Month: February 2015

The International Foodservice Manufacturers Association (IFMA), a trade association established in 1952 comprising more than 300 of the world's most prestigious food, equipment and supply manufacturers and other organizations that support the foodservice industry, announced six officers and six new directors have been elected to the 2015 Board of Directors. …

The Manitowoc Company, Inc. (NYSE: MTW) (“Manitowoc” or the “Company”) today announced that its Board of Directors has approved a plan to pursue a separation of the Company's Cranes and Foodservice businesses into two independent, publicly-traded companies. The Company currently anticipates effecting the separation through a tax-free spin-off of the Foodservice business and expects the spin-off to be completed in the first quarter of 2016, creating two separate, industry-leading companies with distinct enterprise strategies. …

According to Technomic's Future of FSR: Family & Casual Dining Consumer Trend Report, family and traditional casual-dining restaurant visits are threatened by the growing fast-casual sector, which now rates competitively when it comes to food quality, but is perceived to offer better value and greater convenience. At the same time, higher-income consumers are being drawn to upscale casual-dining chains by the promise of a unique experience. …

The Women's Foodservice Forum (WFF) announced today that industry icons Buffalo Wild Wings CEO Sally Smith, Coca-Cola Chairman and CEO Muhtar Kent and McDonald's CEO Don Thompson will keynote the 2015 WFF Annual Leadership Development Conference to be held on March 8-11, 2015 at the Orlando World Center Marriott in Orlando, Florida. The lineup of renowned thought leaders will also include best-selling author Daniel Pink and long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad. …