Adande | Catering Equipment Dealer Survey

 

Adande, manufacturers of refrigeration to a unique and patented design, recently commissioned an anonymous survey among catering equipment dealers, with some very interesting results.

A lack of temperature stability was seen as a significant, but unavoidable, shortcoming of all conventional refrigeration units when used in professional kitchens. The majority of dealers surveyed recognise that the design of all traditional door and drawer fridges leaves them unable to cope when their use increases and kitchen temperatures rise.

 

When asked to “name the biggest problems associated with conventional cabinets” 50% of those responding said that the most serious issue is a lack of temperature stability. It is no surprise that temperature stability is a concern as it is the single most important factor in ensuring food safety and extended shelf life. Without it, food waste and poor food quality become significant costs and a drain on hard earned profits. Unstable temperatures also promote the growth of the bacteria that cause food poisoning.

So if half of respondents consider rightly that temperature stability is the most serious shortcoming of traditional refrigeration why do they then seem to accept it? The answer could be seen in the answers to other questions that revealed a commonly held view that as all traditional units perform in a similar way none should be expected to work effectively in hot and busy environments. So although temperature stability is known to be vital, some respondents considered it an impossible goal.

 

So what can be done to help caterers avoid the high cost of losses resulting from unstable temperatures?

Thousands of chefs and kitchen operators have found a unique solution to the problem. They use Adande Refrigeration and have proved, to their own satisfaction, that the problem is not the heat in the kitchen, nor is it operator abuse or misuse. It is simply a case of not using the right tool for the job. Each Adande unit has an insulated drawer - a simple patent protected design that is not available to any other manufacturer without a licence. The dense cold air sits in the drawer when it is opened and the hot kitchen air cannot displace it.

Questioned further about “customer requirements” when selecting refrigeration, 94% of dealers cited purchase price, 69% listed reliability and 33% mentioned after sales service as being one of the three main purchase drivers.

While purchase price will always be high on the list with customers, it was interesting to see there is a growing recognition that ‘lifetime cost’ is important. And when asked “which brand would you recommend to clients interested in equipment with the lowest through life cost of ownership” more dealers considered that Adande provides users with the lowest ‘lifetime cost’ than any other brand.

Adande refrigeration does what any chef would want and any dealer should recommend. The units cost less to own, keep food safer and fresher for longer, are more reliable, use less energy and perform to specification no matter where they are located, or how hot and busy the kitchen.

For more information on Adande Refrigeration please call Harmony Business on 015395 66680, or email sales@harmonybusiness.co.uk.

Happy New Year

 

Happy New Year! We assume that our customers and suppliers are now either busy back in the office or are putting their feet up after the busy festive rush; either way we hope that you had a successful Christmas period. As the excitement of the holidays wears off, and the food and drink dwindle down, the period of looking ahead begins. Many look ahead at the year by making personal goals and resolutions, many start to plan holidays or activities for the next 12 months. Whether your changes are drastic or none at all you will find yourself reflecting upon 2012 and wondering what 2013 will bring.

Here at Harmony Business, we have have a busy yet tough 2012, as many have in the hospitality industry, but despite this we have found ourselves in a strong position and would like the thank all of our customers and suppliers for their support and assistance, as without you we would not be where we are today. Like everyone, we are unsure of what 2013 will bring, but we have made our resolutions as a company, and have our aims and objective in place so we can tackle whatever the year throws at us.

So Happy New Year to you all, we hope you have a great one and look forward to working with you in 2013.

New Products| BuyCateringEquipment.co.uk

 

It’s been a busy month on the Webshop this past month, with a large number of new products being uploaded to the site. We thought we would talk you through each of the product ranges, and give you our analysis of their best points and the benefits for you.

Pantheon New Products

We have always been a fan of Pantheon products; they may not be the fanciest of products, but if you need value and reliability then Pantheon products are ideal for you. They have released a number of new products onto the market recently, and we are excited to be able to offer them to you at very competitive prices and before many other retailers!

Included in the new products are Easy Clean Counter Top Fryers, Adjustable height Salamander Grills, Heated Display Units, Heated Cabinets and Heated Lamp Units.

 

Instanta New Boilers

Instanta is a name you can trust, and they have recently upgraded their value line of boilers with the release of the 1501F and 3000F, which replace the older 1500LCD and 3000LCD models. These new machines have the added benefit of built-in scale reduction and taste/odour removal along with a programmable filter monitor. Overall these added features make this a innovative value boiler with great reliability.

 

EKA Convection Ovens

EKA is a new brand to us, but what we have heard of them is all good! We wanted to include these convection ovens on our webshop so there would be an offering for those on a budget. their ovens are compact and versatile and can be placed on a counter top or mounted on a floor stand with tray storage.

These Convection Ovens are ideal for small to medium sized cafes, coffee shops, restaurants, takeaways and convenience stores. They are also extensively used by outside catering facilities. There are 8 different easy to use cooking settings. Overall they are versatile multi-function counter top ovens that are strong, reliable and really easy to use.

 

Electrolux Panini Grills and Cooktops- Libero Range

The Electrolux Libero line offers a complete package of plug-in appliances suitable for every food service location to cook, fry, grill and chill all kinds of dishes in a quick and easy way.  We think the Libero line is perfect for all catering establishments, but is a great fit for those with limited space as the range was designed to be flexible, easy to use ad ideal for mobile compact kitchen environments. Unlike many other ranges designed for those with limited space the Electrolux Libero range does not skimp on technology. Like all their products they use advance technology and appealing aesthetics.

The Panini Grills and Cooktops that we offer on our web shop can adapt to all styles and surrounding from breakfast in the early morning to dinner banquets. The Cooktops guarantee no heat loss during cooking and allows you to quickly prepare pan-fried dishes while creating a perfect result for you customer. The Panini grills are compact, versatile and ideal for grilling sandwiches, vegetables, meat or fish quickly and easily.

 

As you can see we are excited about the new products that we are offering to our customers, and as always we are offering them at a very competitive price and with great warranties. To find out more about these products individually you can view them on our Webshop or call our sales team on 015395 66680 or email at info@buycateringequipment.co.uk

Talbot Arms, Settle| Design, Supply & Installation

 

Harmony Business has recently completed the installation of a new professional kitchen at the Talbot Arms, Settle.

Situated in the bustling market town of Settle, North Yorkshire, the award winning Talbot Arms was taken over by Palmer family who have run the Maypole Inn in Long Preston for the past 30 years. The Maypole continues to be run by Robert and Elspeth Palmer, it is their daughter Rosie and her husband Russel who are now the owners of the Talbot Arms. Rosie and Russel worked alongside our Sales Manager David Mather to create their new professional kitchen.

The brief was to provide a completely new kitchen that would maximise the limited space available and allow them to provide home cooked food on a daily basis. Our design successfully created a comfortable working environment by using every available millimetre and keeping the equipment as close to the walls as possible. Despite the small space we were still able to install a wide range of equipment from brands such as Blue Seal, Electrolux and Parry.

The resulting kitchen was well received by the owners, and has helped the Talbot Arms to produce a very popular menu of home cooked food alongside their large selection of ales.

“The service that Harmony Business provided was fantastic and we are very happy with the results.” Rosie, Owner

You can find pictures of our installation below.

For more examples of our installations visit our website.

Supporting Movember

 It’s that time of year again, where our country gets over run my moustaches. Whether it’s an entertaining fundraising attempt or an excuse for not shaving, the moustache rules in November! This year at Harmony Business we have one willing volunteer who is taking part in Movember; Kevin Beecroft. He says “ Having had a full set for years, I had to shave it all off for Panto, but I decided that Movember would be a good time to grow it back and help a good cause at the same time.”

So with Kevin’s hardworking efforts we are supporting Movember; like he said it’s all for a good cause. We hope that Kevin will be able to raise money and awareness for men’s health, specifically prostate and testicular cancers.



If you are new to Movember, like we are, you may be wondering what it is all about. It began in 2003 amongst friends in a pub in Australia. The goal was to create a campaign promoting the growth of the moustache along with like-minded people and have fun along the way. It is all about real men, talking about real issues and changing the face of men’s health, one moustache at a time. Movember fever has since spread across the globe and now takes place in 21 countries, with the UK being one of the biggest supporters and contributors to the charity.

The Moustache is seen as being the ribbon for men’s health. The men who sport a moustache for Movember have become walking talking billboards for raising awareness and funds for the often ignored issues of men’s health. After all, occurrences of prostate cancer in men are comparable to the rate of breast cancer in women. In fact 1 in 9 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in the UK- one man is diagnosed every 15 minutes.

In 2011, over 254,000 volunteers raised over £22 million in the UK, towards the global total of £79.3 million. Hopefully this years totals are even bigger and whether Kevin raises £5 or £100 we are proud to support him and his efforts. With all the money raised going direct to programmes run by Movember, Prostate Cancer UK and the Institute of Cancer Research we know his efforts and our donations will support those currently undergoing treatment, and help preserve the future generation of men.

So if you see Kevin around when he is servicing or repairing your equipment, help his fundraising by slipping him a couple of pounds. Or you can donate online here.

We will keep you all up to date with his moustache growth on our Facebook and Twitter pages, and we hope that you donate to Prostate and Testicular Cancers.

Are you taking part in Movember this year?  Let us know by commenting below, we would love to see other willing moustache growers.

If you don’t have Adande supporting your business… why not?

Here at Harmony Business we are advocates for products that are of the highest quality, eco friendly, and are innovatively designed, and the Adande Refrigerated Drawer demonstrates each of these features perfectly.

Because of this we would like to tell you more about the Adande Refrigerated Drawers that we offer. Many have heard of this company and their range, but are still uncertain of the benefits it could bring to their kitchen, so allow us to explain why we believe in Adande. 

 

Adande Refrigerated Drawers were designed after pleas from chefs to provide fridges and freezers that would hold temperature. The problem of cold air falling out on each door opening leads to food spoiling and being thrown out- a very expensive hobby for any caterer! This is where the Adande Refrigerated Drawers have excelled, all their products are built around the same award winning technology- the patent protected insulated Adande drawer. Adande offer the best temperature control, and are designed for health, hygiene and ease of cleaning. 

 

We could go on about how many awards Adande have won, and all the other sales information, but what really matters is what impact Adande Refrigeration Drawers will have on your kitchen and business. 

 

Adande allows your chefs to deliver complete flexibility in handling refrigerated food and they increase your foods shelf life. No longer do your chefs have to waste time running between the refrigerator and their prep bench, they will have everything they need to hand. With Adande’s expansive range of refrigerated units, there is a unit to fit into any kitchen. You can choose from single drawer chef-base units, two-drawer workstation and counters, to the new Compact and Saladette models. Overall an Adande refrigerated system within your kitchen will significantly improve productivity, save operational costs and increase your profit. 

 

Don’t take our or even Adande’s word for it; There are now Adande drawers in a wide variety of kitchens and retail outlets including fine dining, pubs, restaurants, hotels, colleges, butchers and international fast food chains. Take a look below at a range of case studies from a variety of chefs who have all converted to Adande.

 

So there you have it, we hope we have introduced you to a new concept in refrigeration, and if you already knew about Adande, we hope to have further informed you of the benefits of their range. 

 

Do you already have Adande drawers in your kitchen? Comment below and let us know your experiences.

 

If you want further information, check out our Web shop. Feel free to browse or shop the range, or give us a call on 015395 66680.

New Product| Electrolux Ecostore Refrigeration Cabinets

We are very pleased to be able to offer our customers a new range of Electrolux refrigeration cabinets. Billed as being the new generation in refrigeration cabinets, the Ecostore range is said to offer greater capacity and are 65 per cent more efficient at consuming energy than equivalent products available.

Your refrigerator is your most important appliance as preserving food is the core element of every kitchen. It runs continually, 24/7, 365 days a year, therefore it is vital that you choose the right appliance for you. This is where an Ecostore model comes in; designed to deliver everything that you need from a new generation of professional refrigerators: outstanding efficiency, performance and capacity.

Key Features
Efficiency- Electrolux claim that businesses who use their new Ecostore cabinets will potentially be able to cut energy costs, as the range uses 65 per cent less energy than standard cabinets. This increase in efficiency can mean that you can save up to £580 a year (freezer) and up to £290 a year (refrigerator) in running costs.
Performance- Ecostore cabinets are equipped with Optiflow, an air circulation system which alters dependant upon the amount of food stored within. Other features include touchscreen controls with pre-set levels of temperature or humidity to match the requirements of the food that is stored. These all help ensure the best cooking results.
Capacity- Electrolux Ecostore cabinets provide, on average, 50 litres more available space, compared to equivalent cabinets in the marker. Exceptional sturdiness is guaranteed by internal and external full AIS 304 stainless steel construction.

Here at Harmony Business we are always excited when we have access to a new, innovative product that will make our customers businesses more efficient, effective and enjoyable. This range of refrigeration cabinets definitely excites us, and thanks to our great relationship with Electrolux we are able to offer this range at a very competitive price. Not only is our price competitive we are one of the few businesses who are selling this range on a webshop, where you are able to purchase your products with no quibble and at great ease, at any time of the day. 

To find out more information about this new range, visit the Electrolux website here

Shop the entire range on our Webshop, or give us a call on 015395 66680 to hear more about what we could offer you.

Gas Safety Week| Take care, be Gas Safe

We are pleased to announce that we are supporting Gas Safety Week, taking place 10^th – 16^th September 2012.

During this week we are calling upon our customers, past, present and future to take care and be gas safe. To mark the week Harmony Business will be sharing our top tips on how to be Gas safe.

Gas Safety Week is co-ordinated by Gas Safe Register, the official list of gas engineers who are legally allowed to work on gas appliances. Gas Safety Week aims to raise awareness of gas safety and the importance of taking care of your gas appliances. It is a national campaign with events, advertising and PR taking place across the country to help keep the nation Gas Safe. 

Here at Harmony Business, we believe that Gas Safety Week gives us the perfect opportunity to put gas safety at the top of everyone’s priority list. Making sure gas appliances are safe to use could save lives, so we work very closely alongside our customers and suppliers to ensure safety is the primary concern. By working alongside Gas Safe Register we aim to educate people on the real risks unsafe gas work poses and help people to stay gas safe. 

Last year alone 18 people died and a further 399 were hospitalised because of preventable gas related incidents. So by following the below top tips, you can make sure you are not risking the safety of your business, customers and staff.

• Make sure only a Gas Safe registered engineer works on their gas appliances. Illegal gas fitters can put their life at risk
• Always check the engineer's Gas Safe Register ID card
• Make sure gas appliances have a regular service and a gas safety check every 12 months
• Look out for warning signs that their gas appliances aren’t working correctly e.g. lazy yellow or orange flames instead of crisp blue ones, black marks on or around the appliance and too much condensation in the room
• Know the signs and symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning – headaches, dizziness, breathlessness, nausea, collapse and loss of consciousness
• Install an audible carbon monoxide alarm
• Call the gas emergency number on 0800 111 999 if they smell gas

If you need any assistance or advice, please call us on 015395 66680, or ask one of our engineers when they are next at your premises.

Welcome| Let us introduce ourselves

We are Harmony Business, a specialist in catering equipment, laundry equipment and EPoS systems, from the North West. 

We have decided to start blogging (again) as we would like to share with you all our latest news, as well as the news and views from the market that catch our eye. However more importantly, we would like you to get to know us better; the people behind the company. Hopefully through reading this blog you will be able to gain a better view of what makes us tick and what drives us.

Harmony Business adverts from over the years

 

So firstly, how about a little history; Harmony Business & Technology has been established since 1983. Since then we have continually grown and gained invaluable experience in the design and installation of professional kitchens; the supply and servicing of commercial catering equipment; and the supply, servicing and support of cash registers and Epos systems. 

Over the past 30 years we have built strong links with large manufacturers including Electrolux and Parry, as well as smaller more specialist manufacturers. By working alongside only the best manufacturers we have built our reputation by proving first class service and support to all our customers, from all kinds of businesses. 

So now you have a little taster of who we are and what we do, I think we can start blogging on the more interesting things. However if you want any additional information check out our website- www.HarmonyBusiness.co.uk