-By Bob Ingram

Per square foot, the amount of energy that kitchens consume is higher than any other commercial operation. This being the case, foodservice equipment manufacturers for the supermarket industry have been among the leaders in developing energy-efficient products, in many cases well before the fairly recent emphasis on green products and practices.

"We were green before green was cool," says Jim Gallagher, director of retail sales at Fort Wayne, Ind.-based AccuTemp Products, Inc. He adds that day one of the company in 1993 saw the pioneering of the connectionless steamer.

Gary D. Wright, national sales manager, foodservice and distribution at Bridgeton, Mo.-based Hussmann Corp., concurs. "Hussmann has been developing technologies that are environmentally sensitive for over 15 years. Hussmann introduced our proprietary distributed refrigeration system, Protocol, which was developed to specifically address environmental concerns through its capability to be placed inside retail environments much closer to the loads. Its distributed refrigeration design also offered reductions in piping, braise joints and refrigerant charge."

Caitlin Rodgers, director of marketing at Wisconsin-based Manitowoc Foodservice, pinpoints what she feels was the beginning of the demand for green foodservice equipment as such: "It started in California in 2005 with the California Energy Commission. The state utility companies would pay rebates on third-party verified energy-efficient commercial kitchen equipment. This program was designed to reduce the demand on the power grids, since foodservice operations are the biggest user of energy. Once California started a rebate program, the other state utility companies did the same."

Jumping into the conversation, Jenni Bair, LEED -AP marketing manager at Troy, Ohio-based
Hobart Corp., notes: "Foodservice and retail operations support sustainability efforts for a variety of reasons. Some are required by statute or regulation to limit the use of water, energy or other resources. Others see a need to reduce wastewater or solid waste from their facilities. Pressure from corporate management, shareholders, boards of trustees and constituent groups, including students or even customers, also motivates sustainability planning.

"Regardless of the initial motivation,” adds Bair, "what makes programs successful — and what ultimately leads to their continued adoption — is their return on investment. Using less energy and water lowers utility bills, for example, and has a direct impact on the bottom line."

Bair is well aware that "sustainability in food retailing and in foodservice is not just a passing fashion. Neither is it a checklist of components and activities that can be quickly accomplished and set aside for other concerns."

Thus, the greening of foodservice equipment and supplies is an ongoing process, as reflected in the research and development philosophies of manufacturers. At Manitowoc Foodservice, for instance, "[a]ll new equipment must meet or exceed established ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) or Energy Star guidelines," notes Rodgers. "Overall, [the] goal for any new product is to be 25 percent more energy-efficient than the current models."

She says that Manitowoc's latest green foodservice products are combi-ovens that cook in different modes and use less water, depending on the food being cooked. The company's new easyTOUCH Convotherm combi-ovens offer a touchscreen control panel for icon-driven menu development, as well as cleaning and operational instructions.

All Eyes on Efficiency

At Hussmann, Wright says the company looks at every new product development with "an eye on energy efficiency, and our customers' desire to use products that are environmentally considerate while reducing their energy spend. We introduced seamless evaporator coils to reduce refrigerant charge and eliminate the braise joints on traditional coil designs, significantly reducing coil leaks; high-efficiency (EPlus) coils; energy-efficient ECM fan motors; Eco-Shine LED lighting; Innovator II reach-in doors; and other new products to address our customers' concerns for energy costs and green concerns."

Hussmann's most recent introductions, continues Wright, include an expanded Protocol refrigeration system, now capable of up to eight compressors; the high-efficiency ProtoChill models; and Eco-Shine LED Lighting, which is available on both Innovator II Doors and upright open-air glass-door reach-ins.

Bill Huffman, VP of sales and marketing for Master-Bilt, says that the New Albany, Miss.-based maker of refrigeration systems "recognizes the growing trend and demand for green equipment solutions. We are always looking for ways to provide products that will help our customers reap the environmental and economic benefits of energy-efficient equipment."

Among Master-Bilt's energy-saving equipment and technologies are LED lighting that's available on several models of glass door merchandisers, MRS series modular multi-compressor refrigeration systems that have been modified to save even more energy and reduce in-store heat and noise in foodservice operations; parallel-rack refrigeration systems that are multi-compressor refrigeration units piped in parallel to yield smooth capacity control as compared with a single compressor unit; the Endura line of foodservice equipment, with many models Energy Star and California Energy Commission certified; and Master-Bilt's Master Controller with patented Reverse Cycle Defrost for walk-in refrigeration systems, which offers up to 27 percent energy savings.

Adds Hobart's Bair, "In an effort to inform foodservice and food retail operations how to initiate their own sustainability programs and the benefits they provide, Hobart sponsors and participates in numerous webinars that feature specific examples of Energy Star-rated equipment and its return on investment, how to earn LEED points, and best practices."

One of Hobart's latest green products is the patent-pending Hobart AM Select Ventless
warewasher that Bair says can result in savings of more than $5,000 in energy recovery, reduced HVAC use, and the elimination of a vent hood and fan installation. Another is the
Hobart WastePro 1200, which reduces waste by as much as 88 percent and can save more than $17,000 a year. It recycles up to 66 percent of water compared with disposer systems and reduces the need for fresh water when used with the optional SWS40 transfer pump.

A Better Pizza Box

Foodservice supply manufacturers are in the green game, too. "Green is our business," affirms Rosetta Mitchell, CEO of New York-based FoodBizSupply.com, the first nationwide online source for the GreenBox pizza box, environmentally friendly pizza-to-go packaging that received a positive review on Twitter from actor/Tweeter Ashton Kutcher.

Made from 100 percent recycled post-consumer content, the GreenBox top perforates into four rectangular "plates," eliminating the need for paper plates or the energy/water usage from cleaning regular plates. The bottom folds into a leftover container that takes up 50 percent less space, simplifying refrigerator storage and disposal. Initially offered in a 16-inch size with 10-, 12- and 14-inch sizes soon available, the GreenBox comes with a signature logo, while custom printing is also available.

At the beginning of a new decade, foodservice equipment and supplies manufacturers continue to look at their world through green-colored glasses — and the larger world is better for it.