Stellar steamers were much in evidence on the exhibit floor of the recent Western Restaurant Show in Los Angeles, CA, appearing both in the Aga Foodservice Equipment booth (#1359) and a s part of a display of some of the most energy-efficient foodservice equipment now on the market, which was presented by ENERGY STAR® and several Southern California-based utility companies. Stellar's extensive show presence re-enforced several recent sales gains, including the placement of the company's boilerless steamers in the kitchens of the Long Beach (CA) Unified School District.

    During the Western Show, Stellar exhibited a working model of a connectionless Capella VI boilerless steamer to provide a live demonstration of the company's energy- and water-saving cooking technology, as well as a 10-pan Altair II model. (A Stellar Capella model was also featured at the ENERGY STAR® - utility company booth.) As expected, Stellar-drawn booth traffic was mainly composed of representatives from regional chain restaurants, high-volume noncommercial foodservice operators based in and around L.A., local specifying consultants and design-and-build dealers.

    "We feel we're now doing a fair job of getting products and information to traditional dealers. Our rep groups, including Lund-Iorio, which now represents Stellar in Southern California, are increasingly leading us to the dealers we need to do business with," remarked Cliff Waters, AFE's Western Region Sales Director. "During the show and afterwards, I'll be turning more of my attention toward opening new chain accounts and school district foodservices, which will help to provide more field-test feedback on Stellar products."

    Though Waters shares the view that industry trade shows have lost some of their importance as product-research venues due to the proliferation of equipment manufacturers' web sites, he still feels that shows are indispensable to brand building and heightening product awareness, especially for companies not yet well known in the national market. "There is no other way for a former niche company such as Stellar or for our newly formed Aga Foodservice Equipment division to tell our story and demonstrate our products' advantages to so many potential customers and specifiers in such a relatively short period of time," he confirmed. "That's why you'll see an enhanced presence and live cooking demonstrations when Stellar exhibits next at the New York Show in November."

For more information, visit Stellar Steam's web site at www.stellarsteam.com