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Providing warewash products and services has high profit potential. In the kitchen, the dish machine uses the most chemicals. In many ways it's a good fit with jan/san distributors.
Warewash can allow a jan/san distributor to be a one-stop shop, says Ron Dickerson, senior vice president of global sales for DEMA, which makes a complete line of dispensers. "If they're already supplying the floor-cleaning needs, they can also be supplying the warewashing needs. You can go from supplying two or three chemicals to maybe eight."
But, warewashing suppliers emphasize, it's an addition that calls for careful preparation, a major investment and the patience to wait three to six months before you turn a profit. Beyond this, the profit potential depends on the equipment and chemical companies you work with and provide to your customers.
"You have to commit to growing the line - and then the profit grows with it," says Gregory Robinson, owner of Griffin Chemical, a niche market manufacturer of green cleaners and disinfectants.
Introduction to Warewashing
Food service warewashing is the method by which dishes, glasses, flatware, pots and pans, etc. are cleaned by an automated process that employs hot water, motion and detergent. The facility's automated warewasher is often its most expensive piece of equipment and, ironically, is usually operated by the least trained employees.
An automated warewasher contains seven key components:
1. Tank containing a detergent solution.
2. Hood to contain wash and rinse action.
3. Pumping and piping system that sprays the detergent solution over the ware.
4. Rinse system that receives and sprays the final rinse over the ware.
5. Electrical system to regulate wash and rinse action.
6. Heating system to maintain wash solution temperature.
7. Method by which the ware is conveyed through the system.
Information provided by Stero. Stero specializes in heavy-duty, commercial warewashing systems and design and is part of the ITW Food Equipment Group.
Potential
It takes no more than a glance at all the places that serve food to know, says Bill DiCristofano, general manager of Seko USA, that "the customer base is huge." Seko USA makes the WareBasic and WarePlus warewash systems lines. WarePlus eliminates all manual operations in dish machines, and is designed for use in all types of commercial machines.
However, the upfront investment in equipment and personnel can be just as big. "You have to buy the equipment and then give it to your customer," DiCristofano says. "The equipment is part of a program - you buy my chemicals and I'll take care of your program. If you don't have the expertise to support that investment, you risk losing the account."
The warewash customer base is also incredibly diverse, covering restaurants, hospitality, institutional and any other facility that serves food. In addition, chances are that specific conditions - food soil, water systems - will vary widely even within the same city or neighborhood.
Service-intensive
Supplying warewash is a highly service-intensive business. It requires a big upfront dollar investment, and an ongoing 24/7 customer service commitment to maintain a competitive position over the long term.
In short, warewashing is not just the dishwashing machine and the three-part manual pot-and-pan sink. It requires a fully integrated program, designed and delivered on an individualized basis to each customer. When the customer facility pays for the chemicals, it's paying for the service, Dickerson says.
Warewash is also a highly competitive area with a lot of expert players. "Warewashing requires hands-on technical support," Robinson says. Griffin's W.O.W! Brand products include pot-and-pan detergents, enzymatic degreasers and disinfectants.
In order to keep up with the competition, jan/san distributors planning to add warewashing should hire a dedicated warewashing specialist who's been in the business for several years. "You need a dedicated service force and deep pockets to compete," Robinson says.
"You have to go into warewashing with the proper mind-set and the willingness to support the customer with 24-hour service," Dickerson says. DEMA's recently introduced Olympian Mini Pump controls are designed to regulate chemical delivery for small commercial machines and undercounter dish and glass washers. Its Titan models target all types of warewash accounts.
Warewashing demands a customer-specific approach. It requires the knowledge of detergents and sanitizers needed to clean different types of food soil and how they work in different water conditions and different temperatures. It requires knowing local codes, and how the individual customer facility runs its kitchen.
