Celebrating 70 Years of Innovation

As we reflect on 2025, and what has been a milestone year in so many ways, our entire Alto-Shaam family is filled with gratitude and pride. This year, we celebrated 70 years since our journey began in 1955, when our founder – and my father – Jerry Maahs invented the very first holding cabinet with Halo Heat® technology to keep hot chicken ready for delivery. What started as a simple solution born out of necessity has grown into a legacy of relentless innovation, partnership, and customer-focused progress.

A Year of Milestones and Celebrations

We kicked off our 70th anniversary celebrations in style in February at the NAFEM Show, bringing together industry partners, friends, and colleagues to showcase just how far our kitchen solutions have come. From our original holding equipment, to pioneering Halo Heat® technology and creating the multi-cook oven category, we highlighted our ongoing commitment to streamlining kitchen operations for our customers across the globe. It was incredible to see our global team of chefs giving live demonstrations, and to see visitors engaging with our technologies.

NAFEM’s energy carried into a memorable evening at the Buckhead Theatre for our 70^th party – a chance for us all to connect, remember our roots, and look forward together. Sharing these moments with our Alto-Shaam family and partners was truly special.

In May, the celebrations continued at the National Restaurant Association (NRA) Show in Chicago, where we were honored to receive a 2025 Kitchen Innovation (KI) Award for our newest solution – the Origin™ multi-cook convection oven, which will be launching in 2026. This recognition means a lot to us, testament to our ongoing drive to help professional kitchens become smarter, more efficient, and more sustainable. Alongside Origin™, we demonstrated the versatility of our Vector® and Converge® ovens and our water-saving Prodigi™ combi ovens – helping operators achieve more with less, and deliver consistent, high-quality results every time.

2025 also marked a new chapter for our global presence, with the opening of our very first UK training kitchen and demonstration facility in Milton Keynes. This purpose-built space is now a hub for innovation, learning, and hands-on demonstrations, supporting our customers and partners across the UK and beyond. Our UK team has already made this an inspiring home for collaboration and growth.

Internationally, we made a strong return to HOST Milano – where we celebrated our 70th anniversary on a global stage, joined panel discussions on the crucial subject of sustainability within our industry, and showcased how our multi-cook and heated holding solutions continue to set new industry standards.

Back home, one of our proudest moments was the grand opening of our expanded headquarters in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. Our new Innovation and Fulfillment Center represents a transformative investment in Alto-Shaam’s future – adding modern shipping, engineering, and collaborative office spaces to our campus. Seeing our team united under one roof again, and our new Fulfillment Center providing the ability to deliver a positive customer experience, is a reminder of what’s possible when we work together with a forward-thinking mindset. This facility reflects our commitment to our people, our partners, and the ongoing improvement of everything we do.

Looking Ahead

As we close out 2025, our 70th year, we are looking ahead with excitement and optimism. With the upcoming launch of Origin™ and our expanded facilities driving innovation, we remain dedicated to building on my father’s legacy – pioneering new solutions, supporting our customers, and making a lasting, positive impact in the industry.

Thank you for being part of our story – whether you’re a customer, partner, or member of our team. Here’s to 70 years of progress and leading boldly, and to the next chapter of Alto-Shaam innovation.

- Steve Maahs, CEO