Thanks to designed-in advantages such as low-maintenance boilerless technology, exclusive heat exchangers that ensure unsurpassed cooking performance and category-leading energy and water savings, sales of products from Stellar Steam and Eloma combi ovens rose substantially in 2006.

    According to Mitch Cohen, VP of Cooking Systems Sales for Stellar and Eloma (as well as Infinity Fryers), Aga Foodservice Equipment's steamer maker enjoyed "a very large growth" in orders in '06, earning new market share in the K-12 education and national chain sectors. "Stellar's year-end results also give us strong reason to expect further sales among commercial multi-unit operators in 2007," Cohen advised. "Building Stellar's chain order book will be a key focus for our field and phone sales team."

    Eloma, which became the newest member of the AFE trio of hot-side companies just in February 2006, experienced what Cohen characterized as "a great roll-out," that included winning a national account with a leading food retailer and generating almost immediate acceptance among specifying consultants and dealers. "Combi ovens, especially the sophisticated boilerless models Eloma manufactures, are very much a spec item and the ability of Eloma equipment to operate more easily, economically and reliably than competitors', along with responsive customer support and competitive pricing, have generated a gratifying level of early interest from channel partners and end-users," he explained.

    Overall, Cohen believes that boilerless cooking equipment in general had a break-through year in 2006, becoming regular first choices in a growing variety of foodservice programs and professional kitchens. As a result, both Stellar steamers and Eloma combi ovens gained greater name recognition, distinguishing themselves by their energy and water savings, intuitive controls and ease of operation, and dependability backed by AFE's standard two-year parts and labor warranties.

    For 2007, Cohen has several key objectives for Stellar and Eloma. These include further advancing the companies' brand-building process, achieving additional new sales to larger noncommercial and commercial customers, and capitalizing on the culinary and equipment expertise of newly hired corporate chefs Mike Nicholson and Steve Goellner.

    Specifiers and operators will also get to select among extended equipment lines from Eloma in '07. Cohen noted that gas-fired Genius combi ovens from Eloma will debut in the U.S. during coming months, along with the company's entry-level Multi Max models.