Image from NSF Website

NSF

What it stands for:  National Sanitation Foundation

Who they are: A non-profit, non-governmental organization, also known as the Public Health and Safety Company™, who describe themselves as the “world leader in standards development, product certification and risk-management for public health and safety.”

Why they are important: The CFSP guide says NSF has the following three purposes for equipment in the foodservice industry:

1. Assure all equipment meets health standards and passes critical inspection at the facility
2. Allows manufacturers to apply uniform construction methods to all NSF listed equipment
3. Provide health authorities throughout the country a “united front or voice” to require basic elements of equipment sanitation

What NSF listed means: In order to obtain the NSF listing, the equipment is reviewed and tested before approval. As there several types of equipment, NSF says on their website they have developed “over 50 voluntary American National Standards under the scope of health and safety” for foodservice equipment.  They look closely at these standards before granting the NSF listing.

Below is a very brief and general overview from the CFSP guide of some of the things NSF looks into (keep in mind there are different standards more specific to different kinds of equipment):

1. Physical design and construction evaluation for ease of cleaning
2. Materials (look for corrosion or heat resistance, durability, nontoxic)
3. Performance
4. Sanitation effectiveness
5. Accuracy of control systems

Image from UL Website

UL

What it stands for:  Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.

Who they are: UL is an independent, non-for-profit and non-governmental organization who describes themselves as “a global independent safety science company offering expertise across five key strategic businesses: Product Safety, Environment, Life and Health, University and Verification Services.”

Why they are important: With over 75 years of experience, the CFSP guide says the UL listing evaluates gas, electrical and sanitation safety on cooking, refrigeration, food processing and food prep equipment. They look at the most current standards and follow up after approval to ensure standards are maintained. A very brief overview of their mission on their website is below, view their full list here. They:

1. Promote safe working environments
2. Support the production and use of physically and environmentally safe products to prevent or reduce loss of life and property
3. Advance safety science

What UL listed means: To receive the UL listing, companies will have received the proper testing for a specific product based on their over 20 safety standards. UL has worked with many organizations such as the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), National Electrical Code (NEC) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to determine and maintain current standards. The CFSP guide also adds the UL listing can also be reviewed for custom built equipment as well. To read how the entire process to make a product UL listed works, click here.

Image from Energy Star Website

Energy Star®

Who they are: Energy Star® is the government-backed symbol for energy efficiency.  They have created a partnership with the EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) and the U.S. Department of Energy that uses methods to protect the environment with energy efficient products and practices.

Why they are important: Energy Star® rated products are able to give a solution to some of the high energy costs and environmental issues.  “Energy Star® provides a trustworthy label on over 60 product categories (and thousands of models) for home and office,” their website says. They also deliver technical information and tools to help make decisions for energy efficiency and play a key role in the latest technological advances. They have also put together a guide titled “Putting Energy into Profit” specifically for restaurants.

The Energy Star® website says their label was created to:

1. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants caused by the inefficient use of energy
2. Make it easy for consumers to identify and purchase energy efficient products that offer savings on energy bills without sacrificing performance, features and comfort

What Energy Star means:  Energy Star® says “products can earn the Energy Star® label by meeting the energy efficiency requirements set forth in Energy Star® product specifications.”  These specifications have been/are established by the EPA, based on key guiding principles on this website.  According to the CSFP guide, if a product is Energy Star® rated, a manufacturer must be able to show they meet the minimum energy efficiency criteria for that particular product category.

**Note: Certain Energy Star® products qualify for Federal tax credits, for more information click here.

We hope you have found these helpful. While browsing through Central’s catalog and online store, you will find the NSF and UL listing in our copy or the Energy Star® logo if it applies.

Since Day One, Central Restaurant Products has supported First Lady Michele Obama’s “Let’s Move!” initiative by providing the foodservice equipment and supplies essential for healthy school meals.

Central encourages all schools to get on board with Let’s Move! Starting on March 7, schools all across the country will receive Central’s latest 96-page School Nutrition Guide with School Specials running through the end of June 2011. This catalog features salad bars, combi ovens, compartment trays and a new line of Victory warming cabinets and refrigeration. In addition, the new catalog includes extended warranties for schools from the industry’s top leading vendors such as Vulcan, Jackson and Duke.

The inside front cover highlights an exclusive promotion and buying guide for compartment trays stressing the importance of choosing the right one for any school. There are five different types of trays (ABS, Melamine, Polycarbonate, Polypropylene and Co-Polymer) in this catalog—each having many different variables such as break resistance and temperature range every school must consider before purchasing.

Customers can browse through over 3,000 commercial foodservice products useful to all school foodservice facilities ranging from Kitchen and Cafeteria to Concession/Athletic Department and Janitorial.

Schools, who would like a copy of Central’s latest School Nutrition Guide, may call 888-893-9998. They can also ask to speak with a Product Consultant with questions about product information or support.

Also, everyone can read the latest industry news, including information in support of Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative, at Central’s Blog and join in on the conversation on Facebook (Central Restaurant Products) and Twitter (@CRPRestaurant).

About Central Restaurant Products

Established in 1981, Central Restaurant Products is a provider of commercial foodservice equipment and supplies to more than 250,000 customers in a number of segments including restaurants, schools, hospitals, bars, pizzerias, bakeries, correctional facilities and more. Central offers same-day shipping, free expert solutions and wholesale pricing on thousands of products from the leading manufacturers in the foodservice industry. Central is a wholly-owned subsidiary of TAKKT-AG, the leading B2B mail-order company for business equipment in Europe and North America.

# # #

This is Central Restaurant Products 30th year of service and the new 356 page catalog has added over 580 new products. All products have pricing held through June 2011, allowing customers to order at any time before then without the worry of increased prices.

The catalog highlights Central’s three different types of premier products. The Central Exclusive line of products can only be found at Central; Central Edge offers additional products or bundles included with a purchase at no additional cost; Value Series is comprised of high quality products priced lower than the leading national brands.

Eight pages of new products have been added along with a showcase of items on the inside back cover—which cannot be found anywhere else in the catalog.

In addition to learning about Central’s premier products, customers can flip through the pages and learn where to find Central on Facebook and Twitter.

Central gives customers an advantage in the foodservice industry by being their direct source for hundreds of industry-leading manufacturers. With Central’s free expert consultation, customers can order with confidence. Thousands of items are available for same-day shipping and over 1,000 products ship for free. Other benefits include: several convenient methods of payment, free online chat for questions and concerns, and a bilingual hotline to assist Spanish-speaking customers.

Request or download a copy of the latest catalog here.

About Central Restaurant Products:

Central Products opened in 1981 near downtown Indianapolis and has grown to become one of the nation’s leading distributors of quality commercial restaurant equipment and supplies. Central’s knowledgeable Product Consultants with industry experience are available during convenient hours—phone lines are open for business Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST and Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. EST. They can be reached at 800-222-5107. Shop online; request a 356 page catalog or sign up for email promotions at centralrestaurant.com.

# # #

Our 2011 Master Catalog will be hitting the stands next Tuesday, January 18.  Customers will be receiving their copy next week, click here to request your copy.

When flipping through the pages (or through products online), you’ll find these logos:

These logos represent Central’s premier products.  Our three different premier product lines help you save or give you more for your money. Here is a breakdown of our premier products and how they will benefit you when making a purchase.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Central Exclusive

Our Central Exclusive items are engineered by our team of Product Experts with quality that meets or exceeds the leading national brands.  These specially made products are designed with you in mind and can only be found at Central.

Central Edge

Central has co-branded with some of our top vendors such as Baker’s Pride and Robot Coupe to create the Central Edge.  For each Central Edge product, you will find additional products or bundles included with your purchase at no additional cost to you—giving you more for less.

Value Series

Central Value products comply with our high quality standards and are priced lower than the leading national brands.  These products will help your business grow without putting a huge dent in your budget.

__________________________________________________________________________________

If you have any questions on any of our premier products or services, don’t hesitate to contact us at 1-800-222-5107.

We look forward to working with you in 2011!

Clicking on the tutorial pictures below will enlarge them on your screen.

Step 1: Where to Find It

 Catalog Quick Order can be found in two places.  You can enter in your items directly on the home page or click the “Catalog Quick Order” link on the top of the page. (The link takes you to a page with details on using Catalog Quick Order).

Step 2: Filling in the Blanks

Upon entering the Catalog Quick Order page, you’re prompted to enter in up to 16 model numbers. Why 16? After research, our E-Commerce Department discovered 16 is the optimal amount for page speed. (It helps you get through ordering faster as anything over 17+ leaves you waiting and waiting).

So if you have over 16 items to order simply add your first 16 to the cart then go back and add more. And don’t worry—anything you have put in will be saved to your cart.  Either way, to continue on, choose the “Go to Next Step” button.

Detour! Error?

If you stumble across an error message after you have typed in a model number, don’t panic. First, try retyping the model number. If you are still getting an error message, we do not currently carry the product on the website.

The prompted error message has our toll free phone number. We invite you to call (800-215-9293) and speak with a product consultant that will help you select the best product.

Step 3: Characteristics & Quantities

Before adding the product to the shopping cart, some items may require special options to be chosen. These are a variety of things such as colors, finishes and upholsteries.  Some options include additional fees. Any change in price will automatically occur in the unit price once you make your selection. On this page, you can also add quantities if you need more than one.

If you have adjusted your quantities and need an updated total, choose the “Recalculate” button. When finished, click “Add to Cart.”

Step 4: Checking Out

After you move on from the Characteristics & Quantities page, your items will have been placed in your shopping cart.

If you want to keep shopping, choose “Continue Shopping” and all items will remain in your cart. If you’re ready to checkout, choose the “Checkout with our secure server” buttons.

Now you have successfully placed an order (or soon will after this tutorial) using Central’s Catalog Quick Order feature.

This is a great way to quickly get through ordering when you have your six digit model numbers from the catalog.

The Catalog Quick Order page was recently updated to make the experience easier for you and we’re always looking for ways to improve. If you have any questions or comments about the new Catalog Quick Order, let us know!

And if there is anything Central related you would like to see more information about on our blog, don’t hesitate to contact us. (Tracey Rector, Catalog/Web Content Coordinator: trector@central-products.com)

Central's School Nutrition Equipment Guide Catalog

Central Restaurant Products will launch its first School Nutrition Equipment Guide campaign in support of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move initiative against childhood obesity.  Central’s campaign, which includes a print catalog and an online information area, is aimed at providing the latest products to help improve workflow, promote food safety techniques and encourage healthy food preparation methods in public and private K-12 school districts, colleges and universities.

The School Nutrition Equipment Guide Catalog will be available beginning Monday, March 29, 2010.  The Catalog contains more than 3,000 commercial foodservice products that are useful in any school foodservice application, as well as a simplified buying guide to some of the top-requested products.

In addition to the School Nutrition Equipment Guide Catalog, Central will launch a new area for school foodservice and nutrition information on their website.  This new school foodservice area will allow shoppers to browse through a selection of equipment and supplies that are recommended for usage in school kitchens, cafeterias, food courts student unions and teachers’ lounges.

Whether shopping by catalog or online, Central’s Product Consultants offer free expert solutions for any school foodservice application.  Services include facility workflow advice complete with CAD drawings, assistance with state/federal grant applications and customized product recommendations based upon need, budget and current trends, such as the Let’s Move initiative led by Michelle Obama.

The goal of Let’s Move is to solve the epidemic of childhood obesity within a generation, making it more important than ever for schools to put major focus on healthy foods and cooking methods.  Central’s School Nutrition Equipment Guides offer the equipment and supplies necessary to perform the following healthy cooking methods promoted by the Let’s Move initiative:  baking, braising, poaching, roasting, steaming, stir-frying and grilling/broiling.

One of the most popular of these healthy cooking methods is steaming foods in a countertop steamer or combi oven.  Foods are cooked by the heat of the steam (created by a simmering liquid at the bottom of the cooking chamber), which helps to maintain the color, texture and nutritional value of the food.  Since foods are not cooked by direct contact to the heating surface, the need for adding extra fats or oils to the food prior to cooking is eliminated.

To obtain a School Nutrition Equipment Guide Catalog, you may call 888-893-9998 or submit a request online for your free copy.  You may also visit the School Nutrition Equipment Guide online at www.centralrestaurant.com/schoolsolutions.html.

The 2010 catalog will also offer new brands such as BarMaid, Leer, Saniserv, Radiance and Centaur.

“While we can provide most any restaurant equipment or supply item manufactured for the food service industry, we’ve added a record number of new products spanning all categories of foodservice equipment and supplies to our new 2010 Master Catalog,” said Central Restaurant Products’ President Mark Korros.

Some of the products hand-picked for the 2010 Master Catalog include:

• Centaur Slicers, Bar Blenders, Warmers and Induction Ranges
• Libbey Glassware
• Oneida Porcelain Dinnerware
• Baker’s Pride Ovens
• Cambro Versa Food Bars and Dish Caddies
• Vulcan Electric Ranges
• Leer Ice Merchandisers
• Food Safe FIFO (First In First Out) Squeeze Bottles
• Elite Tuscany Melamine Dinnerware
• Carlisle Cafe Trays
• Radiance Gas Charbroilers, Hot Plates and Stock Pot Ranges

Additionally, CentralRestaurant.com features expanded options searching, browsing product lines, ordering and managing your account. Visit CentralRestaurant.com to shop new products online or request a catalog.

Winner of the Roll Top Chafer: Gerald W., Moscow, ID

Winner of the Radiance Hot Plate: Lynn P., Lodge, SC

Thanks again to everyone who entered! For those of you who didn’t win, we hope to do another giveaway again in a few months. We couldn’t believe what a great response we got from our customers, and we also really appreciate our vendors who pitched in to offer such great prizes.

We’re neck-deep in production of our 2010 Master Catalog, which hits mailboxes in January. Can’t reveal too much right now but more details will be coming soon! What I can tell you: the book is going to have thousands of awesome new products!

In the meantime, check out our Year End Savings Event - save up to 25% on more than 100 items – shop online or by calling us at 800-881-4985. This offer ends 12/31/09.