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Navigating a Changing Climate

by Katie Lee

— By Kyle Klahre — The world of refrigeration is rapidly changing — here’s what grocers need to know. Refrigeration systems in the U.S. are rapidly evolving due to new government regulations affecting residential, commercial and industrial systems. To understand current changes, it’s helpful to look back at the history of refrigerant regulation. This regulatory journey can be traced back to the middle of the 1980s. The Baby Boomer and Generation X readers likely remember hearing NASA discovered a hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica. Well, the cause of …

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kitchen exhaust/grease controlNewspeopleProduct Spotlightrestaurantssoftware/technologyvendorswaste management/recycling

Restaurant Technologies Appoints Chief Financial Officer

by Katie Lee

Minneapolis — Restaurant Technologies has named Matthew Micowski as its newest chief financial officer (CFO), succeeding Bob Weil who has held the position since 2007 and has transitioned to a strategic advisor position within the organization.  Micowski brings over two decades of strategic financial leadership across the technology and healthcare industries, most recently serving as the senior vice president and CFO at NAMSA since 2021. “Matthew’s record of successfully accelerating growth, driving operational transformation and proactively setting companies up for future success made him stand out in a highly competitive …

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green newsIndustry Voiceskitchen equipmentkitchen exhaust/grease controlrestaurantssoftware/technologyvendorswaste management/recycling

Clear Standards

by Katie Lee

— By Alex Lundy — When fryers are at the heart of a kitchen, complete oil management protects profits. For restaurants where fried chicken, french fries, and other deep-fried dishes dominate the menu, fryer oil is not just an ingredient — it’s a cornerstone of the business. As one of the most significant recurring expenses, its management can directly impact both costs and customer satisfaction. Despite inflation’s squeeze on operating budgets, cutting corners on fryer oil is a risky gamble. The freshness and quality of the oil are fundamental to …

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Industry Voicespest controlrestaurantsvendors

Make No Mistake

by Katie Lee

— By Scott Green — Pest control in restaurants: What you’re getting wrong and how to fix it. Pest control is a critical aspect of restaurant management that directly impacts health standards, customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. Despite best efforts, many establishments fall short in pest-proofing, often due to overlooked vulnerabilities and emerging pest threats. Under-standing the common mistakes and what emerging threats to look out for is essential in maintaining a pest-free environment. Common Mistakes in Restaurant Pest-Proofing Restaurants can provide an inviting environment for pests due to the …

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Lowe’s Deploys First At-Scale AI Assistant for Retail Associates

by Katie Lee

Charlotte, N.C. — Lowe’s has launched Mylow Companion, an AI tool aimed at improving customer service and speeding associate onboarding. Purpose-built for associate sales floor devices, the app provides fast access to product details, project advice and inventory information. The launch to all associates across Lowe’s more than 1,700 stores marks the first time a retailer has successfully implemented this kind of technology at scale. Associate expertise is uniquely valuable for home improvement retailers, as customers ask daily about a variety of complex projects and thousands of different products. Mylow …

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Toast Launches AI-Powered Intelligence for Restaurants

by Katie Lee

Boston — Toast has introduced ToastIQ, an intelligence engine delivering timely prompts, personalized recommendations and automated workflows designed to transform daily restaurant operations. Built natively into Toast’s end-to-end platform, ToastIQ draws on insights from millions of transactions and interactions across 130,000+ locations and fuses Toast’s deep hospitality expertise and integrated platform with AI, historical patterns and proprietary insights. As it evolves, ToastIQ will enable every role — from server to general manager to chef — to operate faster, smarter and more efficiently. Key features include: For servers: • Menu Upsells: …

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Walmart, Alquist 3D Complete Second 3D-Concrete Build in Alabama

by Katie Lee

Huntsville, Ala. — Walmart Inc. and Alquist 3D LLC, in partnership with FMGI, Inc., have completed the team’s second groundbreaking 3D concrete printing (3DCP) build that sets a new industry record for speed of commercial construction. The walls of the 5,000-square-foot expansion at Walmart Supercenter #5197 outside Huntsville, Ala., were “printed” in just 75 hours, significantly faster than traditional CMU (cement masonry unit) building methods. “In a commercial construction world that pays so much attention to project timelines and costs, our work with Walmart shows that 3D printing isn’t just …

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HVAC/RIndustry VoicesProduct Spotlightretailerssoftware/technologysupply chainvendors

Storage of the Future

by Katie Lee

— By Dana Krug — The future of retail: technology-forward, customer-centric and efficient. For years, consumer behavior has been the driving force behind the rapid growth of omnichannel retail. Today, this trend has become more pronounced than ever, with 73% of shoppers regularly engaging with multiple channels throughout their buying journey. The pandemic further accelerated this shift, making curbside pickup and other omnichannel conveniences a standard expectation rather than a luxury. Now, the future of retail is being shaped by the evolving preferences of Gen Z and millennial shoppers, who …

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Industry Voicesretailerssoftware/technologyvendors

Human Connection

by Katie Lee

— By Jaime Bettencourt — The human side of ‘smart stores’ in 2025. Technology is powering personalized store experiences that outperform e-commerce convenience. Capital One research reports that brick-and-mortar stores capture 80% of impulse purchases, a clear signal that physical retail remains unmatched for discovery and engagement. 2025’s winning retailers won’t just add screens and apps. Instead, they’ll enhance what algorithms can’t replicate: personalized discovery, human connection and sensory engagement. By focusing on these uniquely human elements, tomorrow’s retail innovations will make shopping more intuitive and digital. Making “Chance” Encounters …

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Restaurant Technologies Surpasses Sustainability Goals

by Katie Lee

Minneapolis — Restaurant Technologies recycled over 363 million pounds of used cooking oil in 2024, exceeding its own record of 314 million pounds set in 2023 by over 15%.  Restaurant Technologies partners with renewable energy partners, such as Chevron Renewable Energy Group and Phillips 66, to convert used cooking oil (UCO) into renewable diesel or biodiesel for vehicles to use on the road. At Sheetz, a regional convenience store located in seven states, Restaurant Technologies and Sheetz have created a closed loop economy where fresh oil is delivered, used, then …

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