 While still a leader in plate covers and pizza pans, American Metalcraft is evolving into a premier tabletop supplier for all types of creative products in metal, melamine, porcelain, cast iron and more.. At TabletopJournal, we like to celebrate companies that are forward thinking and staying relevant within the tabletop category. Probably no company is changing quite as much as American Metalcraft. Just a few years ago they were known primarily as a back-of-the-house provider of plate covers and pizza pans. Not any more. While they still are a top supplier for those categories, American Metalcraft has definitely moved to also a premier supplier to the front of the house, as well. With nearly 200 exciting new products added to their line in 2013, American Metalcraft now has more than 3,000 creative foodservice presentation items, making them one of the most innovative tabletop suppliers in the world. |  For more than 60 years, American Metalcraft has been a creative source for serving up foodservice value for operators of all types. |  American Metalcraft 's Prestige Porcelain Collection has a wide variety of serivng pieces for portions of all sizes. |  With a huge range of Mini Colanders, Milk Cans, Pails, Baskets and more, American Metalcraft has the metal serving piece area fully covered, as well. |  Looking for that "hammered metal" look? American Metalcraft has your products. With complete and wide-ranging lines of tabletop and buffet, bar supplies, ....and, yes, kitchen and pizza supplies, along with perhaps the industry's widest selection of plate covers, American Metalcraft has become a great "go-to" source for a whole range of products that can help differentiate the dining experience. From metal to melamine, from porcelain to cast iron....and from buffet to bamboo.... American Metalcraft is a complete source for creative serving ideas.
American Metalcraft was incorporated in 1947 by Archer Kahn. In 1961, Herbert Kahn succeeded his father as President, and in 1995 David Kahn and Susan Kahn Bank took over the business, marking the transition to a third generation of family leadership. In over 57 years of family ownership, the company has expanded from 6,000 square foot in Chicago to over 120,000 square foot in west suburban Melrose Park, Illinois, and from a handful of employees to almost 100. American Metalcraft began with a limited product line and a local customer base to a company with customers in all 50 states and over 75 countries around the world. The company has evolved from job shop to a company that manufactures over 2000 items in house for its own product line. To learn more about this f ascinating and evolving company, go here:http://www.amnow.com/ | |
When thinking of tabletop options, particularly dinnerware, the name Carlisle Foodservice doesn't always come first to mind. But, for those who know, Carlisle brings a wide variety of both product and design options to the table. Carlisle dedicates itself to designing and making professional grade products for people who have to use them every day. Products that have real value and that can help make your operation run smoother, more efficiently, more profitably. With a number of products ranging from melamine to polycarbonate, Carlisle offers tabletop items that are both versatile and durable. |
SPANISH TILE is just one of Carlisle's many designer dinnerware patterns.
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Carlisle's melamine products come in a rainbow of designs, styles, and colors.
| With a wide range of designs, quality levels, items, Carlisle's Foodservice tableware invites mixing and matching until you get just the "right" mix of design, color, and practicality.
And, don't forget that Carlisle has a complete line of coordinating tumblers, ramekins, soup bowls, and other serving pieces. |
Carlisle's TWIST design from its Durus Designer Patterns proves that melamine doesn't have to be boring.
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One of the things we like about Elite Global Solutions is that when they introduce a new range, they don't fool around....they make a committment to the concept by having a wide variety of shapes and items. Elite's new ORE range of faux cast iron is no different. With an intial collection of 19 individual items including bowls, plates, platters, trays, and even an 8 oz. cup.... ORE is right for a wide range of restaurant and buffet operations. Made from melamine, ORE looks so much like cast iron you will definitely be stunned at how light and versatile it is. Elite's ORE gives you that cast iron look ....with all the operational practicality of melamine! Nice  Elite's new ORE collection features (left to right) a 10" Two-Compartment Tray, 7" Rectangular Tray, 6 sizes of Square plates, and an 18 oz. Triangular Bowl | |
 Kiwi, Orange, Magenta, and Turquoise are just four of the rainbow of colors that Zak! Designs offers in their Confetti line of divided plates. We have talked about both the blending of foodservice and retail and we've also talked about the rise in popularity (not to mention the product creativity) of melamine. So, it's no surprise that retail giant Zak! Designs has increased it footprint into the foodservice sector. These factors, along with the increases in foodservice demand for more creative, more functional, and more casual products in the tabletop category...have given fun companies like Zak! Designs a true competitive edge with hospitality operators. Zak! Designs is all about color! Through a patented process, Zak! Designs is also one of the few - if not the only - manufacturer to use re-cycled melamine in its products. This process not only reduces the amount of raw material needed to make the products, but also cuts down on the amount of waste that would otherwise be disposed of.
 Zak! Designs has all the popular styles of barware and stemware in colorful break-resistant materials. The same splash of color that Zak! Designs products bring to chain restaurants, casino properties, resorts, and cruise ships is also available to independent restaurants through Zak's network of national dealers such as Wasserstrom and Edward Don. For the past five years, Zak! Designs has been raising visibility of its brand and creating demand for its products by participating in foodservice shows like the NRA Show and others. Zak! Designs is all about color! Zak! Designs also has a wide range of trays that are used in a variety of applications. The small black trays are sometimes used as in-room amenity trays, while bakeries and delis are using their MeeMee trays for showcasing product in display cases. Deli-style restaurants have long used Zak! Designs trays as do hotels and buffet operations to showcase breads, pastries, and more. So, whether it's tabletop, serving bowls, drinkware, or trays..... Zak! Designs is all about color!To see the entire foodservice line of Zak! Designs products, go to: http://www.zak.com/Food-Service-Hospitality_c_322.html Did I mention that Zak! Designs is all about color?
 CEO Gary on the surfboard....maybe there IS something to that Califonia craziness. With a name like " Elite Global Solutions" you might expect that this would be a company run by IBM-type dark suits whose idea of having fun was wearing perfectly ironed tan slacks and blue bazers - with the mandatory sparkling white button down shirt - on Fridays only. And, of course, only in the summer months. But, that's not the case, as Elite - a relatively new foodservice tabletop company that started in 2003 - provides melamine "displayware", dinnerware, and more recently, bamboo-products, tabletop and buffets. Since its inception, however, Elite has worked as hard - or harder - on developing their service reputation as they have their creative product line. One industry insider has termed Elite the " Nordstroms" of foodservice with their approach to never saying "NO" to customers. Elite's approach has positioned them - and their brand - strongly as the "YES" people.  A page from Elite's new catalog which you can acces on their website - www.eliteglobalsolutions. com We spend a fair amount of time talking about product and brand differentiation on this site. Well, Elite differentiates itself in multiple fundemental ways. Yes, their products are creative and unique. But, so is their catalog ( how many companies show their CEO on a surfboard?). Do you think Elite customers have fun buying from them? Or, do you think their salespeople enjoy working for Elite? Let me ask one other question - does anybody think for a moment that this company has trouble attracting good employees? With service and fun as a major part of your company DNA, your customers will have fun working with you, your employees have fun working there, too. Happier employees lead to happier customers which lead to more sales....more sales lead to more products and so it goes..... What could be next- world peace?  This is Page 9 of the Elite catalog showing their "Get A Clue Bamboo" line. Elite's catalog is certianly fun....but contains all the information that a great product catalog should have, too. Elite has lots of things going for it and in a tough economy....with profit margins squeezed at every stop of the supply chain....our guess is that Elite is continuing to gain market share and grow both sales and profits. Certainly, they have differentiated themselves and in competitive markets - that oftens makes all the difference. Now....if we can just work on that company name! You can see the entire line from Elite (along with the surfing CEO, the motorcycle marketing mama....and the rest of the Elite gang) by going to : http://www.eliteglobalsolutions.com/ (make sure you click on the "Our Stuff" tab!)
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