EPI Kitchen
EPI Kitchen is a Texas-based commercial kitchen equipment manufacturer's representative, earning commissions selling 30+ premium equipment brands to K-12, healthcare, restaurant chains, universities, lodging, and convenience stores across Texas and Oklahoma.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersGrapevine, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What EPI Kitchen does
EPI Kitchen, operating under the legal name Equipment Preference, Inc., is a commercial kitchen equipment manufacturer's representative serving foodservice operators across Texas and Oklahoma. Founded in 1994 and headquartered at 2255 Stone Myers Pkwy. #105 in Grapevine, Texas, the company earns commissions by selling and specifying commercial kitchen equipment on behalf of more than 30 equipment manufacturers, covering the full spectrum from cooking (combi ovens, fryers, ranges, induction), food preparation (processors, slicers, mixers), storage (walk-in coolers, blast chillers, refrigerators), warewash and waste systems, smallwares, and front-of-house solutions. Its customer base spans K-12 school districts, healthcare facilities, restaurant chains, universities, lodging and hospitality venues, independent restaurants, convenience stores, and equipment dealers, with a dedicated National Accounts team serving multi-location chain customers.
EPI's go-to-market is consultative enterprise field sales backed by an inside sales organization, with on-site project support from design through equipment installation and training. The SpeCenter, an 8,000 square foot showroom and test kitchen near Fort Worth/Dallas with seating for up to 80 people and a plug-and-play UDH wall, functions as a hands-on demonstration, training, and event facility. Pricing is quote-based and project-specific; there is no public pricing, no software, API, or AI product surface, and no disclosed funding, M&A, or leadership transition activity. The company is privately held with no parent company or institutional investor disclosed in the source material.
The revenue model is hardware sales commission: EPI earns a percentage of equipment sell-through on the brands it represents. Distribution is direct via regional field sales representatives covering Texas and Oklahoma, inside sales for quotes and order management, a dedicated national accounts team for chains, and dealer support services including freight coordination. The company operates as an active going concern with a stated 25+ year operating history and a self-described position as the leading manufacturer's representative in its regional market.
EPI Kitchen firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- EPI Kitchen
- Legal name
- Equipment Preference, Inc.
- Website
- https://epikitchen.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- EPI Kitchen is a Texas-based commercial kitchen equipment manufacturer's representative, earning commissions selling 30+ premium equipment brands to K-12, healthcare, restaurant chains, universities, lodging, and convenience stores across Texas and Oklahoma.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
EPI Kitchen industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial Kitchen Equipment
- SIC
- General Industrial Machinery & Equipment (3560), Refrigeration & Service Industry Machinery (3580)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Food Preparation Equipment & Smallwares Wholesale (AFAIALAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Institutional Foodservice Distribution (Education, Healthcare, Government) (CRAOABAM), Cafeteria, Kitchen & Foodservice Equipment (Serving Lines, Refrigeration, Smallwares) (EDAEAIAJ)
Keywords
Where EPI Kitchen is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Grapevine
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
EPI Kitchen business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Operations
Revenue model
- Equipment Sales Commission: EPI earns commissions as a manufacturer's representative selling commercial kitchen equipment to foodservice operations. Revenue is generated through the sale of cooking equipment, food prep, storage, warewash, and smallwares to K-12, healthcare, chains, universities, lodging, and independent restaurants.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels10 records
EPI Kitchen product offering
Product offeringCore offering
EPI Kitchen (Equipment Preference, Inc.) is a manufacturer's representative and distributor of commercial kitchen equipment, representing over 30 premium equipment brands across cooking, food preparation, food storage, warewash, and smallwares categories. The company serves foodservice operations in Texas and Oklahoma through field sales, inside sales, and a dedicated national accounts team, supported by an 8,000 sq ft SpeCenter showroom and test kitchen for hands-on equipment demonstrations.
Product overview
EPI Kitchen (Equipment Preference, Inc.) is a commercial kitchen equipment manufacturer's representative serving Texas and Oklahoma for over 25 years. The company operates as a distributor of commercial kitchen equipment and supplies rather than a software product company. Their core offerings include: (1) Commercial Kitchen Equipment encompassing cooking equipment (charbroilers, combi ovens, convection/deck/rack ovens, fryers, griddles, induction units, microwaves, pasta cookers, salamanders, speed ovens, steamers, tilt skillets, toasters), food prep equipment (blenders, food processors, meat choppers/grinders, mixers, scales, slicers), food storage (refrigerators, freezers, walk-in coolers, heated cabinets), and warewash/waste systems; (2) Smallwares & Supplies including serving items, cutlery, cleaning supplies, and accessories from brands like 3M, Berkel, Dexter, Duke, Hatco, and Nyco; (3) Test Kitchen & SpeCenter - an 8,000 sq ft showroom and test kitchen facility for equipment demonstrations and training; (4) Industry-specific solutions for K-12 schools, healthcare, universities, lodging/large venues, and restaurant chains; (5) Dealer support services including freight logistics and sales support. EPI represents over 30 equipment manufacturer brands including American Panel, Baxter, Hobart, RATIONAL, Traulsen, Vulcan, and Wolf. No software, API, or AI products are offered.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SpeCenter: An 8,000 square foot state-of-the-art equipment and smallwares showroom, test kitchen with seating for up to 80 people and two private conference rooms.
Products and services
- Commercial Kitchen Equipment Distribution of commercial kitchen equipment covering cooking (charbroilers, combi ovens, convection ovens, fryers, griddles, induction units, steamers, tilt skillets), food prep (food processors, mixers, slicers, scales), food storage (refrigerators, freezers, walk-in coolers, heated cabinets), and warewash/waste systems for foodservice operations in Texas and Oklahoma.
- Smallwares & Supplies Distribution of smallwares and supplies including serving items, flatware, cleaning supplies, scrubbing pads, commercial cutlery, timers, bun toasters, and product holding bins from brands such as 3M, Berkel, Dexter, Duke, Hatco, Insinkerator, Nyco, Prince Castle, and others.
- SpeCenter Test Kitchen & Showroom 8,000 sq ft state-of-the-art equipment and smallwares showroom with a test kitchen seating up to 80 people, two private conference rooms, and a plug-and-play UDH wall for customers to test cooking equipment. Includes equipment demos, product training, meetings, special events, seminars, and recipe development.
- Wellness Check Program Equipment maintenance and wellness check service providing maintenance kits, cleaning checklists, troubleshooting guides, and preventative maintenance documentation for commercial kitchen equipment from manufacturers like Hobart, Vulcan, Traulsen, and Nyco.
- Dealer Support Services Sales support for equipment dealers including tracking information, factory freight quotes, inside sales (street and contract quotes, custom specialists, order management), and outside sales representatives covering specific geographic territories.
- Freight & Logistics Coordination Factory freight quote coordination and tracking services for commercial kitchen equipment delivery, with contacts at manufacturers including Baxter, Berkel, Cookshack, New Age, Ovention, Prince Castle, Duke, RATIONAL, Hatco, Traulsen, Hobart, Vulcan, InSinkErator, Wolf, Fisher, and Silver King.
Companies that use EPI Kitchen
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
EPI Kitchen technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
EPI Kitchen partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
35 partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- 3Mcore3M is a partner brand providing scrubbing pads and grill cleaning products for commercial kitchen equipment maintenance and food safety.
- American PanelcoreAmerican Panel provides walk-in coolers, freezers, and blast chillers for commercial foodservice operations.
- BaxtercoreBaxter Manufacturing provides rack ovens, deck ovens, proofers, and retarders for commercial baking and cooking applications.
- BerkelcoreBerkel Equipment provides slicers and mixers for commercial food preparation.
- Centerline by HobartcoreCenterline provides food preparation equipment, refrigeration, and dishwashers for commercial kitchens.
- CookshackcoreCookshack provides smokers and wood fired pizza ovens for commercial cooking operations.
- CounterCraftcoreCounterCraft provides custom counters for commercial kitchen and food service applications.
- DextercoreDexter (Dexter-Russell) provides professional cutlery and accessories for commercial food preparation.
- Duke ManufacturingcoreDuke Manufacturing provides serving systems, product holding equipment, and steamtables for commercial foodservice.
- Eagle GroupcoreEagle Group provides custom fabrication solutions for commercial kitchen equipment.
- HatcocoreHatco Corporation provides display lamps, food warmers, merchandisers, and food finishers for commercial kitchens.
- HobartcoreHobart provides warewashing equipment, food machines, and cooking equipment for commercial foodservice operations.
- InSinkEratorcoreInSinkErator provides food waste disposers for commercial kitchen waste management.
- Master DisposerscoreMaster Disposers provides food waste disposal solutions for commercial applications.
- New Age IndustrialcoreNew Age Industrial provides shelving, gates, and racks for commercial kitchen storage solutions.
- NycocoreNyco Products provides cleaning chemicals and sanitation solutions for commercial foodservice operations.
- OventioncoreOvention provides conveyor ovens for high-volume commercial cooking operations.
- PerlickcorePerlick provides commercial bar solutions including dispensing equipment for beverages.
- Prince CastlecorePrince Castle provides timers, bun toasters, and product holding bins for commercial food service.
- Quantum FoodservicecoreQuantum Foodservice provides shelving, bins, and storage systems for commercial kitchens.
- RATIONALcoreRATIONAL provides combi ovens and cooking systems for professional commercial kitchens.
- RDT (Rack Refrigeration)coreRDT provides rack refrigeration systems for commercial cold storage applications.
- Red GoatcoreRed Goat provides food waste reduction equipment for commercial kitchen operations.
- RPI IndustriescoreRPI Industries provides merchandisers and display cases for commercial food presentation.
- San AirecoreSan Aire provides dishware drying solutions for commercial dishwashing operations.
- SharpcoreSharp provides commercial microwaves for foodservice heating and cooking applications.
- Silver KingcoreSilver King provides specialty refrigeration equipment for commercial foodservice.
- SomatcoreSomat provides waste reduction and heavy-duty food waste equipment for commercial kitchens.
- SterocoreStero provides ware wash and waste reduction equipment for commercial dishwashing operations.
- TraulsencoreTraulsen provides refrigeration, hot boxes, and blast chillers for commercial food storage.
- T&S BrasscoreT&S Brass provides faucets and plumbing solutions for commercial kitchen facilities.
- VulcancoreVulcan Equipment provides gas and electric cooking equipment including ranges, ovens, and fryers.
- Wolf EquipmentcoreWolf Equipment provides gas cooking equipment for commercial kitchen applications.
- AerowerkscoreAerowerks provides conveyor systems for commercial kitchen ventilation and material handling.
- Vitro SeatingcoreVitro Seating provides seating, table tops, bases, and booths for commercial dining establishments.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
EPI Kitchen competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Edward Don & Company: One of the largest broadline foodservice equipment and supply distributors in the U.S., serving restaurants, schools, healthcare, and hospitality nationwide. Comparable to EPI as a commercial kitchen equipment distributor with deep institutional customer coverage, but at significantly larger national scale.
- TriMark USA: Large national foodservice equipment and supplies distributor serving restaurants, hospitality, healthcare, and education. Comparable to EPI in product breadth and institutional customer focus, but with national coverage and substantially greater scale.
Direct peers
- Singer Equipment Company: Regional commercial foodservice equipment distributor and manufacturer's representative serving restaurants, schools, and hospitality across the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast. Closely comparable to EPI in business model (rep + distribution, project-based sales) and institutional customer mix, but with a different geographic footprint.
- Boelter Companies: Commercial kitchen equipment manufacturer's representative and distributor headquartered in the Midwest, serving foodservice operators across multiple states. Closely analogous to EPI as a multi-brand rep with project consultation, design services, and broad institutional customer segments.
- Wasserstrom Company: Foodservice equipment and supplies distributor serving restaurants, hospitality, and institutional customers, with both rep and wholesale functions. Similar to EPI in combining equipment representation with supplies distribution for foodservice operators.
Emerging players
- The Hub Group / Hubert Company: National foodservice supplies and smallwares distributor serving operators across multiple channels. Comparable to EPI's smallwares and supplies offering, but more digitally native and broader in supplies categories.
- WebstaurantStore: Largest online foodservice equipment and supplies retailer, carrying many of the same manufacturer brands EPI represents (Hobart, Vollrath, Vulcan). Adjacent competitor particularly for replacement equipment and smallwares, with a fundamentally different digital-first go-to-market model.
- KaTom Restaurant Supply: Online-focused commercial kitchen equipment and smallwares retailer carrying premium brands including Vollrath, Carlisle, and Avantco. Comparable in product assortment to EPI but competes through e-commerce pricing and delivery rather than consultative field sales.
Regional players
- Don's Foodservice Solutions: Regional commercial foodservice equipment distributor and design-build provider serving the Southwest. Comparable to EPI in business model (equipment rep, project-based, institutional focus) but with a different geographic emphasis and design-build integration.
- Chef's Deal Restaurant Equipment: Commercial kitchen equipment supplier combining online catalog with project consultation, serving restaurants and institutional customers in the South-Central U.S. Comparable to EPI as a multi-line equipment provider, with similar size class but a hybrid digital-plus-consultative model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
EPI Kitchen social profiles
Digital presenceEPI Kitchen financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
EPI Kitchen leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
EPI Kitchen funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
EPI Kitchen M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about EPI Kitchen
What does EPI Kitchen do?
EPI Kitchen (Equipment Preference, Inc.) is a manufacturer's representative and distributor of commercial kitchen equipment, representing over 30 premium equipment brands across cooking, food preparation, food storage, warewash, and smallwares categories. The company serves foodservice operations in Texas and Oklahoma through field sales, inside sales, and a dedicated national accounts team, supported by an 8,000 sq ft SpeCenter showroom and test kitchen for hands-on equipment demonstrations.
Is EPI Kitchen a public or private company?
EPI Kitchen is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was EPI Kitchen founded?
EPI Kitchen was founded in 1994. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is EPI Kitchen based?
EPI Kitchen is headquartered in Grapevine, United States, in the North America region.
How does EPI Kitchen make money?
One revenue line is on record: equipment Sales Commission.
Who are EPI Kitchen's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Edward Don & Company and TriMark USA. Direct peers are Singer Equipment Company, Boelter Companies and Wasserstrom Company. Emerging players are The Hub Group / Hubert Company, WebstaurantStore and KaTom Restaurant Supply. Regional players are Don's Foodservice Solutions and Chef's Deal Restaurant Equipment.
Does EPI Kitchen have an API?
No public API is recorded for EPI Kitchen.
What industry is EPI Kitchen in?
EPI Kitchen's product category is Commercial Kitchen Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAIALAK, Food Preparation Equipment & Smallwares Wholesale, with a secondary code of CRAOABAM, Institutional Foodservice Distribution (Education, Healthcare, Government). Its SIC code is 3560.