 Josh Bloom, quality assurance manager of Standard Pest Management, Astoria, N.Y., won the Nisus contest with a photo of a ‘sludge-filled’ floor at a commercial food production facility. |
ASTORIA, N.Y. — Josh Bloom, quality assurance manager of Standard Pest Management, Astoria, N.Y, was announced as the winner of the Nisus “Worst Commercial Kitchen Photo Contest” for his submission of what he calls a ‘sludge-filled’ corner of a food production facility located near a grease trap.
“It was a client that did a high volume of cooking every day and sanitation just got away from them,” Bloom said. “We actually were not over there for a fly inspection, rather a rodent and deficiency inspection, and we came across this filth.”
Bloom said Standard advised the client to “step up” sanitation efforts, which he said they have done. “Like most sanitation problems we encounter, it wasn’t that the client wasn’t cleaning, it was that they weren’t getting into the areas that were a little out of the way, or a little difficult to get a mop in.” Bloom added that this particular client also owns a nearby bakery where fruit flies can be problematic, and he says Standard has been successful making foam applications of Nibor-D, DSV and ProFoam using TrueTech foaming equipment from Nisus.
 Andrea Mirelez of Wild West Pest Control, Atwater, Calif, submitted this photo, which took second place in the Nisus contest. |
Nisus launched the contest in late 2014 via an e-blast in which it asked PCOs to submit their worst commercial kitchen photo for a chance to win a TrueTech 2000 Power Cart, or $500 cash prize. About 125 photos were submitted and displayed throughout the Nisus training facility, including on big screen TVs. The Nisus staff then voted to determine the winner. Bloom edged out second place finisher Andrea Mirelez of Wild West Pest Control, Atwater, Calif. Both Bloom and Mirelez took the $500 cash prize option.
Jim Gorman, vice president of marketing, Nisus Corporation said the contest was a fun way to raise awareness of how the TrueTech 2000 Power Cart, used with Nibor-D, can help PCOs gain control in the challenging commercial kitchens. “It was amazing to see some of the worst conditions that our industry is called upon to provide pest control for,” Gorman said.