Innovative beverage equipment aims for zero waste, efficiency and convenience
Five beverage products from NAFEM meet the natural foods industry’s demand for labor savings and self-serve convenience.
Fresh blenders create self-serve beverage options for restaurants, universities, convenience-stores and office complexes—and they popped up numerous times at the conference. Show organizers highlighted Multiplex’s Fresh Blender as a game-changing device, as it produces coffee shakes, frappés and fruit smoothies. Multiplex, a division of Welbilt Inc., has seen the demand for self-serve blenders in convenience stores because it cuts down on labor costs. Multiplex representatives said select Kwik Trip and Circle K stores use the product, along with about 30 7-Eleven stores in Dallas, Texas; Portland, Oregon; and Hawaii.
This customized cocktail dispensing tap system was developed for an independent restaurant in Boulder, Colorado, known for its “potion” cocktails. Shine Restaurant and Potion Bar needed a tap system for its signature elixir drinks made with ingredients such as lemon juice, honey, ginger root and basil. The draft system needed to work without ingredients settling at the bottom of the keg. Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based Perlick Corporation developed this dispenser system, which circulates the ingredients without ruining the integrity of the cocktail. The self-contained system also creates more space behind the counter.
At NAFEM, this Hamilton Beach Brand product was recognized as a gamechanger for Irvine, California-based Yogurtland. The frozen yogurt chain saw a need to expand its menu with drinkable desserts. In keeping with Yogurtland’s self-serve model, Hamilton Beach created an easy-to-use, self-serve machine for custom yogurt blend. It requires no new product development as Yogurtland uses existing menu items to create the smoothie drinks. So far, test stores have seen sales increase 3 percent year over year, Hamilton Beach said. Representatives for Hamilton Beach said select Dairy Queen restaurants are using the machine for the company’s Blizzard blended ice cream treats.
Chilled sparkling water is not just a fine-dining staple. Now, though, a wide range of food-service providers who are looking to reduce their use of plastic bottles can offer it as well. Benefiting from that trend are companies such as Natura Water and Vero Water, both of which offer systems that filter and chill still and sparkling waters. Both companies said business is booming especially at hotels, resorts and universities. Vero’s bottles have been specially designed for reuse and simple cleaning, durable enough to withstand daily washing in industrial dishwashers. A specially designed, machine-washable plastic bottle is also available for poolside service, according to the company’s website. Natura said colleges are also offering self-serve tap systems for staff and students including University of Maryland, Villanova and University of Massachusetts. Employees at Google also use the system.
This jarless blending system by Blendtec allows operators to create single serve drinks directly in a cup. The two-year old system is being adopted by small independent juice bars and some Whole Foods Market stores because it eliminates the waste involved with blending fruit smoothies in a jar. Blendtec sales manager Bill Brown said jars typically waste 1 ounce to 2 ounces.
This jarless blending system by Blendtec allows operators to create single serve drinks directly in a cup. The two-year old system is being adopted by small independent juice bars and some Whole Foods Market stores because it eliminates the waste involved with blending fruit smoothies in a jar. Blendtec sales manager Bill Brown said jars typically waste 1 ounce to 2 ounces.
Self-serve frappé machines. Blenders that mix yogurt in a cup. In-house water-filtering systems. These innovations aim to help retailers and food-service establishments satisfy consumer demands for convenience, reduce waste and increase sales.
Take a look at these products displayed this month at NAFEM (North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers) conference in Orlando, Florida, which hosted 600 companies from across the country and 20,000 visitors over three days.
Reporting for this piece originally appeared on Nation’s Restaurant News, a New Hope Network sister website. Visit the site for more foodservice industry business intelligence.
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