Foodservice consultants to combine talents to extend their reach

Camacho Associates, Inc., a commercial kitchen and laundry design firm, and Daniel Design Inc., a North Carolina-based foodservice consulting firm, have combined organizations. The new company will go to market under the name Camacho.

James Camacho, president of Camacho Associates, will retain his position and Kip Serfozo will remain vice president and managing director. Reggie Daniel of Daniel Design becomes the company's director of design. The company will have 11 employees total and will have its headquarters in Atlanta and an office in Charlotte, N.C. "With Lynette Croy handling the marketing for the company, she will open doors for us to walk through," added Camacho.

While this business structure may be relatively new, Camacho and Daniel are not strangers to one another. "Reggie and I have been friends and competitors for years," Camacho said. "Our company did not go after too much work in North Carolina because Reggie was up there. When we started comparing notes, it became apparent that we are working in some of the same areas but not on many of the same projects. So we realized it is time to do this. Working as one organization gives us more presence in the Carolinas and Virginia, and it gives Reggie a chance to focus on what he likes to do best: selling and designing."

For Daniel, working with Camacho was attractive for a variety of reasons. "I get the administrative and drafting support and everything that goes behind you when working with a larger company. So that will help us when going after larger projects," Daniel said. "Plus, my son, Brett, is a part of Camacho Associates so I get the chance to work with him."

Daniel, while operationally trained, has a degree in art. So he normally goes after the more visual, front of the house side of the business that showcases his unique skillset. In contrast, Camacho Associates has more institutional experience. "So we complement each other in that respect," Daniel said. "It's a good marriage in that we go after similar jobs but never really seem to cross paths."

In addition, both Camacho and Daniel remain very active in FCSI. "We do think alike in a lot of ways and our operating philosophies are similar," Daniel pointed out.

Of course, a development like this naturally leads one to wonder if the time is right for more consulting firms to explore collaborative opportunities with their peers. Both Camacho and Daniel seem to think so. "For some of the smaller ones to get together to compete with the larger firms, the time is right for us to work together more," Camacho said.

Daniel added, "If you get a job on the other side of the country it will be easier for you to partner with someone locally. Plus, they will know the rules and quirks of the area a little better. So you will see a lot more of this happening, particularly among the smaller ones."