Just as December is a natural month to reflect on changes that occurred over the course of the previous year, January is a natural month to look forward to the trends that seem likely to impact business in the year ahead. In this issue we focus on the major changes that are likely to impact the commercial foodservice industry in 2025.

Be sure to check out the 5 Mega Trends story on page 18, where contributor Lisa Shames identifies, as well as, four Menu-Influenced developments and their equipment implications. 

Beginning on page 36, contributor Toby Weber enlists the help of several leaders from service agencies who discuss ways to minimize the pain of equipment maintenance and maximize both equipment life and uptime.

Sometimes there is just no substitute for well-timed expert advice. That’s the way we are feeling here at FE&S as we introduce the latest addition to our Zoomba Group team. Back in October at our own Foodservice Equipment & Design Global Thought Leadership Summit in Chicago, Steve Spittle, chief commercial officer, Middleby, and president of the North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers (NAFEM), gave a timely speech about thinking outside the box when it comes to recruiting into the foodservice industry.

I encourage you to go back and listen to Steve’s talk at FEDThoughtLeadership.com. In this presentation, he recounts the story of a recent marketing associate hire with the unlikely background of zookeeper.

Encouraged by his talk, we are very excited to introduce our own “zookeeper,” Danyel Duncan, as our newest sales director at Zoomba Group. Many of you have encountered Danyel as our preferred photographer at several FE&S and rd+d events in the past. She is professional and delightful to work with, she has the entrepreneurial zeal that comes with running her own business for years, and she has restaurant operator experience that will help her relate to the shared experience of both readers and advertising partners.

We can’t wait for you to meet Danyel in this new role.

All the best, 

Maureen