NEW ALBANY, MISS.—Master-Bilt, manufacturer and supplier of a full line of premier commercial refrigeration, has added 2Market Group, Inc. to its sales team covering the Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, West Virginia, Indiana and Western Pennsylvania territories. 2Market Group, Inc. specializes in marketing kitchen restaurant supplies and kitchen restaurant equipment to restaurants, cafeterias, schools, corporate kitchens, c-stores and healthcare facilities. Partners Don Hagan and Tom Favret founded 2Market Group, Inc. in 2005 and together offer a combined 70 years of experience in the foodservice equipment rep industry with extensive refrigeration experience. 2Market Group, Inc. builds relationships with both dealers/distributors and buyers/end-users to...

VANCOUVER, B.C.—Burt’s Bees Canada and Fairmont Hotels & Resorts announced that they have expanded their WILD FOR BEES partnership by installing 16 uniquely built bee hotels across Canada, including three major bee hotels in downtown Vancouver. This brings the total number of hotels to 21 since the WILD FOR BEES partnership began in 2014.Important national partners on this project include Pollinator Partnership Canada and Sustainable.TO Architecture + Building (Sustainable.TO), a leading Canadian architecture firm. Sustainable.TO led the design and construction of the bee hotels nationwide, while Pollinator Partnership Canada provided strategic guidance and expertise on pollinator health. In Vancouver,...

MANCHESTER, N.H.—Xeros, the innovator of an ultra-low water laundry system, recently announced that the company has added 61 new channel partners. This will enable Xeros to support the increasing demand for its patented polymer bead commercial laundry offering.Xeros’ Channel Partner program, launched at the Clean Show 2015, is creating a broad sales network across North America of established laundry industry players. This network will also support installed Xeros machines, delivering the “final mile” of the Xeros Sbeadycare service which offers a ‘one-stop-shop’ provision of Xeros machines, beads, detergent and maintenance and extends the partner’s customer service capabilities.“The expansion of...

MINNEAPOLIS—Radisson Blu Mall of America announced that it has officially become the first hotel in the metro Twin Cities area to house honey bee colonies from the University of Minnesota Bee Squad. As the first LEED certified hotel in the greater Twin Cities area, this further enhances the hotel’s commitment to the environment and sustainable programs.Without the pollinating services bees provide, there would be serious challenges in the production of many common foods as 35 percent of global food supply and more than 80 percent of flowering plants are dependent on animal pollination.Inspired by Dr. Marla Spivak at the...

ST. PAUL, MINN.—Ecolab introduces the Syncra Hand Hygiene System, an innovation that provides touch-free water and soap delivery to back-of-house restaurant handwashing stations, helping to improve employee handwashing compliance and restaurant food safety.Syncra utilizes a “smart system” with a pre-programmed, yet adjustable, three-step process for handwashing and rinsing that uses up to 50 percent less water than traditional handwashing and delivers consistent results with bacteria-eliminating chemistry.“An estimated 80 percent of all infections are transmitted by hands,” said Dr. Ruth Petran, Vice President of Food Safety at Ecolab. “By using the Syncra Hand Hygiene System, restaurant workers can help prevent...

PHILADELPHIA—Aramark, the $15 billion global provider of food, facilities management, and uniforms, recently announced a new set of animal welfare principles and purchasing commitments that address a broad spectrum of issues impacting the treatment of animals for egg, pork, veal, beef, poultry and dairy products served across Aramark’s U.S. operations.“Our commitments to health, wellness and sustainability are core to our mission of enriching and nourishing lives and include our pledge to responsible purchasing and animal welfare practices,” said Eric J. Foss, Aramark Chairman, President & CEO. “The broad reach of our supply chain provides an opportunity for us to...

RIPON, WIS.—UniMac, a leading provider of on-premises laundry equipment, announced Southeastern Laundry Equipment Sales as 2014 Distributor of the Year. Southeastern Laundry Equipment received the award for their outstanding sales achievement, superb customer service and overall professionalism.“When determining our top distributor each year, we not only look for a company with impressive sales, but one that also shows proven dedication to its customers and provides the highest quality service,” said Bill Brooks, UniMac North American Sales Manager. “Southeastern Laundry Equipment has been a UniMac partner for decades, and their experience, knowledge and commitment to our brand has set them...

OAK BROOK, ILL.—The Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center recently unveiled its Horticultural Gallery. Spearheaded by a new full-time horticulturalist, Karen Paquin, the sustainable ecology program officially kicked off on Earth Day, April 22. Unlike a typical art gallery, the Horticultural Gallery at Oak Brook Hills, an IACC Green Star/Gold Status property, presents a cutting-edge array of eco-friendly initiatives happening outdoors in real time, headlined by the resort’s groundbreaking beekeeping program. The Horticultural Gallery is open to everyone to enjoy and tour—from individual guests to client groups. Paquin, who has been trailblazing in San Francisco’s progressive horticulture...

VERNON HILLS, ILL.—With the introduction of Meridian from Scotsman, foodservice operations now have a choice that incorporates the latest in ice- and water-dispensing technology. Meridian was developed with space, production and installation in mind and offers reliability, time-saving serviceability and convenient cleaning innovations in one all-new lineup.In addition to improving its ice- and water-dispensing equipment, Scotsman has optimized its popular nugget ice form. Meridian units will produce the new H2Nugget ice form which is easier to dispense while still being the softest, most chewable ice on the market. Additionally, the units’ large dispensing area offers more room for cups,...

TAMPA, FLA.—Hasek Communications, the Tampa, Fla.-based publisher of Green Lodging News, has added a Laundrylux case study to its website. The case study focuses on the Super 8 Ukiah and details owner Raakesh Patel’s decision to go with Electrolux washers with no upfront costs. There are no such costs because Patel opted for Laundrylux’s PLUS (Professional Laundry Utility Service) where he simply uses the equipment as needed and pays only for that usage. PLUS laundering becomes a utility service—just like water, gas, and electricity. Like any utility, one only pays for PLUS when it is used. There is no...