC), reducing both makeup water demand and blowdown requirements. WaterGard is suitable for both new installations and retrofit applications and can be integrated with existing water treatment programs.

Finalists: Conifer, Conifer Cypress IE8-Level Rare-Earth-Free Axial Flux EC Motor (Booth N3615); Infinitum, Aircore EC+ (Booth N3160).

TOOLS & INSTRUMENTS
Winner: Belimo U.S. Inc.
Innovation: FSKN Remote Inspection Module
AHR Booth: S6149

Belimo’s FSKN Remote Inspection Module is a simple, cost-effective solution for periodic life safety damper testing. The FSKN initiates damper cycling, verifies damper position, and delivers digitally documented pass/fail results to a computer, tablet or smartphone. Integrating seamlessly with Fire Control Panels (FCP) or the Building Management System (BMS) using BACnet or Modbus, the FSKN is designed to meet periodic testing requirements of NFPA 80 and NFPA 105.

Finalists: DIRAK Inc., HVAC Heavy Duty Latch System with Emergency Release (Booth N4437); Thalo Labs, Gordon (N4024).

VENTILATION
Winner: EffectiV
Innovation: BREEZ Architectural Duct Diffusers
AHR Booth: N1231

BREEZ is an architectural perforated duct-diffuser system that transforms exposed round ductwork into the air outlet itself. Conditioned air is distributed through project-specific rows of precision laser-cut perforations rather than separate diffusers. Using an intuitive design platform, engineers
can model the room and complete duct layout in 3D within minutes. Each system is then engineered for its application by determining optimal perforation size, quantity, spacing, location, and discharge angle. The design considers room geometry, mounting height, operating temperatures,
and nearby windows.

Designers can visualize how the airflow travels through the room, including jet merging, collisions, surface interactions, occupied-zone velocities, and thermal buoyancy in heating and cooling. The system also calculates airflow performance, acoustics, and detailed static-pressure requirements. Each five-foot duct section is formed from a full sheet of metal after its unique perforation pattern is laser-cut, then rolled, welded, and powder-coated in the architect’s selected color. BREEZ combines supply ductwork, directional air diffusion, room-specific engineering, and architectural design in one complete system, supported by dimensional drawings and comprehensive performance reports.

Finalists: BVN AIR USA LLC, BDF 4” FireLock DEDPV 705 Dryer Booster Fan (Booth S9259); Duravent Group, Duravent™ FasNSeal® 80/90 (Booth S7744).

Experience Innovation in Chicago

One overall “2027 Product of the Year” winner will be announced in a special reception in Chicago. This prestigious honor, selected from the 10 category winners, is awarded based on exceptional leadership in HVACR innovation.

“As new market opportunities emerge and demands on the HVACR industry continue to increase, innovative solutions to existing and new issues create a pathway to industry fulfillment and excellence in the built environment,” said Kim Pires, AHR Expo. “The Innovation Awards give us a unique view into how manufacturers are responding, including where they are investing, what challenges they are collectively working to solve and how new technologies are evolving to meet the needs of the market.

“Each year, the entries provide a valuable snapshot of the movement taking place across the industry and the solutions being developed to pace HVACR forward.”

For more information about the awards, AHR Expo, and to register for free, please visit ahrexpo.com.

ABOUT AHR EXPO

The AHR Expo is the world’s premier HVACR event, attracting the most comprehensive gathering of industry professionals from around the globe each year. The show provides a unique forum where manufacturers of all sizes and specialties, whether major industry brand or innovative start-up, can come together to share ideas and showcase the future of HVACR technology under one roof. Since 1930, the AHR Expo has remained the industry’s best place for OEMs, engineers, contractors, facility operators, architects, educators and other industry professionals to explore the latest trends and applications and to cultivate mutually beneficial business relationships. The next show, co-sponsored by ASHRAE and AHRI, will be held Jan. 25-27, 2027 in Chicago, Ill, and is held concurrently with ASHRAE’s Winter Conference.

For more information, visit ahrexpo.com and follow @ahrexpo on X, Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook.

The AHR Expo is produced and managed by:

International Exposition Company, Inc.
15 Franklin Street
Westport, CT 06880
Telephone: 203-221-9232
Fax: 203-221-9260
Email: info@ahrexpo.com

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Media Contact:
Nicole Bush
203-226-9232
nbush@ahrexpo.com

 

HVAC buying indicator plunges, dragging down consumers’ economic views

An index measuring whether consumers think it’s a good or bad time to buy ‘major household items’ fell 18 percent month-over-month in October, the largest monthly decline in the past year

U.S. consumers’ outlook on buying large household durables — an indicator of HVAC purchasing intent — plunged in October.

What’s happening: A University of Michigan index measuring whether consumers think it’s a good or bad time to buy ‘major household items’ fell 18 percent month-over-month in October, according to data released Friday, marking the largest monthly decline in the past year.

Consumers’ assessment of current economic conditions also fell during the month, “driven entirely” by the drop in buying conditions for large household durables, per a news release.
The university cited higher interest rates and rising concerns about the affordability of such purchases as the driving force behind the decline.
Zoom out: Overall consumer sentiment in October fell just 0.2 percent from September, according to Friday’s data; however, it remains 10 percent below a year ago — and 15 percent below February, just before the Iran conflict.

Durables chart
Of note: Homebuying conditions also plunged during the month, with 85 percent of consumers indicating that it’s a bad time to buy a house. The share blaming high interest rates rose from 47 percent in September to 62 percent.

What they’re saying: “[A]bout 69% of consumers expect interest rates to rise in the year ahead, the highest since April 2023, suggesting that consumers anticipate further deterioration in buying conditions,” Joanne Hsu, the university’s survey director, said in a statement.

“These increases are seen across the political spectrum, with Republicans exhibiting the largest proportional rise,” Hsu said. “Similarly, consumers with no stock holdings or very small holdings also report increased concerns over the effect of high prices on their personal finances over the course of the year.”
Looking ahead: The University of Michigan will release its preliminary consumer sentiment reading for November on November 6.

Source https://homepros.news/hvac-buying-indicator-plunges-dragging-down-consumers-economic-views/

 

Yes, there’s an HVAC market for doghouses

It’s a “pretty recession-proof business,” says Ricky Jones of Blythe Woodworks

The U.S. this year had its hottest summer in 132 years of recordkeeping, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

What’s happening: Americans cranked the AC for themselves — and for their pets.

One August TikTok video showing three dogs enjoying an air-conditioned doghouse amid 100-degree temperatures went viral, racking up nearly 16 million views and two million likes.
Some commenters responded with pictures of their own fur babies’ air-conditioned setups.

The big picture: The global “insulated doghouse” market was valued at roughly $425 million in 2024 and is projected to reach nearly $690 million by 2033, according to market research firm DataHorrizon.

A swath of air conditioning products is marketed for pets, including Pioneer’s mini-split and Coolzy’s portable unit.
Zoom in: Homepros caught up with Ricky Jones, proprietor of South Carolina’s Blythe Woodworks, which bills itself as the “first dog house manufacturer to market air-conditioned dog houses.”

Jones — a certified welder, a licensed electrician, and a machinist — buys rough-cut lumber that he planes in-house, even making his own tongue-and-groove cuts. “These things are framed like your home,” he said.
He runs the business with his wife from their barndominium and sells about 275 doghouses a year, for “$1,000 all the way up to almost $8,000, fully rigged.” They’re shipped ready-to-assemble to 50 states and seven countries.
“If you walk into the office right now, underneath my wife’s desk are three dogs and a pig that walk to work every day with her,” Jones said. “And then we go home to three horses, five cats, and a sulcata tortoise.”
Go deeper: Blythe’s insulated doghouses come with a 5,200-BTU, 115-volt AC unit. Jones buys the private-label units from a U.S. distributor.

The setup includes a digital thermostat, a timer, and a built-in humidifier.
It’s almost overkill: “I wish somebody made smaller than a 5,000 BTU unit,” Jones said.
The doghouses can also be customized with a heating pad or a whole-house heater.
What they’re saying: Jones has dealt with lumber and freight costs that have tripled over the past ten years — and believes he’s “penalized” in Google search rankings because his website states that Blythe is a faith-based business.

“We do have some counties in California that require a building inspector to inspect the doghouse,” he noted.
Despite the challenges, “We’re in a pretty recession-proof business, because the two things you’re going to see on a checkout counter, no matter how bad the economy is, are a case of beer and a bag of dog food,” Jones said.
Of note: A dog’s normal body temperature is between 100.5 and 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit, and they can experience heatstroke at 106 degrees, according to PetMD.

Source https://homepros.news/yes-theres-an-hvac-market-for-doghouses/

 

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ENGINEERING, AUTOMATION, & IOT

How restaurant operators turn real-time AI insights into action during peak service

It’s 12:21, and the lunch rush is in full swing. The line curves around the room. Mobile orders are stacking up. Two voids just came in, and there’s a new comp from a catering mix-up. Oh, and the chicken salad just ran out. Usually, it’d take a trip to the back office to 86 the dish. The voids might not get caught until close or until the monthly P&L.

With AI, some operators keep up with the room and update their menu right from the floor. And they don’t just ask questions. They ask it to make changes.

In the 2026 Restaurant AI Report, Toast analyzed aggregated, anonymized Q2 2026 usage data from Toast IQ, the AI assistant integrated into the Toast platform. ¹ The data shows how restaurants use AI, what they ask, and what they change. The time of day shapes the story.

More than half (53%) of all prompts happen during the lunch and dinner rushes. Operators reach for help when things are busiest. Not just when there’s time to plan.

Turning AI insights into action
Sometimes the answer leads straight to a request for a change. According to the data, roughly 12% of menu and inventory queries ended in a request for a change to the restaurant. In fact, menu work accounted for 72% of all action requests on the platform. Updating item stock, which covers marking items in or out of stock, led the way at 31% of all action requests. Catch a sold-out item at the first order and you can 86 it before the next ten tickets hit. That keeps the menu accurate while the rush is still going.

Operators also ask AI to add new menu items, the fourth most common action request at 7%. Some use it to pressure-test a new item before it launches. Romain Bernus co-owns Le Petit Four Bakery, based in Wellesley, MA. The bakery opened in 2025, and the team wanted a menu that would turn a profit. Bernus turned to AI. “When we tested a seasonal Pumpkin Spice Latte, I was able to plug in the costs and daily volume, and Toast IQ showed us the margins,” Bernus said.*

The payoff goes beyond the moment. 86’ing an item right when it runs out avoids a stack of voids at close. And checking margins before a launch gives operators confidence in new items. “Toast IQ makes it easy to gauge profitability ahead of time, which gives me confidence when launching something new,” Bernus said.

Keeping a pulse on the floor
Most questions aren’t about the menu. Sales and revenue prompts accounted for 30% of all user-initiated threads on Toast IQ, while menu management made up 8%. This suggests that operators want clear answers about how they’re performing. Say that mobile orders run higher on Wednesdays than Saturdays. That tells you how to prep your staff and the kitchen.

Fast casual operators led on payment questions, directing 10% of their sales threads to payment and tender breakdowns, more than twice the fine dining rate.

Jose Mata, who manages operations at Fiesta Time Amigos Louisville, Kentucky, says sales queries come in handy during eventful weekends. “We use Toast IQ across all four locations. Our general managers use it most often for forecasting,” he said. “For example, they might ask it to predict what our sales will be on a weekend when there is an event going on in the city. From that, we can see whether we need more staff or to order more food.”**

AI answers the question, lets operators ask for the fix, and gets them ready for the next peak.

The takeaway for operators
While prompts cluster in the rush, there’s still room to capitalize on morning prep and nightly closeouts. Try a nightly close-out routine with three to five targeted prompts to set up the morning. Ask for a prep list built on sales data from the previous four weeks. Look at what got 86’d today and what got tossed, then adjust tomorrow’s par levels to meet demand.

Close strong, and set up tomorrow’s rush tonight.

*Results self-reported by customer. Individual results will vary.
***Results self-reported by customer. Individual results will vary. AI can make mistakes and is subject to the Toast AI Terms.

Methodology:
¹ This report draws on aggregated, anonymized Toast IQ prompt data from April 1 through June 30, 2026 (Q2 2026), covering U.S. restaurant locations only. Retail locations are excluded. The period includes all days of the week and all hours of the day. Figures are rounded to whole percentages, so they may not sum to exactly 100.

Prompts, queries, questions, and searches all refer to interactions a restaurant worker started, whether by typing a question or tapping a pre-set prompt on screen. This applies to every usage figure in the report, including the device split.

This report is an analysis of prompts: the questions and requests restaurant workers entered into Toast IQ. It does not measure whether any resulting actions were completed. Where the report describes actions, such as updating item stock, it refers to changes requested through chat, which are not confirmed as saved in the product.

Topic categories, sub-topics, and the loss prevention and menu groupings were assigned by keyword and phrase matching against prompt text, not by a built-in product taxonomy. Categories are therefore approximate, and a prompt touching more than one subject may be counted under a single category.

Source https://www.restaurantdive.com/spons/how-restaurant-operators-turn-real-time-ai-insights-into-action-during-peak/833695/

 

Fortis launches restaurant management system in UAE

The platform combines point-of-sale, kitchen management, inventory tracking, customer loyalty, and QR ordering in one system.

Point-of-sale (POS) and business software provider Fortis Digital Solutions has launched FortisOS for restaurants and cafés in the UAE.

According to a press statement published by Zawya, the platform combines POS, kitchen management, inventory tracking, customer loyalty, and QR ordering in one system.

It is designed for both single-site operators and businesses with multiple venues.

Orders placed for dine-in, takeaway, or delivery move through the same workflow. This removes the need for operators to use separate systems and logins for different order channels.

FortisOS also combines customer activity from QR ordering, websites, and in-venue transactions. It allows merchants to run loyalty schemes and identify repeat customers who have become inactive.

For customers who have opted in, the platform can prepare WhatsApp messages. It also tracks campaign performance and loyalty activity after messages are sent.

On the operational side, FortisOS updates inventory and margin data in real time.

At the end of the day, it reviews orders and payments, highlights exceptions, creates draft purchase orders, calculates tips based on configured rules, and closes daily accounts.

The system is hardware-agnostic and works on iOS, Android, and desktop devices. It supports LAN, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi printers, allowing venues to use existing equipment rather than proprietary terminals.

Fortis Group CEO Artem Zarubenko said: “Restaurant owners in the UAE don’t lack ambition but hours.

“Too much of their day goes to switching between systems, checking spreadsheets and reconciling the till, when it should go to their guests.”

Source https://www.verdictfoodservice.com/news/fortis-launches-restaurant-management-system/?cf-view

 

Ricoh USA partners with Hyphen to scale restaurant robotics

The arrangement covers Hyphen’s Automated Makeline, which is backed by Chipotle and Cava.

icoh USA has partnered with food-service automation company Hyphen to support the expansion of robotics in the US restaurant industry.

The partnership will use Ricoh Service Advantage, a lifecycle management solution designed to help emerging technology companies manage deployment and ongoing support as they expand.

The arrangement covers Hyphen’s Automated Makeline, which is backed by Chipotle and Cava.

The system receives orders from digital drive-throughs, online channels, and kiosks. It then prepares rice and salad bowls beneath the counter, while restaurant staff continue to serve in-house customers from the counter.

Hyphen’s technology is intended to automate meal production and support restaurant labour, with the aim of improving efficiency and profitability.

The automated makeline can produce more than 200 meals an hour. It also eliminates order defects and cross-contamination.

Hyphen’s CulinaryOS platform enables restaurants to create recipes in seconds, manage multiple digital orders, and support kitchen-specific tasks.

Ricoh North America vice president of service advantage Steve Sanders said: “Restaurant operators are turning to technology to improve the top line by delivering a differentiated and consistent brand experience, as well as the bottom line by driving down costs.

“Pairing Hyphen’s robotic solutions with Ricoh’s world-class service promise will enable more food-service providers to gain a competitive edge in a highly competitive industry.”

Ricoh cited the National Restaurant Association’s latest industry report, which found that more than 90% of restaurant operators view food, labour, insurance, and inflation-related costs as significant challenges.

Hyphen senior vice president of go-to-market Shawn Lange said: “While we’ve seen tremendous interest in the potential of robotic technology to improve operations and provide a superior, more consistent customer experience, the ability to scale has hampered traction in this industry.

“Our partnership with Ricoh is a game changer, enabling us to quickly ramp up, train, and implement solutions for restaurants that wish to deploy chainwide.”

Ricoh, headquartered in Tokyo, operates in about 200 countries and regions.

Source https://www.verdictfoodservice.com/news/ricoh-usa-partners-with-hyphen-to-scale-restaurant-robotics/?cf-view

 

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JAN/SAN AND DISPOSABLES

Danone joins Nestlé, Coca-Cola in revising recycling labels after EU greenwashing probe

The Evian owner committed to specifying what parts of its water bottles are made from 100% recycled plastics and refrain from misleading marketing claims.

Dive Brief:
Danone has agreed to revise the recycling claims advertised on its plastic water bottles in response to a greenwashing complaint filed by the European Consumer Organization (BEUC).
The food and beverage giant has joined Nestlé and Coca-Cola — also listed in the November 2023 complaint that alleged misleading marketing claims — in committing to specify that its 100% recycled plastic claims only apply to the body of the bottle and do not include the cap and label, according to a Thursday press release.
The three companies have also pledged to refrain from giving consumers the false impression of a closed recycling loop and to make sure their labeling and marketing does not mislead consumers on the environmental benefits of plastic bottles, the bloc’s consumer organization said.

Dive Insight:
BEUC, along with member organizations from 13 countries, reported Danone, Nestlé and Coca-Cola to EU authorities for allegedly making misleading commercial claims about the recyclability of their plastic water bottles in November 2023. At the time, the bloc’s consumer protection organization said the claims did “not comply with the EU rules on unfair commercial practices.”

Following the complaint, Coca-Cola announced last year that it would revise labeling practices for some of its products and put a disclaimer on its plastic bottles that clarified what portion of it is made from 100% recycled plastics. The soft drink manufacturer also said it would refrain from using green imagery such as a closed recycling loop on its bottles — a logo BEUC had flagged as misleading in its original complaint. BEUC alleged such images promoted “the false idea of environmental neutrality.”

Nestlé followed suit, committing to updating its plastic water bottle recycling claims in March. The European Commission said in a separate statement that it concluded its dialogue on modifying recycling claims with Coca-Cola and Nestlé in June 2025 and February 2026, respectively.

Danone is the last of the three water bottle manufacturers named in the original complaint to revise its recycling claims. The company is the second-largest producer of packaged water in the world and houses brands like Evian, Volvic and Aqua.

“Presenting a bottle as 100% recycled or recyclable is simply misleading and must stop, as must the green imagery that suggests that plastic drink bottles have no environmental impact.” BEUC Director General Agustín Reyna said in the Oct. 22 release. “Consumers need to be able to trust companies’ environmental claims.”

Source https://www.fooddive.com/news/danone-joins-nestle-coca-cola-revises-recycling-labels-after-eu-greenwashing-complaint/872777/

 

Conagra sheds light on sustainable packaging journey

CHICAGO — While food manufacturers are increasing investment in sustainable packaging, implementing and scaling this technology remains difficult.

Conagra Brands, whose portfolio includes Hunt’s, Orville Redenbacher, Marie Callender’s and more, shared its own sustainable packaging journey and what it takes to make going green successful during a session at Pack Expo, held Oct. 18-21 in Chicago.

Christine Daugherty, vice president of sustainability for the Chicago-based company, emphasized that sustainable solutions must still satisfy packaging’s critical functions — protecting food, maintaining shelf life, running reliably on equipment, standing out on shelf, etc. — to be successful.

“Sustainability is added to this list, never traded against it,” she said.

Every change in packaging must solve four tensions, she noted: product protection, operational feasibility, material and logistics, and external expectations, including regulations such as extended producer responsibility (EPR) laws. Daugherty noted this final tension has nearly become bigger than the other three.

“If you’re not addressing some of the challenges that states are imposing, you’re paying fees, and most companies don’t like to do that,” she said.

Conagra aimed for 100% of its packaging materials by volume to be renewable by 2025 but came up short, hitting 93% in fiscal 2024. Daugherty said this largely was due to packaging regulations and definitions changing beneath them, including once voluntary EPR programs becoming law and stricter requirements around material recovery and disclosures.

“If you’re not tight with the numbers, how you’re reporting them, there can be challenges from a legal aspect,” she warned.

Amidst tightening regulations, Conagra is operating under a three-part sustainability framework: reduce virgin plastic use, design packaging for recyclability and support end-of-life packaging infrastructure. The company is eliminating materials and lightweighting where it can, avoiding materials that impede recovery, and supporting collection and sorting capacity, Daugherty said.

epub_1020-Conagra_800x800_q72_webp_jpg.jpgSource: Sosland Publishing Co.
“We’ve all probably been frustrated with lightweighted packaging, bottles and other things that are just not quite as sturdy as they used to be,” she acknowledged. “But it’s a way that we can reduce that virgin plastic component.”

To ensure a sustainable solution will be successful at scale, Conagra brings together a cross-functional team to evaluate it, including engineering, operations, R&D, food safety and design. The company will then stress test the package on the production line, including with its most difficult stock-keeping units.

“Test, test, test, test,” she said. “I know that sounds painful, but the last thing you want from your company is to come up with this beautiful package, and then your food safety person says nope, your operation person says nope and your engineer that is running the packaging equipment says absolutely no.”

Only once a solution has proven it can run at scale while satisfying quality, safety and economic metrics will it be greenlit.

“Is it easy? No. Is it fast? Absolutely not,” she said. “But it’s much better to be able to say we’ve done all these things, and that once we have that product out there on the shelf for the consumer, it has met all our criteria.”

Daugherty offered an example of a sustainable innovation from Conagra that passed these criteria: its Evol and Gardein brand-pressed paper bowls. Conagra reduced paper material use by 31% per bowl, saving 126,000 lbs of paper annually.

“We were able to reduce the thickness and maintain product integrity,” she said. “We saved quite a bit on paper. We saved on transportation and packaging. This is an example of working with our partners, internal and external. We were really happy with the outcome of this.”

Source https://www.foodbusinessnews.net/articles/31227-conagra-sheds-light-on-sustainable-packaging-journey

 

Kinetic to Meet with Tissue Industry Professionals at Tissue Summit North America 2026

The industrial knife manufacturer will present its tissue industry expertise at Table E22, with representatives available to discuss cutting solutions and operational needs

The Kinetic Co. will participate in Tissue Summit North America 2026, taking place November 2–3 at the KI Convention Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The event will bring together tissue manufacturers, converters, suppliers, and industry professionals to exchange insights and explore opportunities across the North American tissue market.

With expertise in industrial knives and precision cutting solutions, Kinetic serves the tissue and nonwovens industry with products designed to meet the demands of converting operations. Its portfolio includes log saw blades, perforation blades, and other cutting solutions developed to support precision and consistent performance in industrial applications.

Beyond manufacturing, the company offers services such as blade grinding and sharpening, helping customers maintain their cutting equipment and support ongoing production requirements. Kinetic also provides stocked tissue and nonwoven products for immediate shipment from Wisconsin, alongside customized solutions tailored to specific equipment and processes.

During Tissue Summit North America 2026, Dan Shea, Tissue Product Manager, and Dan Zinser, Midwest Territory Sales Manager, will be available to meet with customers, discuss their operational requirements, and explore how Kinetic’s products and services can support their needs.

Kinetic will be located at Table E22, where attendees can meet with company representatives to learn more about its industrial cutting solutions for the tissue sector.

Additional information about Kinetic’s products and services is available on the company’s official website.

Source https://tissueonlinenorthamerica.com/kinetic-to-meet-with-tissue-industry-professionals-at-tissue-summit-north-america-2026/

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