RATIONAL expands staff, office space and distribution facilities to support growth.
Rational North America, the leading manufacturer of combi-steamer technology, announced that the Rational North American Distribution Center shipped a record-breaking 10,000 Rational SelfCookingCenter® combi ovens to customers across the United States and Canada in 2018. The North American Rational install base now exceeds 60,000 units.
Apart from being the first manufacturer in North America to cross this milestone, year-over-year shipments in 2018 show an increase of 50% over 2017, exceeding category growth rates. Rational combi oven market share is estimated at 45% in the United States and 65% in Canada. Rational employs 150 people focused on the combi oven market segment in the United States and Canada.
“At the beginning of the year, shipping over 10,000 units was our goal,” says Markus Glueck, executive vice president of Rational North America. “Today I am proud to say that we surpassed it. The North American team’s determined focus on delivering unmatched customer benefit enabled us to grow our business across all customer segments. We have a tremendous amount of momentum, and as combi technology gains greater acceptance in our market, we anticipate further growth.”
Common in European commercial kitchens for four decades, combi technology is now gaining traction in North America where approximately 20% of relevant foodservice locations purchase combis, often in place of ovens. However, with the capability to steam, blanch, poach, bake, roast, sear, fry, grill, smoke, sous-vide, overnight cook & hold, and much more, combis frequently replace several pieces of kitchen equipment. This unexpected multi-functionality combined with advanced intelligence needs to be experienced to be embraced, so Rational invests heavily in live programs ranging from cooking demonstrations, to tradeshow pop-up restaurants, to culinary school seminars.
In 2018 alone, nearly 33,000 chefs and commercial kitchen operators and more than 7,000 culinary school students, were introduced to the Rational SelfCookingCenter®. The Rational Culinary School Initiative prepares future chefs for the next generation of culinary excellence. Rational CookingLive events introduce participants to combi technology and show how the Rational SelfCookingCenter® in particular improves day-to-day kitchen operations.
To learn more about Rational products and services, or to register for a Rational CookingLive event visit www.rationalusa.com.
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