Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/72524
2012 NRA Show continued wave of offerings have foreign components that are unlikely to be sold here. Forget NSF, UL, or other domestic approval processes. • Some of these products will end up as private label prod- ucts sold by your competitors,particularly when the products are sold online. TheAge of the Mini Combi Every few years a new product category emerges and migrates from a niche product to the mainstream.A few years ago it was induction ranges, speed ovens and boiler-less coun- tertop steamers.This year the product that I believe will turn out to be a blockbuster category is the mini combi. European mini combis have been available from Cleveland, Eloma and Henny Penny for a few years and have recently adjusted their capacity and dimensions for the US market, plus added vent- less capabilities.Alto Shaam's roll out of their new American made CT Express mini combi moves this product into the mainstream. In the newer cafes, food courts and fast-casual restaurants in Europe, chances are you will see one of the European mini combis right behind the service line, often in a ventless con- figuration. Like their bigger brothers, the full-sized combis, the minis are truly a"kitchen in a box. " The product literature and Mini Combi's like the one manufactured by Alto Shaam (pictured) are poised to make the transition from niche markets to the mainstream, predicts Foster. Like their fullsized counterparts, minis are "truly a kitchen in a box," he says, and offers end users the versitlity to broil, steam, bake and even fry. menu programs offer such wonders as the ability to broil, steam, bake and even fry. Whereas the larger combis were sold mostly in institutional STONE HEARTH & SPECIALTY CommercialCooking Equipment Discoverwhy over 10,000 ovens, rotisseries, charbroilers, tandoors, and planchas have been sold in 75+ countries around theworld. woodstone-corp.com info@woodstone-corp.com tf !""# %!!&!'"( ) t (360) 650-1111 settings for volume cooking, the minis are perfect for just-in- time food finishing for serving hot food lines,small-batch cook- ing for à la carte restaurants and cafes and bistros with tiny kitchens,even those with no grease hood. And the cost is just a small amountmore than convection steamers or speed ovens with comparable capacity. If you have a test kitchen, I would recommend adding one of these units to demo these amazing units to your customers. Healthy Eating From the theme of Bill Clinton's keynote address to the "healthy eating" section of the show (with over 100 vendors devoted to vegan, gluten free and healthy foods), there is a huge push for health conscious food offerings.Your customers will be looking for any equipment that can produce or finish what is perceived as healthier cooking—a new age for Panini machines, steamers, combi ovens, etc.This will have a signifi- cant future impact on the number and size of fryers in a kitchen. continued on page 30 24 FEDA News & Views