Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1037828
50 FEDA News & Views prepare different kinds of food dur- ing different times of the day. I was recently at the SHFM [ the Society for Hospitality and Foodservice Management] conference in New York and the entire program was dedicated to the concept of flexible space and the use of technology and how they marry together." While there, Nackley moderated a panel that explored the impact of space and workflow efficiency and other issues currently redefining workspace configuration strategies, such as operators' desire to pro- vide consumers with varying menu options, essentially "on demand." More choices and more menus mean more inventory, "and differ- ent inventory," says Nackley, "which requires efficient workspaces for quick changeovers. And, what we've heard time and time again [from operators] is that there's never enough space in the kitchen," he says. "Space is very expensive, especially in large cities, so they want to use the space they have for multiple purposes." That means design- ing with a focus on getting the most out of pockets of space and planning how that space will complement certain menus—not to mention crank up productivity with the addition of flexible equipment, like dual- temperature food wells, combi ovens and Metro's PrepMate™ MultiStation. "Chefs were telling us that they needed additional worksta- tions," says Nackley, "meaning something that they could roll out during peak times of the day, when they needed more space to pre- pare their meals, and that led us to explore the need for PrepMate." Designed to overcome space con- straints, transport product and serve as an additional worksurface in nar- rowing footprints, Metro's PrepMate is among a series of solutions that have come out of the manufacturer's innovative pipeline—which Nackley notes has been on hyper-drive the last few years. Since the NAFEM Show, new entrants into the market include the Metro Max® 4 storage system and its C5® 4 Series of ther- mal holding and transport cabinets. "Our innovation pipeline is extremely robust and relevant to key market needs, and I think being a part of the Ali Group has contributed to that vitality," says Nackley. "We're encouraged, challenged and moti- vated to have new ideas come to the market quickly." A product of the want-it-now movement, the Mightylite™ insulat- ed food carrier line is one of Metro's more recent offerings. "Everything is being driven by convenience, which is driving technology and the culinary habits of many people," says Nackley. After considering the current landscape, and the push by more restaurants to jump into the growing home-delivery and catering market, "we saw an opportunity to fulfill a need," he says. "Pan carri- ers were very bulky and heavy, and once you put food in them, many approached 80 to 100 pounds. They were very difficult to carry and often took two people to transport them." Ranging from four to 11 pounds, MightyLite is made from EPP (expandable polypropylene), an engineered plastic foam that is char- acteristically lightweight, yet durable and highly insulative, which enables it to sustain temperatures for hours. "It's easier to carry and more ergo- nomically-friendly than the previous product," says Nackley. "Now, one person can carry it, which translates to better use for the people that are handling the food deliveries." Changing an Industry Double-digit gains in restaurant deliveries is changing the food- service industry. Operators are revamping menus to select foods and ingredients that travel well over longer distances and retrofit- ting kitchens to accommodate the increase in online/digital orders. Off- premise is causing similar waves, says Nackley, referring to the need for additional space to store ingre- dients, prepare to-go items, as well as to store and display prepared meals. "It's influencing design and aes- thetics in the market," he says, "and we've utilized many of our open and closed storage solutions, as well as custom-engineered solutions with integrated technologies, accesso- ries and marketing signage, to help customers adapt to the off-premise foodservice trend." ■ BUILT WITH FLEXIBILITY AND SANITATION IN MIND, THE METROMAX 4 SHELVING SYSTEM CAN TRANSPORT UP TO 600 POUNDS, AND HAS REMOVABLE SHELVES AND MATS FOR EASY CLEANING.