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Happy International Day of Families!

May 15, 2019
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May 15th is designated as International Day of Families. At The Cuyahoga Group—a family owned and operated company, we understand that family bonds bring strength, well-being and support to all facets of our lives.   

Family- and veteran-owned and operated since 1988, family values of dedication, hard work and being true to your word, exist on all levels of The Cuyahoga Group. Jim Variglotti,  U.S. Navy Veteran, is the Founder and CEO of The Cuyahoga Group; his son, Vince, a U.S. Navy Veteran, serves as President; and Jim’s daughter, Carla Variglotti, serves as Vice President. To learn more about our history and mission, click here.  


Our Customers and our Employees are Family too! 

We consider Cuyahoga Group customers and team members as part of the family, and that’s a two-way street—building strong partnerships that are created by trust. For more than 30 years, the commitment to The Cuyahoga Group customer family hasn’t changed: To bring the best in quality  Vending, Markets, Mobile Dining, Office Coffee,  and Catering services to our customers.  


Our handshake is our word, and trust is paramount, that’s why The Cuyahoga Group goes the extra mile to make sure your team members know they can trust us to deliver affordable, quality snack, meal and beverage options that they need to stay nourished and energized throughout their workday.


Just as our commitment to our customers hasn’t changed in more than 30 years, the same is true of our  commitment to our employees: When you take care of family, they take care of you. That’s why we support the efforts of all our Cuyahoga Group team members, from our route associates, to our office team, to our warehouse associates, to our executive  team.  We offer pay incentives, excellent health benefits, opportunities for advancement, tuition reimbursement programs and much more.  For information on joining The Cuyahoga Group team, click here.  


To contact us to learn more about the workplace culinary offerings at The Cuyahoga Group, click here.  

Cuyahoga Group Employee Spotlight: Yolanda Parker

May 10, 2019
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Yolanda Parker, Staff Accountant at The Cuyahoga Group, has been selected as our June Employee Spotlight. For the past 12 years, Yolanda has been an integral part of our team.  Her experience at The Cuyahoga Group spans Accounting, Human Resources and Payroll, and her wide array of operational knowledge brings efficiency and strength to our day-to-day operations. Moreover, her excellence in attention to detail, follow-up, unwavering work ethic and ability to create strong bonds with colleagues, continues to be an invaluable benefit to all of us at The Cuyahoga Group. We are grateful that Yolanda is part of our team, Thank you!   

What is your role with The Cuyahoga Group? 

Yolanda: I have been working at The Cuyahoga Group for twelve years.  I currently work in the Accounting Department as a Staff Accountant, and I previously worked as Payroll Specialist, and Human Resources Specialist.   

What do you like most about your job, and why?  

Yolanda: With my years of experience, being open to learn different roles has allowed me the opportunity to assist people in different capacities within the company.  In my early years, a franchise owner once told me, “Learning all aspects of a company shows you how to be a greater asset to that company.”   

Working with the day-to-day team provides me knowledge, vision, and offers me creative ways in making myself effective.  Self-improvement is one aspect I like about working at The Cuyahoga Group—the company provides opportunities to gain greater knowledge to accomplish goals that anyone wants to reach.   

Tell us a fun fact, or facts, about yourself: 

Yolanda: I love shoes. I dream about having a shoe closet like Goldie Hawn had in the movie Overboard. 

What is your favorite food or favorite meal?  

Yolanda: I don’t have a favorite food, but I really don’t like soup.  

What is your favorite type of music; or favorite band or singer?  
 
Yolanda: My favorite type of music is gospel music, because it brings me serenity and peace. 

Please share with us a goal you’d like to accomplish someday: 
 
Yolanda: I’m currently accomplishing my goals by earning my master’s degree and getting my son ready for the next stage of his life. 

Yolanda, thank you, for participating in The Cuyahoga Group Employee Spotlight and Congratulations! 

The Cuyahoga Group delivers Fresh Salads to You!

May 3, 2019
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A fresh, crisp salad: It’s what’s for lunch, or dinner—or anytime at work! With trees flowering and gardens beginning to grow, it’s understandable that the month of May is designated as  National Salad Month. 

Renewal is all around us, and at The Cuyahoga Group, we know that this is the perfect time to renew our sense of healthy living, and that means having quick access to fresh, healthier food and beverage choices at your workplace. Enter the salad! 


Workplace meals have never been Healthier, or Tastier! 

Salads have come a long way from a bowl of chopped lettuce that precedes the main meal, in fact, with goals to live healthier, salads have become the main meal!  The Cuyahoga Group believes in supporting the health,  wellness and sustainability programs of our customers, and that’s why we provide your team with a variety of delicious, nutrient-packed salads that are prepared from scratch in our North Ridgeville Culinary Center. 


We deliver affordable salad meal options in our Markets, Mobile Dining and Fresh Food Vending: From mixed leafy greens, to traditional Garden or Caesar, to fresh spinach, or crisp iceberg wedges, combined with fresh seasonal veggies, shredded cheese, savory chicken, croutons, walnuts, almonds, hardboiled eggs, cranberries, raisins, and a variety of salad dressings—we bring the fresh, protein-packed and healthy choices that your team wants! 
 

The Cuyahoga Group delivers the best in healthier food & drink options 

Our Markets and Vending lines have evolved along with the universal trend for living healthier. That’s why we deliver a wide variety of healthier choices, directly to your workplace Market or Vending area. From fresh and homemade salads, wraps, subs, sandwiches and soups, to protein packs,  organic granola bars, seasonal produce, Greek yogurt and natural cheese wedges, to refreshing sparkling water, and organic iced teas and a wide array of coffee options,  The Cuyahoga Group has the brand names and healthier, homemade choices your team needs to refuel and recharge throughout the workday.  

             
Your Team deserves the Best Snack, Meal & Beverage Options: Call us Today!  
 For 31 years, The Cuyahoga Group has delivered the best in Vending, Micro-Markets, Mobile Dining, Office Coffee and Catering services.  We provide meal, snack, coffee and beverage choices that your employees need to reenergize throughout the workday, without the hassle or expense of leaving the premises. To contact us, click here or call us at 800-901-8363.  

The Story of The Cuyahoga Group

April 29, 2019
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Life is a series of stories and everyone has a story to tell. April 27 was designated as National Tell a Story Day, and The Cuyahoga Group has an interesting story of its own to share.  


Jim founded Cuyahoga Vending in 1988, which later became The Cuyahoga Group. He learned the vending industry from the ground up and by trial and error and forged lifelong customer partnerships and friendships along the way.


Jim is a Vietnam War Veteran and served honorably in the U.S. Navy.  Prior to 1988, Jim worked as a vending machine mechanic while he and his wife Sherry were busy raising their children, Vince and Carla, who are now the President and Vice President of the company, respectively.

Jim’s dream of owning his own business began with one vending machine and a handshake. His commitment to taking care of his customers and his employees, enabled him to grow the  business from its humble beginnings to a full-service Vending, Market, Office Coffee and Catering company with more than 350 employees, serving tens of thousands of employees daily throughout Ohio, New York and Pennsylvania.


Jim’s remarkable story is a true reflection of the American Dream. And although The Cuyahoga Group has expanded and grown over the past 31 years, the heart of the story hasn’t changed: Jim’s belief that whether in our personal or professional lives, people should take care of one another and always be true to their word. Jim’s handshake is his promise, and that will never change.


Our story continues: Learn more about The Cuyahoga Group!

To learn more about the story of The Cuyahoga Group, including ways you can keep your team nourished, hydrated and happy without leaving the workplace with our Markets, Vending, Office Coffee and Catering services, please call us at 1-800-901-8363, email us at info@cuygroup, or click here.

Today is National Stop Food Waste Day

April 24, 2019
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April 24th is designated as National Stop Food Waste Day. The Cuyahoga Group pledged to reduce food waste by twenty-five percent in 2019, and not even halfway through the way the year, we have already exceeded that goal.   

While food is wasted, food is needed 

Food waste persists on a global scale, and in the United States alone, more than forty percent of prepared food is thrown away. The irony and tragedy is that despite an abundance of available food, the hunger crisis persists, here and around the world.  

Be part of the solution  

To be part of the solution, The Cuyahoga Group has implemented changes to business operations to reduce food waste across our vending, market and catering lines. We understand that all efforts, big and small, make a difference in the health of our communities, and our planet. 

At The Cuyahoga Group, we’ve made several changes across all divisions to reduce food waste, including:  

  • Upgrading technology and analytics to implement new menus that customize food and beverage items for customers, with a detailed focus on best-selling food items: These  

Combined efforts of software implementation and corporate-wide standards for monitoring food waste and reducing fresh food options from low-selling sites has provided a nearly 30% reduction of food waste in the past year. 
 

  • Purchasing: Through one of our suppliers, we purchase produce through a program called ‘Imperfect Produce,’ which provided quality produce that may have a slight indentation and cannot be sold for retail. This program reduces waste from local farmers.  
  • Locally-Sourced Produce: Whenever possible, we purchase locally-grown produce from local farmers, which helps support a sustainable, ‘green’ community. 
  • In addition, we are currently in the process of decreasing food waste by partnering with local organizations to provide pick-up and delivery of plant-based food scraps to recycle at compost stations for use by community and urban gardens.  

The Cuyahoga Group strives to provide fresh, quality food and beverage options to our clientele within a framework of excellent customer service, while incorporating internal programs focused on the three tenants of environmental sustainability: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Together, we truly can make a difference!  To learn more about The Cuyahoga Group, click here.  To contact us, click here.  

Enjoy a Picnic in your Workplace Parking Lot!

April 23, 2019
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Sunny days of picnics and warm weather are finally here, so it should come as no surprise that today is National Picnic Day.  
 
At The Cuyahoga Group, we know that picnics aren’t just for parks anymore. That’s right, the best picnics happen in unlikely places, like your workplace parking lot! 

The Cuyahoga Groups brings Summer Catering to Your Team! 

Catering Experience in northern Ohio and  Franklin Catering Services for mid-Ohio and Columbus—are both divisions of The Cuyahoga Group, and they’re ready to bring the picnic to your parking lot!  


Whether you have 100 employees or 1,000, we have nearly 20 years of experience in boosting employee morale with the best outdoor workplace catering events around.


We do all the set-up, and provide the stations, tents, tables, chairs and linens, and best of all, our chef-led culinary teams rustle up the tastiest outdoor culinary fare this side of the Mississippi.


So, whether you work in Cleveland or Columbus, showing gratitude to your team with the great tastes of summer at your workplace brings not only great food, it’s also a great way to lift morale, strengthen coworker bonds, spark creativity and create shared lasting memories.

We Customize Parking Lot Picnics for Your Team! 

BBQ? Of course! Burgers and dogs? Got it. Taco stations or traditional full menu fare? Absolutely! All the sides and desserts your team loves? Check! The Catering Teams at The Cuyahoga Group have the experience and expertise to create a customized, onsite, outdoor catered event that your employees will remember all year.


Contact us today to host a Picnic in your Parking lot!  Don’t delay, our summer calendar is booking up fast! M

Celebrating Earth Day: We’re in this Together

April 21, 2019
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Today is Earth Day, a reminder that how we live, and the choices we make, has an impact on the health of our families, communities and our planet. We’re also reminded that each and every one of us can work toward sustainability goals  that reduce our individual and collective carbon footprint.   

In the past several years, The Cuyahoga Group has introduced company-wide policies that support earth-friendly and sustainable processes and programs.  

From cardboard recycling, to reducing fresh food waste, to implementing LED lighting in our vending and markets, The Cuyahoga Group continues to make advances on being part of earth-friendly practices and solutions. Some of our most recent advancements in implementing sustainable, green practices include: 

  • Redesign of Driver Delivery Routes: New software programs utilized to increase efficiency and decrease drive time in delivery routes, which decreases gas consumption and further reduces emissions of carbon dioxide.  
  • Reduction of Food Waste: Combined efforts of software implementation and corporate-wide standards for monitoring food waste has provided a nearly 30% reduction of food waste in the past year. 
  • Purchasing: We utilize a program called “Imperfect Produce.”  This includes produce that may have a slight indentation and cannot be sold for retail, thereby reducing waste from local farmers. 
  • Automation-Accountability: Implementing software that reduces waste across each product category by identifying low-selling items; this also helps customize menus and product choices for customers. 
  • Paper Recycle: All paper products from all Cuyahoga Group warehouses, offices and culinary center are outsourced for recycling. 
  • Cardboard Recycle: We purchases a vertical card board compactor which allows for recycling by an outsourced company. 
  • LED Lighting: Our new vending machines and market refrigerators include LED lighting, designed to increase efficiency and conserve energy, which supports lessening our carbon footprint. 
  • Locally-Sourced Produce: Whenever possible, we purchase locally-grown produce from local farmers, which helps support a sustainable, ‘green’ community. 
  • Organic and Fair-Trade Coffee Products: Many of our coffee selections are certified organic and certified Fair-Trade brands, which supports family growers, communities and the environment. 

Whether in our individual lives or our work, all efforts can make a difference in supporting the overall health and wellbeing  of our cities, towns and planet.   

We Bring Fresh, Flavorful Snack, Meal & Drink Choices to your Team!  

For more information on The Cuyahoga Group’s Markets, Vending, Office Coffee and Catering offerings, please call us at 1-800-901-8363, email us at info@cuygroup, or click here.  

Grilled Cheese Sandwich, We Honor You

April 11, 2019
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Today is National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day, and we all understand why. The grilled cheese sandwich is purely simple, yet regally classic and magnificently delicious. This humble sandwich has the power to transform; it is the poetry of sandwiches, the queen of comfort foods and the leader of all things that taste really good.   


Cheesiness aside, there is no sandwich more prevalent, beloved, or tasty than a grilled cheese sandwich. It’s been a traditional staple in American households—and restaurants, for decades, and for two reasons: They’re easy to make and they’re insanely delicious!  


The Cuyahoga Group loves a great grilled cheese sandwich as much as you do, and that’s why we make them homemade and fresh in our culinary center, to deliver to your workplace Market, fresh food Vending, Café’s or Mobile Dining Unit. And, our Catering teams offers a great selection of grilled cheese sandwich options for any workplace luncheon or event.  



Grilled Cheese Sandwich at Work = Cheesy Joy 


It’s a very special moment when you have quick, convenient access to a variety of quality meal, snack, beverages and great grilled cheese sandwiches during the workday. Your associates will feel renewed, rejuvenated, and they’ll get the protein they need to stay productive all day long! 


So, for the love of cheese, stop cheddaring around and contact us soon so we can bring homemade grilled cheese sandwiches to your workforce! Your team isn’t screaming for ice cream, they are screaming for grilled cheese, and the meltier, smoother and cheesier the better! That’s a fact, pepper jack! 

Cuyahoga Group Employee Spotlight: Irene Belcher

April 5, 2019
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Irene Belcher, Cuyahoga Group Culinary Associate, has been selected for our April Employee Spotlight. For 16 years, Irene has been a significant part of the North Ridgeville Culinary team. Her unwavering work ethic, positive attitude, ability to forge solid partnerships with colleagues, and her willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty, raises the bar for all employees at The Cuyahoga Group. We are grateful that Irene is part of our team—thank you Irene! 

What is your role with The Cuyahoga Group? 

Irene: I work at a Culinary Center Associate at the North Ridgeville branch.  

How long have you both worked for the company?  

Irene: This is my 16th year at the company.   

What do you like most about your job, and why?  

Irene: I enjoy working everyday with something new, helping to create new and different food items daily. I also appreciate working in a safe and clean environment. Mostly, working with the good people at the Culinary Center makes my job very enjoyable.  

Tell us a fun fact, or facts, about yourself: 

Irene: My husband and I will celebrate our 40th Wedding Anniversary this July 14th. I have a son, Nicholas and a daughter, Jennifer. I also have three wonderful grandchildren: Joseph, 14; Chloe, 10 and Madelyn, 7.  

Thank you, Irene, for participating in The Cuyahoga Group Employee Spotlight, Congratulations! 

The Cuyahoga Group + the Home Opener = Double Dog Day!

March 28, 2019
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We love baseball—and baseball is back! In Believeland, it’s time to Rally Together for our favorite team! For  Clevelanders, the home opener marks the end of cold, overcast days, and carries the promise of sunshiny days and starry baseball nights. To celebrate, The Cuyahoga Group is honoring the Cleveland Indian’s home opener on Monday, April 1 with Double Dog Day!   

On April 1, get 2 Hotdogs for $1 at your workplace Market or Vend! 

If you’re at work and can’t make it down to the ballpark for the Cleveland Indians home opener, just walk down to your workplace Market or Fresh Food vending to get two hotdogs for one dollar!   

For a quick, delicious snack or meal without having to leaving work, our markets, fresh food, snack and beverage vending machines provide all the options that your team wants. Aside from hotdogs, we carry favorite ballpark fare, like homemade subs, wraps, sandwiches, pizza, refreshing beverages and scrumptious snacks like peanuts, chips, pretzels, candy bars and popcorn!  Batter up!  
 
                      The Cuyahoga Group brings Great Taste to your Workplace! 

For 31 years, The Cuyahoga Group has delivered the best in Vending, Markets, Mobile Dining, Office Coffee and Catering services and products. During summer days of baseball and all year long, we bring the flavors and great taste of all seasons to your workplace.  

We provide meal, snack, coffee and beverage choices that your employees need to reenergize throughout the workday, without the hassle or expense of leaving the premises. To contact us, click here or call us at 800-901-8363.