KLH Foodservice Manufacturer Reps

Culinary innovations are known to boost operational efficiency within the fast-paced food service industry. Today’s market is brimming with products powered by cutting edge technology and deep expertise. However, this abundance of options makes it difficult for organizations to find solutions that best suit their needs.

A leading manufacturer in the industry, KLH Foodservice Manufacturer Reps addresses this gap by offering end users, consultants, and dealers a branded, commercial kitchen equipment line that increases application productivity, energy efficiency, and rebate rates.

Among the evolutionary trends and economic changes that have rocked the marketplace in recent years, labor shortages have the largest impact on restaurateurs, who struggle to maintain low employee turnovers despite higher wage rates. Partnering with large robotics- and automation-based equipment manufacturers, KLH helps combat labor costs. In essence, the company can combine multiple cooking capabilities into one multifunctional product.

A prime example of this resourceful approach is KLH’s Combi Oven offering, which replaces a traditional convection oven and steamer to boost production. The innovation is produced in collaboration with Vulcan, a commercial combination steamer manufacturer, to streamline labor-intensive food preparation tasks. Similarly, its partnership with Hobart, a food service equipment provider, equips customers with machinery that speeds up their kitchen processes while eliminating staffing hurdles.

KLH’s 15-plus heavy-duty equipment lines can be directly plugged or gas hooked, showcasing their superior flexibility. This, combined with its product knowledge and service transparency, is pivotal to the 20-year foundation of long-standing manufacturer relationships and strong dealer-consultant trust. These collaboration opportunities with manufacturers allow clients to easily acquire state-of-the-art offerings.

“We are proficient at making suggestions and finding the most suitable specification for a customer’s kitchen layout because of our deep technical knowledge to tailor solutions and guides that address diverse end-user challenges,” says Dave Kuelpman, CEO of KLH Foodservice Manufacturer Reps.

An exceptional customer story that reflects KLH’s impact is that of FILTROX, a manufacturer of fryer oil carbon pads. While many customers choose to drain and dump the oil or perform simple filtrations weekly, KLH supplies a carbon pad for daily use that extends oil life by up to five days. This develops a cost-efficient, high-quality, and consistent end product. Impressed by the innovation, multiple large chains have acquired FILTROX’s solutions for its labor-saving advantages and ability to curb workers’ compensation risks around hot oil management.

In a 16,000-square-foot facility, KLH includes warehouse and office areas where it organizes fun events, onsite training, and face-to-face customer meetings. These impactful elements simplify their critical decision-making processes, which are difficult to maintain in remote-work environments.

Further boosting its customer-centricity is a one thousand-square-foot test kitchen in Anaheim, Southern California, called the Kitchen Academy, designed for hands-on learning and product testing.

Centrally located in Orange County, customers can easily access the facility to try and choose from leading-edge innovations like different plug-and-play equipment for their specific electric and gas connections. Unlike user manuals and online instructions, the Kitchen Academy provides impactful programs to efficiently translate product information to end users.

Another instance is KLH’s annual Oktoberfest, a six-hour open house-type training event where manufacturers can perform impactful product presentations in a fun and relaxed environment. At the same time, dealers and end-users educate themselves on the latest advancements in the domain. This event is going on its 11th year and was originally envisioned and organized by Walt Luchinger, one of KLH’s original founders.

KLH’s emphasis on education is perfectly highlighted through its sales reps, who are skilled at offering solutions to help dealers and end users make better decisions and purchase the right equipment. Sean Michaud and Jacob Jordan, who have climbed up the ranks to become VP of sales and operations, respectively, also stand as a testament to its focus on delivering career growth opportunities.

As an organization, KLH values its workforce. Exemplifying this is the owners’ choice to enroll in the employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), which provides employees with company ownership benefits. Extensively trained executive coach and CFO Terri Carver further enhance its culture by training the staff to maintain a growth mindset and participate in relevant decision-making.

Driven by a profound understanding of the evolving food service landscape, KLH works to facilitate long-term customer and partner relationships through energy efficiency, innovation, and unparalleled support.