This past February, the show of shows for restaurant supplies was held in Las Vegas. It’s called the NAFEM Show. It’s held every two years. Restaurant supply manufacturers show off their latest gear to restaurant owners and suppliers like Restaurant Supply so we can see what the trends are and what’s on the market. There were over 500 exhibits for this show. Here are some of the highlights.
One trend was more touch screens and instructions to employees. There are pieces of equipment out there that can actually train your employees on how to use it properly. We’re not talking about pots and pans, but appliances like dishwashers and stoves.
Smaller refrigeration units are also getting very popular. Europe has a much larger selection of refrigeration units than the US, but that is starting to change as more imports come in. The use of propane as a refrigerant, also big in Europe, is catching on here due to its low carbon footprint.
You may be familiar with pod coffee units like Keurig. These are starting to reach the commercial space. Several vendors were offering commercial-scale pod coffee machines that can brew a single fresh cup in about 35 seconds.
