Hicksville food equipment maker buys Fort Wayne company

Nemco Food Equipment — located at 301 Meusse Argonne St. on Hicksville’s north side — has purchased the firm Meister Cook, LLC, in Fort Wayne. Located near the center of that Indiana city, Meister Cook is a “custom food equipment designer” that has worked with “large restaurant chains” across North America in developing “proprietary solutions,” according to a press release issued this week on Nemco’s behalf by NewPoint Marketing of West Lafayette, Ind.

Specifically, Meister has designed a series of units known as “Hot Hold” using “Thermal Breeze” technology for storing cooked foods and keeping them warm, the release noted.

“We’d been looking to expand into this kind of food-holding application for some time, as many of our customers continue to express a growing market need for a new solution here,” stated Nemco President Michelle Wibel in the release. “Meister Cook’s Hot Hold is a great performer and a great fit for us. We couldn’t be more thrilled to add this capability to our product offering.”

The company plans to develop the “Hot Hold” line further, according to Wibel.

Defiance County’s top economic development official, Defiance County Community Improvement Corporation Director Erika Willitzer, said her office “is trying to work with them to expand their workforce.”

“It’s an amazing company,” she said. “They’re very down to earth, but introducing products going across the Unite States in the biggest venues.”

According to Willitzer, this includes hot dog rollers in Major League Baseball stadiums and meat slicers for the Subway Restaurant chain.

“We have this state-of-the-art company right here in Hicksville, and we couldn’t be prouder,” she added.