Hobart Announces 2026 Food Equipment Grant Winner

TROY, Ohio (September 22, 2026) –  Hobart, the premium commercial food equipment manufacturer known for designing and building some of the most reliable, must-have equipment, has announced the winner of its 2026 Hobart Food Equipment Grant: Milwaukee Public Schools in Milwaukee, Wis.

Hobart awards the grant annually (worth up to $40,000 in equipment) through a larger grant program with the School Nutrition Foundation (SNF). Criteria for winning is based on the school’s need for updated equipment that can support labor savings and address operational challenges, along with its initiatives for offering students more fresh, from-scratch menu options.

For the grant, Renee Slotten-Beauchamp, director of Nutrition Services for Milwaukee Public Schools, chose eight Hobart commercial salad dryers (model SDPS) for three of the district’s high schools. The high schools currently have 79 hydroponic towers for growing lettuce. The addition of the salad spinners/dryers will allow Slotten-Beauchamp and her staff to expand their usage of the student-grown lettuce in pre-made salads by automating the process of washing and drying the produce — and at a significant cost savings with less labor.

The three kitchens currently serve more than 1,000 pre-made Greek, Chef, Southwestern and Garden salads to 19 of the Milwaukee Public School District’s high schools. The efficiencies introduced with the new salad dryers will allow students to increase lettuce production, as this equipment provides a way to clean and dry larger quantities of this produce. With greater production, the aim is to offer salads to multiple other grade levels.

“The Hobart commercial salad dryers are the perfect fit for the hydroponic growing program at Milwaukee Public Schools. Not only does this equipment increase the shelf life of lettuce, but it also reduces salad dressing cost up to 15%,” said Carolyn Bilger, marketing director, Hobart Food Prep Equipment. “More importantly, offering students fresh salads is an excellent way to encourage healthy eating.”

Slotten-Beauchamp agrees. “This is an opportunity for our high school students to be directly involved with growing and harvesting lettuce to serve their peers, an activity they can all be proud of. The Hobart equipment will expedite the cleaning and drying process so we can maximize utilization of the towers. Plus, it will encourage more lunch participation with additional pre-made salad options, which is something our students have requested.”

For more information on Hobart commercial salad dryers, visit Hobartcorp.com/products/food-prep/specialty-products/salad-dryers.

About Hobart
At Hobart, an ITW Food Equipment Group LLC brand, it is our mission to provide premium food preparation equipment that foodservice and food retail professionals can trust to work hard and deliver quality, consistent results day in and day out, empowering them to focus on what they love most - creating great food for great people. From one plate to one thousand, Hobart helps you satisfy every appetite. Whether you need to mix, chop, grind or peel, our legendary equipment is the perfect partner. Backed by our nationwide network of 1,500 factory-trained service technicians, we're always nearby to install, maintain and service your equipment. Hobart is part of ITW Food Equipment Group LLC (a subsidiary of Illinois Tool Works Inc.) and is proud to be an ENERGYSTAR® Partner of the Year since 2008. Explore Hobart by visiting Hobartcorp.com, connecting with us on Facebook at Facebook.com/hobartcorp or by contacting your local Hobart representative at 888-4HOBART.