Foodservice Equipment and Supplies

The idea of addition by subtraction is nothing new. In the case of Middleby Corp., however, the first seven months of 2026 have been defined in many ways by addition through subtraction. And this will impact its role in the foodservice industry in a variety of ways. When the calendar rolled over to 2026, Middleby consisted of three business units: commercial foodservice equipment, commercial food processing equipment and residential kitchens.

Hoshizaki America hired Matt Rigney to serve as manager of consultants and design – Eastern U.S. Prior to joining Hoshizaki America, Rigney worked as a national sales manager – East for Structural Concepts. In his new role, Rigney will support Hoshizaki America's Strategic Segments team and help strengthen relationships within the consultant and design community across the Eastern United States.

Operators sharpen their value propositions, the 2026 FIFA World Cup boosts business for U.S. bars, and Jersey Mike's files for its long-awaited IPO. These stories and more on This Week in Foodservice. Value remains the name of the game for restaurants seeking success in 2026. Through the first five months of 2026, customer traffic at restaurants is down 2.5% from last year, per data from Placer.ai.

Cura Hospitality made two personnel moves. The contract foodservice provider promoted Dr. Michael Williams, DBA, MBA, RD, CDN, FAND to vice president of operations and food strategy and appointed Jasmin Sonnet to safety manager. In his expanded leadership role, Williams will continue to support the clinical nutrition and culinary services, supporting the registered dietitians, registered technicians, and executive chefs across the sites Cura serves.

From wellness-driven menus to chef partnerships and all-day social spaces, operators are turning foodservice into a key driver of revenue and guest engagement. Hotels deal with the same challenges as restaurants: squeezed budgets, rising food costs and labor constraints. At the same time, consumers continue to travel, and they spend when they do.

Creating a specific space for carryout and delivery orders benefits on-site and off-site customers. Since the pandemic, more foodservice operators continue to carve out dedicated spots for burgeoning takeout and delivery orders. This is beneficial from both speed of service and overall customer experience perspectives. Off-premises has become a more important consideration as takeout, delivery and drive-thru orders represent a significant share of restaurant traffic today.

You might need to have passed an upper-level statistics class to fully grasp what’s going on with college and university enrollment trends. U.S. college enrollment rose 1% overall in 2025, per a report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. At public four-year universities, enrollment was up 1.4%, driven by a 1.9% jump in freshmen.

A look at some of the most pressing issues facing the service sector today. The service sector plays a crucial role in the foodservice equipment supply chain. Service agents see what equipment holds up under stress, offer guidance on new purchases and understand the small missteps that can make or, literally, break a piece of kitchen equipment.

For Dr. Everett, building a culture of excellence has inclusivity as a foundational cornerstone. “Inclusivity is critically important in higher education because we serve students, faculty, staff, customers and communities from all walks of life and around the world,” she says. “Each year we welcome a new generation of students with evolving experiences, perspectives and expectations. We have to continually listen, learn and adapt.

James Noonan was named chief executive officer for TriMark USA, a Massachusetts-based foodservice equipment and supplies dealer. Noonan replaces Terry O’Brien, who retired “in order to focus on his health and larger life goals,” per a company-issued release announcing the transition. O’Brien will act as an advisor to Jim Clough, TriMark’s chairman of the board, to ensure a smooth transition. Prior to his appointment to CEO, Noonan served as TriMark’s chief financial officer.