Manitowoc Foodservice was named Vendor of the Year by the Subway restaurant chain during the brand’s 50th Anniversary Convention recently in Las Vegas, Nevada. This award was given in recognition for the hard work and dedication of the Manitowoc Foodservice brands Manitowoc Ice and Merrychef as a truly global supplier who supports an on-going relationship with Subway through innovation, enhanced operations, and customer service.
“Manitowoc as a company comes to us with innovations on a regular basis to see if they fit our needs and if it is something that would really benefit the Subway brand,” says Frank Buffone, senior manager of Subway Operations. “It’s great having a supplier that really makes the Subway brand better. They bring innovation to the Subway brand that puts us in a better place than we were before they joined the team.”
Glen Tellock, chairman and CEO of The Manitowoc Company, explains the Manitowoc Foodservice partnership approach to doing business: “We ask questions like, ‘What is the total cost of ownership? How to make products more water conserving, energy efficiency, easier to clean and easier to support?’” This philosophy leads Manitowoc Foodservice to regularly deliver innovation, like touch screen technology and energy efficient equipment, which solve real operational problems while adding value that operators need.
One example of this approach is seen in the design of Merrychef eikon high-speed ovens. By taking the opportunity to talk with and listen to the customer, Manitowoc took that feedback and developed the Merrychef oven to exceed their expectations in performance, maintenance, and ease-of-use. Technology like touch screens and energy savings are all ideas that came from customer dialogue.
Manitowoc Ice Indigo series ice machines also provides innovation steeped in customer needs. With patented Luminice Growth Inhibitor to keep the food zone clean, operators are able to extend the cleaning time of the ice machine, without food safety concerns, saving time and money. This technology can lead to savings thousands of dollars each year in labor alone. Indigo series ice machines are also programmable and many are Energy Star rated, creating even further operational savings.
