BRANDSOURCE USHERS IN A NEW ERA 2015 SUMMER ANNUAL CONVENTION & EXPO COMMERCIAL REFRIGERATION: NOW REFINED FOR THE HOME

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Belinda Hampton
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REFINED FOR THE HOME Printed on Recycled Paper 10%

1 THE RETAIL OCTOBER 2015 Vol. 26, Issue 10 AN EYE ON THE INDUSTRY SINCE 1970 BRANDSOURCE USHERS IN A NEW ERA 2015 SUMMER ANNUAL CONVENTION & EXPO COMMERCIAL REFRIGERATION: NOW REFINED FOR THE HOME Printed on Recycled Paper 10% Post Consumer Scan for Mobile 2764 N. Green Valley Pkwy. Suite 508 Henderson, NV

2 THIS IS A TRUE STORY True pioneered commercial refrigeration. Now they have refined it for the home. After a successful D-Day mission executing precise paratrooper drops from his C-47, USAF pilot Bob Trulaske returned home to the Midwest. Always strategic, always planning, he d saved up his flight pay and, with the encouragement of his father, Frank, used that pay to seed a startup business making some of the very first commercial refrigerators to cool beer and soft drinks. The Trulaske s American dream started in a garage in St. Louis, MO, in Their mission was complex but focused: take fast-growing residential refrigerator technology and harness it, making it robust enough to handle fast pulldown for pub patrons demanding colder, more refreshing drinks. An entrepreneur at-heart, Bob Trulaske, together with his father, Frank, and brother Art, both machinists/tool & die men, began meticulously developing, engineering, and manufacturing the first roll-top bottle boxes, which would become so iconic in drug stores, pubs, and neighborhood establishments throughout the US in the 1950s, but the Trulaskes big break came a few years prior, when a traveling 7UP salesman spotted one of the boxes in a St. Louis establishment. Seeing the potential for his own products, he inquired about the cooler s origin, which was the three men the Trulaskes who would go on to become True Manufacturing. True owned no sophisticated labs in the early years, so in the late 40s, Bob decided on an innovative R&D method: send prototypes to Puerto Rico in July, where True machines would be tested by the harsh heat, humidity, and salinity, the unholy trinity of wreaking havoc on any refrigeration system. The Trulaskes already had a large-scale vision: Bob knew that if True units could stand up to that environment, they could work anywhere in the world. 8 RETAILOBSERVER.COM OCTOBER 2015

Today, True boasts some of the most sophisticated testing chambers and R&D labs in the world, but it retains the same ambition that drove the Trulaskes, priding itself in realworld demonstration.

For its first 25 years, True grew according to the Trulaskes vision and became a supplier to many large beverage companies, including Coca-Cola, RC Cola, Nehi, and Pepsi Cola.

Much as it did at its first KBIS in 2004, True had the wrong models at the 1972 NRA show (only glass door upright merchandisers and beer equipment).

claimed to have enough refrigeration suppliers. Stick with beverages, they said. Rob, firm in belief that True could serve foodservice as well as it had beverage, sharpened his resolve and focus.

Years later, True introduced the T-49 double door stainless steel refrigerator, the unique answer to those needs.

4 Today, True boasts some of the most sophisticated testing chambers and R&D labs in the world, but it retains the same ambition that drove the Trulaskes, priding itself in realworld demonstration. True units some 20, 30, and even 40 years old keep beverages ice-cold throughout the Caribbean and on islands around the world. For its first 25 years, True grew according to the Trulaskes vision and became a supplier to many large beverage companies, including Coca-Cola, RC Cola, Nehi, and Pepsi Cola. Not until 1972 participating in its first National Restaurant Association show did True decide to diversify into the world of commercial foodservice. Much as it did at its first KBIS in 2004, True had the wrong models at the 1972 NRA show (only glass door upright merchandisers and beer equipment). It piqued interest due to its reputation and experience, but the dealer community and restaurant operators told Bob s son, Rob Trulaske, that True had no business in the foodservice business, which claimed to have enough refrigeration suppliers. Stick with beverages, they said. Rob, firm in belief that True could serve foodservice as well as it had beverage, sharpened his resolve and focus. He spent time gathering feedback from dealers, chefs, operators, and others who gave their opinions about the type of refrigeration that they needed and wanted. Years later, True introduced the T-49 double door stainless steel refrigerator, the unique answer to those needs. Inspired by the bottom-mounted compressor, it relieved operators from stooping to load and unload products. Today, the T-49 is ubiquitous, an all-but-assumed piece of equipment for any new restaurant, cantina, cafeteria, or pizza shop. Throughout the 1990s, True successfully introduced over 400 new models, one of the most transformative being the refrigerated sandwich/salad preparation table, which, due to a patented airflow system that kept products at consistent, food-safe temperatures allowed operators to keep ingredients in pans overnight. As America began eating out more often and more consistently, so grew a variety of new restaurants, new tastes, and new menus, which fueled the need for new kitchen equipment, from upright reach-ins to refrigerated back bars to cake display cases and refrigerated pizza prep tables Bob Trulaske along with his father Frank, and later his brother Art, collaborate to develop a refrigeration company in their Lenox Avenue house TRUE develops blower coil evaporator technology and Slant Lid Bottle Coolers TRUE introduces the GDM-40-30, the first of its Glass Door Merchandisers, groundbreaking for their state-ofthe-art fan motor technology and revolutionary triple-pane glass design UP approves TRUE Roll Top Bottle Coolers. RETAILOBSERVER.COM OCTOBER International sales begin when coolers are sold in the Caribbean and Central America Pepsi-Cola Company approves TRUE equipment The first version of the TRUE logo as it appears today was created in 1961.

In the early 2000s, high-end restaurants began to flourish, alongside the institutional market and central commissaries for major hotels, universities, and stadiums.

Knowing it could do here what it had done for foodservice, True gathered feedback from restaurant kitchen Over 70 Years of commercial refrigeration focus have enabled TRUE to become experts in the

5 In the early 2000s, high-end restaurants began to flourish, alongside the institutional market and central commissaries for major hotels, universities, and stadiums. This segment demanded a more specialized, heavy-duty product line, which was, to this point, filled by successful brands. Knowing it could do here what it had done for foodservice, True gathered feedback from restaurant kitchen Over 70 Years of commercial refrigeration focus have enabled TRUE to become experts in the design and development of their systems. consultants and designers and developed a top of the line product category called the Spec Series. With more feedback and due to its drive for precision, True updated the Spec Series in 2011 and is already beginning to dominate this market with a stunning design that provides the most robust response to high-demand kitchens: reinforced shelving, heavy duty 304 stainless throughout, and door hinges and handles with lifetime warranties features that the most discerning chefs demand in their kitchens Coca-Cola Company approves TRUE equipment Bob Trulaske writes the company slogan, TRUE, Best of the Cold Ones TRUE begins sales within the foodservice industry TRUE expands its line of Horizontal Bottle Coolers, Glass Door Merchandisers and Underbar Refrigeration TRUE introduces its T-Series and Glass End Merchandisers TRUE introduces its Undercounter and Worktop lines and T-Series Freezers TRUE enhances its printing capabilities by incorporating state-ofthe-art, 4-color process, silk screen presses TRUE introduces Flat Top Bottle Coolers, which are still being manufactured today Bob Trulaske s son, Robert J. Trulaske Jr., joins the company Bob Trulaske s son, Steven L. Trulaske Sr., joins the company TRUE unveils the new Sandwich/Salad Food Prep Tables that utilize revolutionary patented airflow and hood design.

This product line is the inspiration for True s newest addition to its residential products: the True 42, driven by the demands of a restaurant-quality refrigerator and refined for the home.

In this case, homeowners had been putting True s commercial products in their homes for over 20 years.

6 This product line is the inspiration for True s newest addition to its residential products: the True 42, driven by the demands of a restaurant-quality refrigerator and refined for the home. Not only is the True 42 timely, like each of True s industry gamechangers, it was a product of paying attention to the desires of its audience. In this case, homeowners had been putting True s commercial products in their homes for over 20 years. Now home chefs had a commercial refrigerator refined meticulously and gorgeously for the home kitchen. As a predecessor to the True 42, when True participated in its first KBIS in 2004 in Chicago, it modified its commercial beer equipment and undercounter refrigerators for home use. At the time, we saw the continued popularity of stainless steel appliances being put into homes and felt that our ability to produce incredible looking stainless steel refrigerators for the commercial restaurant lent itself well to go into the home. Much of our research told us that the undercounter refrigerators and beverage centers that were on the market simply didn t keep the beverages very cold, and even less so in outdoor spaces, states cuurent owner Steve Trulaske. Our ability to do this so well in a commercial environment proved to be a great opportunity to dip our toe into the residential market, with our initial market focus being on the outdoor kitchen. We continued to listen, bring in focus groups of dealers, designers, and homeowners, and gradually adapted and adjusted our products over the years. More than 10 years later, at the 2015 Kitchen and Bath show, without ever skipping a KBIS edition, True introduced a full size, side by side all-stainless product (the True 42) and a brand new clear ice machine to complement and complete its expanding undercounter offering, which has been steadily growing for the last several years. True has grown organically over the last 70 years and currently manufacturers over 900 models with thousands of variations, in (3) different voltages, shipping to over 95 countries annually, with everything designed, built, and manufactured in one of its four world-class factories in Missouri, close to the garage where it built its first bottle coolers. Though True pioneered the beverage and beer category and holds a strong market share, its core strength is its prowess in the back of the house: the freezer or refrigerator on the cook line where it s 110 degrees and the door or drawer is opened TRUE celebrates 50 Years of Excellence TRUE becomes an original ENERGY STAR partner TRUE introduces new technology to its manufacturing processes such as waterjets, multibend centers and robotic arms TRUE celebrates 60 years and moves into the newly renovated World Headquarters in O Fallon, Missouri New 24 Series product line introduced. True Professional announces new 15 Undercounter Refrigerators and Wine Cabinets True Launches the True Residential website TRUE launches TRUE launches Spec Series All Stainless TR Series, a new product line designed specifically for the RETAILOBSERVER.COM OCTOBER 2015 institutional foodservice marketplace TRUE Professional Series officially launches first generation product line True introduces the TruLumina LED lighting system in 14 designer colors.

chef (and the health inspector) don t have to worry about temperature precision and consistency.

7 hundreds of times per service. True brought the same product pulldown technology required and approved by beverage suppliers into the foodservice world, aiding in quick recovery for these demanding applications, ensuring that the chef (and the health inspector) don t have to worry about temperature precision and consistency. The balanced refrigeration system, forced-air cooling absent from many home refrigerators now carries through to True s Residential product line. No other refrigeration brand can claim this type of commercial kitchen background. Due to its position as the preferred refrigerator of professional chefs, True has a great partnership and is the official James Beard House purveyor of refrigeration for over 250 events it holds yearly. True believes in nurturing the great American culinary heritage that the James Beard Foundation stands for and is a testament to the importance of teaching, inspiring, and most importantly equipping the next generation of successful chefs. Having added luxury consumer refrigerators to its list of market segments, True has carried on the Trulaske heritage of innovation, determination, and leadership and is clearly here to stay in the residential refrigeration market as the only refrigerator brand that focuses on, truly knows, and precisely answers the demands of a professional kitchen. RO 2015 True introduces The True 42 Full Size Refrigerator, giving high-end residential kitchens the look, work space, and performance of the best professional kitchens around the world.

8 COMPLETE CONTROL. NO COMPROMISES. Dare to be TRUE. THE TRUE DUAL ZONE WINE CABINET. Two independent temperature zones. Ultimate flexibility and style. 70 YEARS of TRUE INNOVATION, EXPERTISE and PERFORMANCE. 68 RETAILOBSERVER.COM OCTOBER FIND US ON

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