Every story has a beginning.
Some begin with a business plan.
Others begin with an idea.
Food Concepts, Inc. began with a problem.
In the early 1990s, Brad Duesler was serving as Director of Marketing for PDQ Food Stores when he recognized a challenge facing convenience retailers. Building a successful foodservice program meant coordinating construction, operations, training, branded partnerships, merchandising, equipment, and marketing. Every piece mattered, but bringing them together into one successful program was anything but simple.
Brad believed there had to be a better way.
That belief became Food Concepts, Inc.
Today, Food Concepts, Inc. works with some of the nation’s most recognized food manufacturers, retailers, and convenience store operators, helping create thousands of successful foodservice destinations across North America. Yet the mission that inspired FCI in 1991 remains the same: helping customers build stronger brands through innovative merchandising, equipment solutions, and foodservice programs.
A Better Way
From the beginning, Food Concepts, Inc. wasn’t created to sell products.
It was created to solve problems.
Brad saw an opportunity to simplify what had become an increasingly complex process for convenience retailers. Instead of asking customers to coordinate multiple vendors, equipment suppliers, branded programs, construction, operations, training, and marketing, he envisioned a better approach: one experienced partner capable of bringing every piece together.
That vision wasn’t about selling equipment.
It was about helping customers build stronger foodservice programs, create better customer experiences, and strengthen their brands.
Thirty-five years later, that same philosophy continues to shape every project, every partnership, and every solution Food Concepts, Inc. delivers.
One Phone Call at a Time
Like many businesses, the beginning wasn’t glamorous.
Food Concepts, Inc.’s first office was located above the Duesler family’s garage. At the same time, Brad and his wife Diane were operating a Bed & Breakfast next door. Between the two businesses, there were three phone lines, guests arriving for breakfast, products filling the garage, and a small team helping wherever they were needed.
Business and family life often happened under the same roof.
There were mornings when FCI had to wait while breakfast was being served to Bed & Breakfast guests. The garage slowly filled with inventory, and the line between home and business became harder to distinguish.
Building a company meant making the most of whatever space was available.
Brad was doing what many entrepreneurs know all too well: wearing every hat. From sales and customer service to product sourcing, project management, cash flow, and business development, every day brought a new challenge and another opportunity to learn.
And there were days when the phone didn’t ring.
Those quiet moments might have discouraged some people, but they also reinforced something that would define Food Concepts, Inc. for decades to come: success isn’t built overnight. It’s earned one relationship, one customer, and one solution at a time.
Eventually, the business grew beyond the garage.
In fact, as Brad likes to joke, Diane eventually “kicked FCI out of the house.”
It was time.
Choosing to Keep Going
Every entrepreneurial journey includes moments of uncertainty.
For Brad, one of those moments came when his accountant suggested it might be time to close the business.
It was practical advice. Cash flow was tight, manufacturing capabilities were limited, and building a company from the ground up meant carrying more risk than certainty.
But sometimes the right conversation comes at exactly the right time.
Brad found encouragement from someone who understood those challenges firsthand. Fred DeLuca, the founder of Subway, had faced similar doubts during his own entrepreneurial journey. Rather than giving up, he encouraged Brad to keep pressing forward.
Brad took that advice to heart.
Instead of closing the doors, Food Concepts, Inc. kept moving forward, one customer, one project, and one opportunity at a time.
Looking back today, it’s difficult to imagine the company without that decision.
Building Momentum
Perseverance eventually gave way to opportunity.
What began as a vision to simplify foodservice programs gradually evolved into trusted partnerships with retailers, food manufacturers, and nationally recognized brands. Each project opened the door to the next, allowing Food Concepts, Inc. to expand its expertise while continuing to solve new challenges for its customers.
Among the first major milestones were Modular Food Court Systems, including one of the earliest installations in Tomah, Wisconsin. Those early projects reinforced something Brad had believed from the beginning: retailers weren’t simply looking for equipment. They were looking for a trusted partner who understood their business.
As Food Concepts, Inc. continued to grow, larger opportunities followed.
Partnerships with Jimmy Dean Foods helped bring the Jimmy Dean Food Bar & Grill program to hundreds of Shell and Texaco locations. Kraft research initiatives, Tombstone Pizza kiosks, Mobil On the Run coffee bars, Holiday Inn Express, and many other collaborations expanded the company’s reach while reinforcing its reputation for delivering practical, customer-focused solutions.
Growth didn’t happen overnight.
It happened project by project.
Customer by customer.
Relationship by relationship.
One opportunity led to the next.
Along the way, Food Concepts, Inc. earned recognition as one of America’s fastest-growing privately held companies, including being named to the Inc. 500 list in 2001 and the In Business list of fastest-growing companies in Dane County.
As the company continued to grow, it outgrew its original office above the family garage and moved into its first dedicated facility. Growth continued, eventually leading to a second location before Food Concepts, Inc. moved into its current headquarters in 2006, creating the space needed to support continued innovation, collaboration, and future growth.
Innovation Never Stands Still
Innovation has always been part of Food Concepts, Inc.’s story.
Not innovation for the sake of creating something new.
Innovation driven by listening to customers, understanding challenges, and developing practical solutions that improve foodservice operations and strengthen retail environments.
Over the years, that philosophy has led to products and solutions that continue to shape the company’s evolution, including ImageTrak™, PanelRak™, MTF™ Cabinetry, RollerGrill, EZ-Tilt™, FOODPROS, and a growing portfolio of bakery display and merchandising solutions.
While each serves a different purpose, they all share something in common.
They were created to solve real-world challenges.
Some improve product visibility.
Some simplify operations.
Some strengthen brand presentation.
Others help retailers create better customer experiences.
Together, they reflect the same problem-solving mindset that inspired Food Concepts, Inc. 35 years ago.
As customer needs continue to evolve, so does FCI’s commitment to innovation, developing practical solutions that help retailers, food manufacturers, and foodservice operators succeed today while preparing for tomorrow.
The products have changed over the years.
The philosophy behind them hasn’t.
It’s Always Been About People
Every successful company is built by people.
For Brad, that’s what 35 years at Food Concepts, Inc. have always been about.
Over the years, employees have grown from entry-level positions into leadership roles. Teams have tackled complex projects, adapted to new challenges, and continued finding better ways to serve customers. Long-term relationships have been built not only with customers, but also with suppliers, vendors, and one another.
As the company has grown, so has its culture.
What began as a small entrepreneurial business has evolved into an organization built on collaboration, shared ownership, and continuous improvement. Specialized teams, proven systems, and decades of experience now support projects of every size, while maintaining the same commitment to service that has been there from the beginning.
When asked what makes Food Concepts, Inc. different, Brad didn’t point to a product or a milestone.
He pointed to the people.
“Our people come to mind first and foremost. We have extensive experience with a broad range of equipment and merchandising solutions, and a great work ethic.”
That same philosophy extends beyond the walls of FCI.
FCI believes in serving its customers, supporting its community, maintaining an open-door culture, and investing in the people who help make every success possible.
Because while products evolve and markets change, relationships remain at the heart of everything Food Concepts, Inc. does.
Looking Ahead
Thirty-five years of history provides plenty to celebrate, but Food Concepts, Inc. has never been a company that’s satisfied standing still.
As retail and foodservice continue to evolve, so do the opportunities ahead.
Brad believes the next chapter includes continued growth in restaurants, hospitality, healthcare, education, big-box retail, and emerging foodservice channels. He believes innovations like MTF™ Cabinetry, the continued expansion of FOODPROS, and the development of new merchandising and equipment solutions represent just the beginning of FCI’s next chapter.
But growth has never been measured simply by new products or new markets.
For Brad, success continues to be measured by something much more meaningful: helping customers solve problems, creating opportunities for employees to grow, building lasting partnerships, and making a positive impact on the communities FCI serves.
That vision remains just as relevant today as it was in 1991.
Because while the industries may change, technologies continue to evolve, and new opportunities emerge, the purpose behind Food Concepts, Inc. remains remarkably consistent.
Helping customers build stronger brands.
Creating better experiences.
Building lasting relationships.
The Story Continues
Every story has a beginning.
For Food Concepts, Inc., that beginning was a simple belief that there had to be a better way to help retailers build successful foodservice programs.
Over the past 35 years, that belief has grown into partnerships with nationally recognized brands, innovative merchandising and foodservice solutions, and thousands of successful customer projects across North America.
The milestones are worth celebrating.
The innovations are worth recognizing.
But they are not the legacy.
The true legacy of Food Concepts, Inc. is found in the relationships built with customers, employees, suppliers, and communities over the past three and a half decades.
Those relationships have always been the foundation on which everything else was built.
As the company looks toward the future, one thing remains unchanged.
To solve problems.
To strengthen brands.
To create better customer experiences.
To build lasting relationships.
That journey began with a single idea in 1991.
Thirty-five years later, the story is still being written.
Because while the story has been 35 years in the making, its purpose remains exactly what it was on day one: solving problems, building brands, and creating lasting relationships.
