Esrock Partners

Do you know how your brand shows up in AI search data when the rules of being found are constantly changing?

Today's customers are searching beyond Google, asking ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and other AI-powered tools for the best suppliers, available solutions and products that fit their needs.

Learn how your business can move from “Can customers find us on Google?” to “When AI is helping customers find solutions, does our brand show up?” in our upcoming online seminar "Ensure Your Brand Gets Found in the AI Era: The New Rules of Search and Discovery for AI Visibility." We’ll be speaking on this topic along with IFMA on September 2, 2026.

Together, we’ll explore how search is evolving, where AI fits into today's purchase paths and what companies can do to improve visibility across Google and AI-powered platforms.

Learn more about registering at IFMA The Food Away from Home:
https://foodaway.org/IFMA/Events/Member_Non-Member_Webinar/Member-NonMember-Webinar.aspx?EventKey=WEB090226&WebsiteKey=a7839fb7-5326-4417-972a-fab925852771

Buyers are changing how they discover products, suppliers and solutions. They’re asking AI for answers, and they’re enjoying the simplicity and directness of this experience. Since the way purchasing decisions are made is changing, your strategy needs to keep up.

You need your brand to be the answer, so that you can maintain a competitive edge.

In our latest blog, our Integrated Communications Director, Michelle Johnson, dives into why strategically investing in digital visibility is a winning opportunity.

Read our blog: www.esrock.com/winning-visibility-in-the-age-of-ai/

Happy Women’s Equality Day! Today and every day we celebrate the women who lead, innovate and move the foodservice industry forward. We also know that there is still important progress to be made.

That’s why Esrock is proud to support organizations like the Foodservice Women's Alliance (FWA) whose year-round efforts help create meaningful opportunities for women and lasting change across our industry. We're proud to stand behind organizations that help shape a stronger, more equitable future in foodservice.

Here's to continued progress and equity for women in this space—and everyone who helps make it possible! Learn more at www.foodservicewomensalliance.com

What a great summer outing with our Esrockers! A huge thank you to Gibsons Restaurant Group and our hosts, CEO Stephen Lombardo, GM Erick Starke and Executive Chef Drew Keane, for giving us a behind-the-scenes look at the restaurant business.

One takeaway that really stuck with us: no business exists without the customer.

From hospitality and quality to menu innovation, managing costs and building strong vendor relationships, every decision ultimately comes back to creating value for the guest.

Because at the end of the day, restaurants aren’t just in the business of serving food. They’re in the business of making memories.

It was a truly special day spent learning, connecting and enjoying incredible food!

Last weekend, Esrock supported the annual Ryan Adkins Memorial Golf Outing at Green Garden Country Club in Frankfort, Illinois. We're a proud sponsor of this charity event that raises funds for the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation. This cause is close to the heart of our team, as it has affected several members of the Esrock family.

Learn about the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation, or donate if you can afford to help: https://www.cholangiocarcinoma.org/

At the Tastewise Growth Summit, experts highlighted how Agentic AI can help create strategic opportunities for businesses to build smarter, faster and more connected ways of working. Discover the top five ways AI can help your company in our latest blog post from Laura Everly and Stephanie O’Brien.

Read our blog: https://esrock.com/five-takeaways-on-agentic-ai-from-the-tastewise-growth-summit/

The best way to start the day is donuts. It’s the breakfast of champions, the ch*****ne of sweet treats, arguably man’s best friend. At least, that’s according to our Esrockers. Happy National Donut Day! Celebrate accordingly!

If you ask us, the drive-thru is the best invention since sliced bread. SoundHound AI is making the future of this experience smarter and more streamlined. That earned them the 2026 Esrocky Award for Best New Restaurant Technology at the National Restaurant Association Show. Their AI agent-powered drive-thru demo showcased seamless ordering powered by intelligent automation and connected data insights from across front of house, back of house and off-premise channels. Now, operators can make faster decisions with better visibility and offer an experience their customers will enjoy.

Learn more about this award and see all the other winners: https://esrock.com/2026-esrocky-awards-the-best-of-the-best-of-the-nra-show/

Fermentation is stepping out of its lab coat era and into its chef’s apron era. The new Planit POD Fermentation Chamber from Waring gives kitchens a smarter way to explore plant-based proteins with precision, consistency and confidence. That's why it’s the winner of the 2026 Esrocky Award for the Most Innovative Equipment Award from the National Restaurant Association Show. From tempeh and koji to other blends, the Planit POD creates the ideal environment to push flavor development further while simplifying things behind the scenes.

Learn more about this award and see all the other winners: https://esrock.com/2026-esrocky-awards-the-best-of-the-best-of-the-nra-show/

The winner of the 2026 Esrocky Award for Foodservice Excellence was none other than Middleby. Their “Innovation Trifecta” owned the show floor around the Kitchen Innovation Awards at the National Restaurant Association Show. This included the Imperial MFG Pro Series Electric Wafer Plate Range, the Marco Beverage Systems SYPP and the Southbend Steam Shell Griddle. Three different pieces of equipment, but one shared vision: solving real operational challenges with smarter design and forward-thinking engineering.

Learn more about this award and see all the other winners: https://esrock.com/2026-esrocky-awards-the-best-of-the-best-of-the-nra-show/