Traulsen, Hobart, and Vulcan Announce First Winner of Save Your Kitchen 2025

Ft. Worth, TX (March 26, 2025) – ITW Food Equipment Group is thrilled to announce Covington Independent School District (ISD) of Covington, Texas, as the first winner of the 2025 Save Your Kitchen contest, presented by Traulsen, Hobart, and Vulcan. This prize package will bring state-of-the-art kitchen equipment to Covington ISD, significantly enhancing its food service operations.

This twelfth iteration of the popular K-12 kitchen equipment makeover initiative kicked off this February. The Save Your Kitchen contest provides premium ITW Food Equipment to four winning sweepstake entrants annually.

Covington ISD is a smaller district, serving just over 350 students from Pre-K through 12th grade, with a unique commitment to student nutrition. The district offers brunch to junior high and high school students, enabling them to start their day with a nutritious meal. This dedication to student well-being is a cornerstone of Covington ISD's food service program, which aims to provide balanced and delicious meals that meet diverse dietary needs and preferences.

Founded in 1906 as Gathings College, Covington ISD has a rich history. A historical marker on the school's playground commemorates its legacy, reflecting the district's deep roots in the community.

Despite challenges such as budget constraints, supply chain disruptions, and equipment maintenance, Covington ISD's food service team remains committed to delivering high-quality meals daily. The new equipment from Traulsen, Hobart, and Vulcan will be installed in the Covington ISD kitchen, providing operational efficiency and elevating meal standards.

Covington ISD selected a Traulsen R-Series, one-section reach-in refrigerator. This model boasts 24 cubic feet of storage capacity and advanced technology such as the 2025 Kitchen Innovation-Awarded, Dynamic Response Refrigeration™ with Smart Control™. Other premium features include a StayClear™ condenser coil, EZ-Clean™ door gaskets, and a Load-Sure™ guard. As part of the Traulsen Spec Line offering, this unit provides industry-leading efficiency, performance, and ease of use.

Their Hobart selection is the FP100-1A continuous-feed food processor, capable of processing up to 11 pounds of vegetables and fruit per minute. It features a half-size feed hopper and includes three cutting tools for fast, consistent food preparation. 

The Vulcan prize selection is the Vulcan VBP15 Warming Cabinet. This heavy-duty holding cabinet features a blower motor that gently distributes heat to maintain a consistent temperature from top to bottom, resulting in better food quality and less food waste.

Covington ISD has previously relied on Hobart dishwashers, Traulsen refrigerators, and Vulcan oven/stove combos, finding them reliable and effective. Assistant Foodservice Manager, Alicia Jordan, says, “Our district has had a positive experience with ITW Food Equipment products. They have consistently provided exceptional performance and long-lasting durability, making them a valuable addition to our kitchens.”

The new equipment will introduce cutting-edge solutions, improving food preparation processes and accommodating the district's growth. Covington ISD anticipates that the new equipment will streamline operations, reduce maintenance downtime, and improve the overall quality of the meals they serve.

When asked what Covington ISD's food service program excels at, Jordan stated, “We aim to create a welcoming and inclusive dining environment. Our team is dedicated to ensuring that every student feels valued and has access to nutritious and delicious meals. We pride ourselves on our ability to innovate and adapt to changing needs while maintaining high standards of food quality and service.” She continues, “Along with the opportunity to update our current kitchen, we are excited for the 2025-2026 school year and the opportunity for new menu items; we plan to enhance the dining experience for our students and promote healthy eating habits.”

Winning the Save Your Kitchen contest is a moment of immense pride for Covington ISD's cafeteria staff. When asked what she thought other districts should know, Jordan said, “I would encourage other K-12 food service employees to enter the Save Your Kitchen Sweepstakes because it provides an incredible opportunity to upgrade your kitchen and improve your food service operations. Winning this contest can make a significant impact on your ability to serve students nutritious, high-quality meals. Don't hesitate—take a chance and enter!”

The sweepstakes are open to K-12 nutrition professionals in the 50 states and Washington, D.C. This year’s sweepstakes offer a variety of products, including Traulsen refrigerators, freezers, hot food holding cabinets, and milk coolers. Additionally, participants can win a Centerline by Hobart slicer, mixer, food processor, or a Hobart food processor. A Vulcan heated holding cabinet will be awarded in all four sweepstakes. The July sweepstake will exclusively feature a Baxter Mini Rotating Rack Convection Oven and a Hobart AM16T base dish machine.

ABOUT TRAULSEN

Traulsen, an ITW Food Equipment Group brand, has been providing the most trusted refrigeration equipment for food service and food retail operations since 1938. Traulsen engineers a broad refrigeration product offering that includes reach-ins, roll-ins, undercounters, blast chillers, prep tables, merchandisers, and milk coolers. Traulsen is part of ITW Food Equipment Group LLC (a subsidiary of Illinois Tool Works) and is proud to be an ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year since 2008. To learn more about Traulsen, visit www.traulsen.com or connect with us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/traulsen.

ABOUT HOBART

At Hobart, an ITW Food Equipment Group brand, people and food are our passion. We believe great food brings people together, and the relationships we share feed our inspiration to be the best we can be for one another. As a food equipment manufacturer and service provider, we’ve been dedicated for more than a century to supporting those who are not only passionate about creating great food but are inspired by the people they serve and come to know on a daily basis. Likewise, it is our mission to provide premium food equipment that food service 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. 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) and is proud to be an ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year since 2008. Explore Hobart by visiting www.hobartcorp.com, connecting with us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/hobartfoodequipment, or by contacting your local Hobart representative at 888-4HOBART.

ABOUT VULCAN

Masterful design. Precision performance. State-of-the-art innovation. For more than 160 years, Vulcan has been recognized by chefs and operators throughout the world for top-quality, energy-efficient commercial cooking equipment that consistently produces spectacular results. Trust Vulcan to help make your culinary creations turn out just right—each and every time. Vulcan is part of ITW Food Equipment Group (NYSE: ITW). For more information, visit vulcanequipment.com.