Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1037828
Summer 2018 29 In the foodservice market, the ice made today is essentially the same as it was two decades ago. The machines may be getting faster and more effi cient, but consumers are still choosing from cubed, crushed or fl aked ice. However, as Hoshizaki America continues to evolve the inside of its ice making equipment, it also has begun to rethink the ice itself. The company has long been recognized by its crescent moon-shaped cubes, however, restau- rants and bars are increasingly asking for differ- ent shapes. The popularity of chewable ice has risen considerably in recent years, especially in the QSR segment. High-end lounges are now ask- ing for a machine that makes square cubes that are more suitable for brandies and scotches. The shape of the ice helps set those cocktails apart as a luxurious drink worthy of a $15 price tag—which carries a higher profi t margin for the operator. "All these mixologists are looking for the next greatest way to offer their customers a new experience," Vice President Gary Weyhausen says. "We're going to continue to look at different shapes of ice and we are going to release new models refl ect- ing those shapes going forward." While the company develops machines that pro- duce new ice shapes, its latest product launch will address the bar area in a different way. In August, Hoshizaki released a full line of glass door cases for storing chilled beer bottles and a direct draw system for pouring draft beer—innovations that could easily fi nd themselves disseminated throughout the global market. Hoshizaki America is the North American branch of a Japanese com- pany with manufacturing facilities and collabora- tive teams all around the world. It's common for a breakthrough in the United States to be shared in other markets, and the increasing demand for ice machines worldwide will only further propagate the Hoshizaki name. North America has long led the world in the demand for ice—as serving ice cubes in drinks is less common in European restaurants. Now, it is becoming more common overseas as fast-food chains expand to foreign markets and bring along their serving standards. That trend is refl ected in the anticipated growth of the global ice maker market, which was valued at $4.1 billion in 2017, according to an IMARC Group report, and is pro- jected to reach $5.9 billion by 2023. "We're seeing the world become more as one," Weyhausen says. "You're seeing more American concepts show up in Europe." Effi cient and Reliable The process of making ice may seem straight- forward—just freeze water—but these days not all ice is the same. Hoshizaki's equipment is designed so that ice is made on both sides of a stainless-steel evaporator, allowing it to produce twice as much ice using the same amount of ener- gy as machines that run water over a grid of cells to make ice, which is a more common process in ice machines. "Competing equipment has to work GARY WEYHAUSEN Hoshizaki America "We're seeing the world become more as one." By Tim O'Connor, Associate Editor tim@feda.com