Hot hold food for longer and better – and never run out

FEM’s new Extended Hot Holding Bins are ‘breaking out’ of the QSR sector

FEM has launched new double- and single-sided Hot Holding Bins that offer extended holding times, so that food can be held without loss of quality for longer periods.  Manufactured by Prince Castle in the USA, the bins feature MenuTrak technology, which allows operators to monitor held products by logging their location and held time.

The Extended Hot Holding Bins (EHBs) have a variety of features designed to maximise hot food shelf life.  They include dual zone top and bottom heaters that can be fine-tuned to create the perfect holding environment for each food item.  Meanwhile the MenuTrak system allows operators to set and adapt programmes for all their menu items, while new recipes can be uploaded via the USB port.  In addition, the EHBs feature removable metal lids that increase the thermal conductivity of the bins, helping maintain precise temperature control.

The ‘Cook More’ alert warns staff if they are running low on particular items, so they never need run out of popular products.  The system also alerts them if they need to replace held product.

FEM offers a variety of model capacities to suit different sizes of outlet.  They range from holding four x 1/3 GN Pans to twelve x 1/3 GN pans.  All models are designed as pass-through units as standard, and there’s a choice of one-sided or two-sided controls.

The EHBs are easy to look after, their neat rackless design and durable stainless steel construction making them quick to clean and maintain.  They’re also simple to operate, with clear digital displays detailing product type and status.

These latest holding bins are ideal not just for burgers and the like, but also a wide variety of other foods and applications.  “EHBs are breaking out of their traditional QSR market and moving into mainstream restaurants,” says Nathan Osborne, development chef at FEM.  “Their ability to hold hot food over longer periods, without compromising quality, saves time and money while reducing food waste.  These are benefits that can be exploited in many different types of restaurant, not just fast food.”