Foodservice Equipment, Technology Wows at 2023 NACS Show

An array of foodservice equipment and technology was on display at the 2023 NACS Show in Atlanta last week.

From coffee machines to fryers, there was plenty on display—and being examined.

Click through to read more …

Springfield, Illinois-based Bunn’s bean-to-cup Premia machine brews fresh coffee on demand, eliminating individual grinding time. The retailer selects how much brewed coffee they want ready based on customer traffic flow, reducing waste during slow dayparts. The machine holds up to 1 gallon of coffee, featuring a drip-style flavor profile, ready to be dispensed. It serves iced and hot coffee.

Buffalo, New York-based Rich Products f’real B7 Blender lets retailers add shakes and smoothies to their menus without putting a strain on labor. The back-of-house turnkey program includes a blender, 16-ounce cups and nine premade milkshakes, smoothies and frappe formulas. There’s no need for measuring, scooping or pouring, and the blender operates at the push of a button. Select a flavor from the freezer, remove the lid, push a button for blending and serve.

Eden, Ohio-based Henny Penny’s low-oil-volume F5 Open Fryer includes a new touch-and-swipe screen and is electric only (no gas). The filtration cycle takes three minutes for a 30-pound vat of cooking oil; the machine is then ready to cook again. The interface includes built-in help guides that can cut initial training by as much as 50%. Shown here with mineral oil for demonstration purposes at the show. Cooking oil normally would be in the fryer.

International Delight’s Creamizer M405 bulk coffee cream machine dispenses half and half, whole milk, French vanilla and hazelnut. The touchless four-head machine holds 96-ounce bags, one for each offering. International Delight is owned by Broomfield, Colorado-based Danone North America.

Mundelein, Illinois-based Carter-Hoffmann’s heated merchandiser keeps food crispier for longer via bottom conduction heat and top convection heat. Customizable LED displays include a large display over the top shelf as well as smaller displays beneath each shelf for merchandising individual choices. Rear touchscreen controls are programmable, and the unit preheats to 155 degrees in 20 minutes.

Atlanta-based Coca-Cola’s Flex machine reduces operational complexity while offering more than 40 beverage choices available in the same footprint as standard six-valve fountain dispensers. Flex uses crafted recipes with micro-dosing pumps and proprietary PurePour technology to dispense the proper ingredients at the point of pour. It features a 15-inch high-definition touchscreen display, and a new user-friendly interface improves accessing inventory alerts and offers quicker diagnostics and improved ergonomics. The small, eco-friendly SmartPAK cartridges are easy to change and take up less space than traditional bag-in-box syrup.

The Schaerer Soul C bean-to cup machine, the successor to the Coffee Art machine, is less wide (12 inches versus 18) and has a bigger display screen (12 inches versus 7 inches), allowing retailers to include more information. It’s the Zuchwil, Switzerland-based company’s first complete daily self-cleaning machine, able to hold enough powder for 300 days of cleaning. Magnets hold panels together for easy access for servicing, and biodirectional telemetry allows wireless recipe changes and graphics.

Delray Beach, Florida-based Fresh Blends’ FreshBlender Plus includes a built-in cleaning system. Called Advanced Sanitation, the new system completes the daily and weekly drain and periodic cleaning routines automatically. These cleanings can be scheduled during low-demand time periods to eliminate disruption to customers. Fresh Blends, powered by Multiplex, offers self-serve healthy, refreshing and convenient beverages in seconds.