Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/540646
22 FEDA News & Views Foster Frable Trends and Favorites from the 2015 NRA Show By Foster Frable Jr., Clevenger Frable LaVallee fosterf@cfldesign.com The NRA Show by the numbers: There were more than 2,000 exhibitors and 44,000 attendees who needed three full days to explore three fully occupied exhibit halls. For the first time in many years, the original Lakeside building was used for exhibit space. For those who remember back in the 70's and 80's, the entire NRA Show was in this one building. Times have sure changed in our industry. Below is a list of current and future trends, and some of my favorite products. Equipment that Trains Your Employees Several manufacturers introduced enhancements to equipment that train and guide users through menus, cook- ing and cleaning. The expanded use of touchscreen video display screens has provided the opportunity for manufac- turers to add multilingual guidelines and "how-to" directions on everything from step-by-step recipes (preloaded by the operator) to graphic enhancement instructions for operating and cleaning equipment. Front-of-the-house bever- age dispensing equipment has similar enhancements for end users, making it much easier to operate a self-service bean-to-cup or espresso maker. A great example was the CookTec StepXStep. The display on this special high-power induction range not only guides the user through timing and tem- perature, it also details each step and indicates which ingredients to add. Another good example is the GreenEye and GreenCoach system offered by Meiko on their larger dishwashers. Each guides the operator toward the most efficient loading and then directs the water and rinse spray to the specific sec- tion on the belt/rack, where the dishes are located. Refrigeration Sized to Fit All Needs Several new refrigeration sizes and configurations greeted attendees. A number of missing market niches and sizes, long available in Europe, had been absent from the U.S. refrigeration mar- ket. Although many of these new mod- els were developed for specific chains, they benefit any operator, particularly those in need of smaller-sized units to fit kiosks and micro-kitchens. My favor- ite was an 18-inch-wide counter-top refrigerator (or freezer) from Silver King. Available with doors or drawers, this unit fits perfectly next to a fryer with a dump station on top, or in a space used by a spreader or speed rack. Hydrocarbon Refrigeration Energy-saving "R-290 Refrigerants" (also known as propane) for commercial What's Trending? Customization for Specific Requirements With chain restaurants growing at a rapid pace, manufacturers have been actively designing new products to address related needs. To satisfy the wide variety of menus and operating styles of these chains, manufacturers appear to be willing to develop products with more flexibility and a diversity of sizes and options. The "take-it-or-leave- it" attitude of the past appears to be improving.