MPM Teams Helps to Open New Store in Detroit

MPM equips the first national grocery chain with an outlet in the city since 2007, as it “opened to cheers and applause in Midtown Detroit”

Northbrook, Ill.— MPM Food Equipment Group helped to open a new 21,000-square foot store in Midtown Detroit. It is downtown Detroit’s first national grocery chain store in six years and the chain’s first-ever site in an inner-city neighborhood.

“We are proud to have teamed up with the chain and many community stakeholders in this venture for Detroit,” said Larry Nicholson, president of MPM. “For years MPM has provided kitchen equipment, products, and design services to the chain. In that time we’ve seen their commitment to their core values, and I’m proud to say that MPM shares those same core values.”

The ceremonies at the opening were attended by Detroit Mayor Dave Bing, Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, former Detroit Pistons player John Salley, and Walter Robb.

The opening of the chain's first store "in Detroit is a game changer for our city,” said Bing. “… I appreciate the fact that the leaders of the store involved the entire community in the planning and execution of this development. This is a true community partnership, and we’re proud to welcome them to Detroit.” Robb added. “We’ve worked toward this day for nearly five years. We’re inspired by what Detroiters are doing for this great city.”

The  store is located in Midtown at the intersection of Mack Avenue and John R, near General Motors (GM) headquarters, the Detroit Medical Center, and campuses for Wayne State, Michigan State and the University of Michigan.

“I can’t describe the pride and joy I feel when I look at this store and think of how the community has come together to make it happen,” said Larry Austin, store team leader. “So, come on in, Detroit!” Many of the store’s design elements make it uniquely Detroit as well, such as tables made from old car and truck hoods and Motown records adorning register lights.

“I’ve never been to a store opening like this,” said Tom Engel, MPM Sales Manager. “There were tents lined up outside with many of the local products the store is sourcing. We worked a tent with a Southern Pride smoker. We had 300 pounds of barbecue that we smoked for 12 hours. We ran out in just a few hours.

“On top of that, we were able to work with Larry and his team to provide the best commercial cooking equipment available, which will enable the team to provide a valuable service to the Detroit community.”

About MPM Food Equipment Group

Larry Nicholson founded MPM Food Equipment Group in 2003 with the mission to offer the highest-quality food equipment and design services while providing the best customer service in the industry.

MPM represents the finest food equipment manufacturers in the business. The company teams with a large group of trusted partners to provide support, design, installation, product training, and service to deliver projects on time and on budget. From supermarkets to churches, commissaries, schools, and government, MPM has provided solutions to all different markets.

For more information, visit MPM at http://www.mpmfeg.com/ or call 1-800-976-6762.

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MPM Supplies Equipment for Howells & Hood Restaurant in Chicago’s Tribune Tower

MPM Supplies Equipment for 17,000-Square Foot Howells & Hood Restaurant
in Chicago’s Iconic Tribune Tower

“MPM had nothing but solutions for a project
where there was nothing but questions.”

CHICAGO – MPM Food Equipment Group this month worked with the restaurant group Bottleneck Management to source and supply the equipment for Howells & Hood, a 17,000-square foot restaurant in Chicago’s Tribune Tower that features two extra-large cook lines and a prep line, three bars (each with 120 faucets that pull beer from an enormous beer cooler), and three walk-in coolers.

“This was by far the most ambitious that we’ve had at Bottleneck,” said Jason Akemann, co-owner of Bottleneck Management. “MPM had nothing but solutions for a project where there was nothing but questions.”

“We worked with the team at Bottleneck for seven months to ensure that Howells & Hood would be a success from the moment it opened its doors,” said David Fallon, Director of Sales – Food Service.

“Because of the location, the NBC and Tribune pavilion, with all the pedestrian traffic, they needed us to work around rush hour schedules. That meant that we had to bring equipment down by 6 a.m. and be out of the pavilion by 8 a.m.,” Fallon said.

MPM sourced and supplied the equipment for three kitchens and three bars, as well as building three walk-in coolers. One of those coolers is a glassed-in beer cooler holding 720 barrels of beer that supply 360 draft faucets – 120 each in the three bars.

“We installed the largest draft beer system in any restaurant in the world to our knowledge,” said Jason Akemann, co-owner of Bottleneck Management, “and MPM was there for us every step of the way. They were able to guide us to not only the right cooler that not only was large enough to house the beers but efficient enough to make it run. Our system holds 720 barrels for 320 pour faucets with 114 different beers. And with their recommendation, it is all working seamlessly.”

It took 171 pieces of commercial restaurant equipment to supply the cook lines and bars. MPM worked with the Bottleneck team to find the right pieces, which were brought to MPM’s warehouse, uncrated and inspected, assembled and rewrapped, delivered and set into place in Howells & Hood. The MPM team worked with Coker Service to install the equipment.

“This is our fourth project with MPM [including Sweetwater Tavern, Old Town Pour House, and South Branch Tavern and Grille]” Akemann said. “With MPM’s help, we created a kitchen with two full cooking lines and a prep line that can serve 700 people at once.”

“Coordinating a project of this scope while dealing with the location and the age of the Tribune Tower presented a unique situation,” Fallon said. “We spent two weeks delivering – five to seven truckloads per week. We had to deal with the city, the traffic, and the pedestrians. We also had to be very careful with the pavilion, so when we were delivering, we had to bring in a lift truck that had right tires that wouldn’t mark – white rubber tire designed to go over the white concrete surfaces.”

The size of the beer cooler and the stock cooler, which is a room-sized cooler in the basement of the Tribune Tower, also presented unique challenges, Fallon added.

About MPM Food Equipment Group

Larry Nicholson founded MPM Food Equipment Group in 2003 with the mission to offer the highest-quality food equipment and design services while providing the best customer service in the industry.

MPM represents the finest food equipment manufacturers in the business. The company teams with a large group of trusted partners to provide support, design, installation, product training, and service to deliver projects on time and on budget. From supermarkets to churches, commissaries, schools, and government, MPM has provided solutions to all different markets.

For more information, visit MPM at http://www.mpmfeg.com/ or call 1-800-976-6762.

MPM Forges Ahead with Northeast Division at Bozzuto’s Conference

MPM-Northeast Division – Connecticut Food and Weighing Equipment – Announces Sales Success at Bozzuto’s and More

Ed Wiernasz and Lisa Wiernasz at the MPM-Northeast Division – Connecticut Food and Weighing Equipment booth during the 2013 Bozzuto’s Independent Retailer Conference.

MPM-Northeast Division – the Connecticut Food and Weighing Equipment – had a successful show at the 2013 Bozzuto’s Independent Retailer Conference, which was attended by 700 independent retailers, held March 12-13, 2013, at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods Resort in Mashantucket, CT.

“The show was a success,” said Ed Wiernasz, vice president of MPM-Northeast. “We were able to connect and reconnect with many of the region’s independent retailers, to show them some of the new items and current trends in the industry. We also sold several items, including a Saturn six-burner gas range SMDR-36-6 and a Vulcan VC44GD double deck gas convection oven.”

MPM Food Equipment Group (MPMFEG) of Northbrook, Ill. acquired Connecticut Food and Weighing Equipment at the beginning of 2013. Clients receive the same service that they have come to expect from Connecticut Food and Weighing and receive additional support and service from the team at MPMFEG. Wiernasz leads the company’s northeast sales division.

If you would like more information, please contact Ed Wiernasz at (860) 436-2926 or email info@mpmfeg.com.

MPM Food Equipment Group Announces the Acquisition of Connecticut Food and Weighing Equipment

MPMFEG Extends Its Market Reach to the Northeast,

Adding Experienced Professionals to Its Team

MPM Food Equipment Group (MPMFEG) announced that it has acquired Connecticut Food and Weighing Equipment of Newington, Conn., extending MPMFEG’s market reach, customer base, and service team. The new division will go under the name MPM-Northeast.

“The MPM model has been extremely successful in the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, and Southeast, steadily adding to its customer base and sales figures,” said Larry Nicholson, President of MPMFEG. “We are looking to continue our progress. The acquisition of Connecticut Food and Weighing Equipment further increases MPMFEG’s market footprint in New England while adding experienced food equipment professionals.

“MPMFEG will use the Connecticut Food and Weighing’s existing marketing structure and team to leverage its model to its customers,” Nicholson continued. “The integration of the Northeast division into our successful business model will take place over the next 12 months. Clients will continue to receive the services that they have come to expect from Connecticut Food and Weighing and will receive additional support and service from the team at MPMFEG.”

Ed Wiernasz will serve as vice president of MPM-Northeast, working closely with MPM Food Equipment Group to increase and heighten their food retail, foodservice, and weighing services in that market. As part of the growth plan put in place, Wiernasz – who has more than 34 years of technical sales and service experience – will lead the company’s northeast sales division in its strategic and day-to-day efforts and will serve as a member of the senior management team.

“We are very excited to welcome Ed to our team here at MPMFEG,” Nicholson said. “Ed’s market leadership and his technical expertise in addressing the needs of the food retail grocery supermarket sector will be invaluable to us as we enter the next phase of growth. The time is right to expand our team.”

About MPM Food Equipment Group (MPMFEG)

Founded in 2003, MPM Food Equipment Group – a private food retail, foodservice, and weighing equipment and supplies dealership – offers the highest quality food equipment and design services while providing the best customer service in the industry. Its customers range from large national grocery chains to family-owned restaurants. The company works closely with each customer every step of the way, from the planning stages to grand openings. MPMFEG works with the industry’s leading manufacturers to ensure their clients the widest selection of products to meet their specific needs. MPMFEG’s paramount goal is to help customers become more competitive and profitable in the marketplace. For further information, visit http://www.mpmfeg.com/