While business conditions in the foodservice equipment and supplies industry remain sluggish, they are showing small signs of improvement according to data released by the Manufacturers' Agents for the Foodservice Industry. MAFSI's quarterly Business Barometer report showed that overall foodservice equipment and supplies sales for the second quarter of 2010 contracted by 3.3 percent. While this marks the 10th consecutive quarter MAFSI has reported declining sales, these results are still less severe than the past three quarter contractions of 5.3 percent, 12.8 percent and 11.5 percent, according to MAFSI.

MAFSI members project less contraction for the third quarter, with sales expected to decline by only 2.7 percent.

By product category, MAFSI reports equipment sales decreased by 4.5 percent compared to 7.5 percent last quarter. Sales of tabletop products declined 1.5 percent and furnishings were down 0.4 percent. In contrast, supplies sales increased by 0.4 percent.

By geography, overall sales declined 5.1 percent in the West, 4.9 percent in the South, 3.8 percent in the Midwest, and 2.4 percent in the Northeast, according to MAFSI. Once again, Canada showed growth of 2.2 percent.