The KLH team had an incredible experience at NAFEM 2025, exploring what’s new, connecting with key industry leaders, and identifying new solutions for chains in order to help our dealers stay ahead of the curve.

Here’s our recap of the biggest insights from our factories at the show.

Our Top 3 Favorites from What’s New in Foodservice Equipment?

1. Duke’s ReadyFlex Holding System – Here is our own Paul Weldner with Duke’s ReadyFlex Holding System ensures hot, fresh food with intuitive touchscreen controls and ideal holding temperatures for various menu items. Its standout color-wrapped design makes it a versatile, customer-facing solution for chains, offering both functionality and visual appeal while maintaining food quality.

2. The much anticipated Vulcan new Chef’s Combi – After months of excitement, this innovative combi oven is set to revolutionize K-12 food programs, delivering efficiency, versatility, and enhanced creativity in the kitchen. We couldn’t be more excited for its release this year!

3. Panasonic’s New High-Speed Oven – Here’s our team below with Panasonic’s David Williams and the new High-Speed Oven. This oven takes efficiency to the next level with WiFi capability, allowing chain restaurants to program recipes remotely—eliminating the need for SD cards and manual Excel uploads. This reduces errors and the need for technician visits. A seamless upgrade for streamlined kitchen operations!

Our Key Manufacturer Meetups

ITW Booth – The ITW booth was packed and our team was all in—learning the latest from Hobart, Vulcan, Gaylord, Centerline, and Baxter. We got hands-on with Vulcan’s newest cooking innovations, checked out Hobart’s warewashing upgrades, and explored Gaylord’s ventilation improvements. Baxter’s more affordable alternative to the OV500G2EE, prioritizing bakeries and featuring a patented steam system, programmable controls, and a flat hood design and Centerline’s value-driven equipment also stood out.

In the midst of all the action, our own Chef Andy Tanaka enjoyed a great conversation with Baxter’s adorable Chef Michelle Cain while our own Jacob Jordan and Sean Michaud took a quick break for a photo between busy customer meetings.

Amerikooler – Our team met with Amerikooler’s Arjun Sadaria to check out the FlexBox, a portable walk-in cooler, a flexible solution for food storage.

BK Resources – We also met up with BK Resources, who shared updates on their bar blender stand and gathered product development feedback from us, including suggestions for adding a cord hole for better functionality and shortening the length for improved efficiency.

Cooler Concepts – At the Cooler Concepts booth, our team met with Jake Dunnet to check out their new liquor storage cabinet—a durable, secure, and efficient solution for high-volume bar environments.

Duke – Chef Andy Tanaka is excited about Duke’s ReadyFlex Holding System, which delivers ultimate food flexibility and hot holding while maintaining ideal food texture and quality. Its custom color-wrapped design makes it a great customer-facing solution for chains and restaurants looking to combine functionality with visual appeal.

EspressoSoci – John Shalen from Espresso Soci gave our team, including Jon Barba, a walkthrough of their latest espresso machine, highlighting its features and innovations.

Filtrox – Our team held two in-depth meetings with Filtrox’s President and the team, focusing on process improvements and streamlining the sales cycle. These discussions highlighted opportunities to enhance efficiency and better support our dealers with faster, more effective solutions.

Glastender – At the Glastender booth, Paul Weldner met with Steven Cassidy and gave the SDRS team a walkthrough of the latest innovations. A standout was the new High-Performance Line Chiller, which now offers 1HP and 1.5HP models, a big upgrade from the previous 3/4 HP limit. These powerful models can handle runs of 400-500 feet, making them ideal for stadiums, casinos, and high-volume bar operations. Glastender continues to push the boundaries of efficiency and performance in beverage service!

Howard McCray – A huge honor for our team—KLH was named Howard McCray’s Rep of the Year! We’re proud to represent Howard McCray and their outstanding refrigeration solutions, and we look forward to another year of success together!

InSinkErator – Introduced a Municipal Code Look-Up Tool for commercial disposers, simplifying the process of navigating local regulations. KLH’s Steven Ripley was impressed by how this tool makes it easier for operators to ensure compliance with municipal codes. Check it out here: Municipal Code Look-Up Tool.

Panasonic – Our team met with the Panasonic team, including Gabby Lussoro, to dive deeper into their new high-speed oven. We’re especially excited about the WiFi connectivity, which allows for remote programming and easier recipe management—a major upgrade for streamlined kitchen operations!

Rotisol – Here’s the KLH Board with the latest Rotisol equipment! Pascal Fruge and his team showcased the ventless hood attachment for the Master Clean unit, making it easier to install in locations with ventilation restrictions. This innovation opens up more opportunities for operators needing high-performance cooking solutions without complex ventilation setups.

NAFEM 2025 wasn’t just about discovering new equipment—it was about strengthening relationships with our manufacturers, dealers, and industry partners. From in-depth conversations with Panasonic, Duke, Rotisol, and BK Resources to collaborating with Howard McCray, Cooler Concepts, and Filtrox, our team built valuable connections that will help us better serve our customers.

At KLH, we know that strong partnerships drive success. If you’d like to learn more about the insights and innovations we explored at NAFEM, reach out—we’d love to continue the conversation!