The Agency
Igniting Foodservice

Brand strategy, creative, production, and digital craft. For the manufacturers, consultants, operators, and associations who run foodservice.

Let's talk
24 years · 6 offices · thousands of projects · partnerships measured in decades
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Work across foodservice, higher ed, manufacturing, associations, and AEC firms

A short list. The real one is longer. A few recent projects that show how strategy, creative, and story come together when the agency actually knows the industry.

Camp FCSI 2024 conference branding in Austin Association / Event Branding
01

Camp FCSI 2024, Austin

Conference identity end-to-end. Naming, signage, video, photography, and a closing reel cut on-site.

View case study →
Hopkins Dining at Johns Hopkins University Higher Ed / Concept Branding
02

Hopkins Dining, Johns Hopkins University

Six dining concept identities for JHU's new self-operated program, shipped before move-in week.

View case study →
Wanzl North America rebrand Manufacturer / Rebrand
03

Technibilt becomes Wanzl North America

A four-month rebrand of North America's largest shopping-cart manufacturer. Web, print, signage, sales toolkit, internal change comms.

View case study →
Kitchens To Go documentary in Paradise, California Foodservice Equipment / Long-form Partnership
04

Kitchens To Go

A three-year marketing plan, ongoing campaigns, VR kitchen walkthroughs, video documentaries, ad management. Four years and counting.

View case study →

Most agencies build campaigns. We build content constellations that compound

Ignite & Connect™ is our methodology for turning expert knowledge into a story universe. Each asset pulls its weight for years, not weeks. Video-first. Story-driven. Relentlessly on brand.

FCSI On Tap · Ignite & Connect in action
( Free · 5-minute diagnostic )

How ignited is your personal brand?

Sixteen quick questions across four dimensions. FUZEai reads your answers and returns your archetype with a personalized growth map you can act on this week.

Questions we hear a lot

It means we don't have to learn your industry on your dime. We've been working with foodservice manufacturers, design consultants, associations, and operators since 2013. We know FCSI from MAFSI from SHFM from ACF. We know what a CAD-RFP-spec workflow looks like. We've sat through enough product demos and conference floor walks to know what actually moves a buyer.

It's our proprietary system for turning expert knowledge into a content ecosystem. We capture expertise through video conversations (Ignite), transform it into narrative-driven anchor content (Transform), and build interconnected story universes across channels (Connect). Built specifically for how B2B buyers actually research and decide today.

We build custom web applications for universities (member portals, dining apps), associations (event apps, member directories), brands (sales tools, configurators), and architecture and consulting firms (project portals, RFP tools). Lean, well-designed, and built to scale.

2D and 3D animation, motion graphics, animated explainers, and character work. For product launches, training, social, and presentations. Lives fully in-house, so the storytelling never gets lost in a hand-off to an outside vendor.

HQ is at 933 Louise Ave. Suite 101 in Charlotte, NC 28204. We have additional offices in Chicago, Phoenix, Charleston, and Ft. Lauderdale. Most of our team is hybrid or remote, and we travel constantly for shoots, conferences, and client engagements.

Project work (a brand refresh, video series, a website, an app) ranges from a few weeks to a few months. Retainers, where we function as an extension of your marketing team, run for years. Take the Brand Ignition Engine to get a quick read on what FUZE could realistically do for you.

It's time to
FUZE around & Find Out

The good work happens when we become one of your team. That starts with an actual conversation. No deck, no ceremony, no pressure. Just real talk about what you're up against and whether we'd have fun figuring it out together.

Let's talk →

Ignite &
Connect

A proprietary system for capturing expertise on camera, transforming it into anchor content, and connecting every piece into a narrative ecosystem your audience can navigate.

B2B buying has changed. Most agencies haven't.

Today's foodservice and B2B buyers spend most of their decision journey researching independently. They use 10+ channels. They want answers, fast, in formats that respect their time. The traditional marketing funnel is dead. Welcome to the era of the narrative ecosystem.

5%
of buying journey time spent with any one sales rep (Gartner)
10+
channels used by B2B buyers in their decision journey (McKinsey)
87%
of buyers want to self-serve part or all of their buying journey (TrustRadius)
22x
more memorable than facts alone (Stanford research on storytelling)

Ignite. Transform. Connect.

Step 01 / The Spark

IGNITE

Capture expertise on camera

The cornerstone of the system. We sit down with your subject matter experts and have real conversations on camera, not scripted, not rehearsed, just structured to draw out the stories, examples, and frameworks already in their heads.

  • Viewers retain 95% from video vs. 10% from text
  • Speaking is 3x faster than writing for experts
  • Authentic conversations beat polished scripts
  • One 60–90 minute session fuels months of content
  • Story elicitation techniques pull out the gold
Step 02 / The Fuel

TRANSFORM

Build narrative anchor content

We turn raw conversations into anchor pieces structured around classic storytelling principles. Heroes, challenges, transformations. The foundation pieces that ignite the rest of your content ecosystem.

  • One conversation fuels dozens of content pieces
  • Multiple formats meet varied audience preferences
  • Classic story structures make complex info accessible
  • Experts and clients positioned as relatable characters
  • Emotional engagement, not just rational persuasion
Step 03 / The Network

CONNECT

Build the story universe

We expand anchor content into interconnected narrative universes. Audiences can enter at any point and find pathways to the next piece. The whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts.

  • Cohesive story worlds across content pieces
  • Clear pathways between related content
  • Cross-channel storytelling with consistent threads
  • Story arcs that evolve over time
  • Trust built through value, not promotion

Four phases. Built for how foodservice actually works.

Phase 1: Discovery & Strategy. We map your expertise, identify the narrative threads, and design the architecture of your story universe.

Phase 2: Content Development. We capture the conversations, build the anchor content, and produce the derivative pieces that connect everything together.

Phase 3: Distribution & Engagement. Multi-channel rollout. Consistent narrative threads. Real engagement, not just impressions.

Phase 4: Analysis & Optimization. Measure what's working, evolve what isn't, and let the story arc grow with the response.

Weeks 1–3
Discovery, expertise mapping, audience analysis, ecosystem architecture.
Weeks 4–6
On-camera conversations with your SMEs. Story elicitation. Footage capture.
Weeks 7–12
Anchor content production. Derivative pieces. Channel-specific adaptations.
Ongoing
Distribution, engagement, analytics, optimization. Story arc continues to grow.

Ready to ignite the story?

Start with the Brand Ignition Assessment to see where your current ecosystem stands. Then let's talk about what's next.

Your personal brand, ignited

The diagnostic that comes before the strategy. Sixteen quick questions across four dimensions. FUZEai reads your answers, reveals your Brand Archetype, and builds a personalized growth map you can act on this week. Not where you think your brand stands. Where it actually stands.

Launch the Engine ↗

An archetype, your dimensions, and the next three moves.

01

Your archetype

Who you already are on your best day

FUZEai reads your full pattern and names it. Maverick, Architect, Conductor, Ecosystemer. One archetype that captures how you show up and where your edge is hiding.

02

Four dimension scores

Spark · Story · Ecosystem · Edge

A score on each of the four dimensions that actually drive brand gravity in this industry. Plus a rarity signal so you know how you stack up against the rest of the workshop.

03

Your next 3 moves

Specific, this-week actions

A personalized growth map written by an AI trained on the Ignite & Connect™ methodology. Not generic advice. Three moves you can make before Friday, prioritized by leverage.

Your Brand Card. Delivered as a shareable PDF.

Every completed assessment generates a Brand Card like the one below. Archetype up top, dimension scores in a radar chart, a rarity tag, and a short priority line for what to do next. Downloadable, shareable, post-able.

Sample Brand Card · The Maverick archetype, Spark 4.6, Story 4.0, Ecosystem 3.9, Edge 4.2
Sample output · Dan · Senior Foodservice Consultant · FCSI EPiC 2026

What we measure, and why it matters.

Dimension 01 · Spark

Your expertise

The thing peers already come to you for. What you know that nobody else in the room does. The part of your knowledge that's earned, specific, and hard to copy.

Dimension 02 · Story

Your positioning

The through-line running under everything you say and ship. Whether you've named what you stand for and whether it's clear enough that a stranger could repeat it back.

Dimension 03 · Ecosystem

Your visibility

Where and how you actually show up. LinkedIn, events, committees, speaking, writing, podcast guesting. Not every channel. The deliberate mix, run consistently.

Dimension 04 · Edge

The friction

What's keeping you from showing up more. Time, clarity, confidence, priorities, permission. FUZEai names the specific thing in your way. And hands you the move to get past it.

Seven minutes, or the deeper dive.

Spark Scan
~7 min

The quick diagnostic.

Sixteen questions, four dimensions, one archetype, three next moves. What we run live at FCSI EPiC and other workshops. Free, always on.

Launch Spark Scan ↗
Ignition Blueprint
~20 min · By consult only

The full build.

Deeper question set, richer analysis, and a longer personalized brief. Built for foodservice pros who are ready to treat their personal brand like the asset it is. Available after a 30-minute consult so we can frame the dive together.

Want a guide first?

The Ignition Blueprint is the deeper assessment, and we like to do a thirty-minute consult before we open it up. Time better spent when you've already framed what you're trying to figure out.

  • Free. Thirty minutes. No deck, no slides.
  • One of us, not a sales rep. You'll talk to a creative lead who runs this work daily.
  • No commitment. The Blueprint opens up after we talk. Or take the free Spark Scan now if you'd rather go cold.

Or skip the consult and take the free Spark Scan ↗

Find out where your personal brand actually stands.

Not where you think it stands. No email gate to start. No upsell sequence after. Just your archetype, your numbers, and the next move.

Launch the Engine ↗

Our Work

Thousands of projects across foodservice, higher ed, manufacturing, and beyond. The work tells the story.

Filter:
Brand e360 Branding

e360 Branding

Full brand design for the e360 platform.

Brand Lakeside Dining UA

Lakeside Dining · Univ. of Alabama

8 unique food concept identities with full branding and signage.

Brand Mezcal Restaurant Branding

Mezcal Restaurant Branding

Logo, brand voice, photography, and web design.

Brand FCSI Conference Branding

FCSI The Americas · 2022 Conference

Conference theme and branding for the national event.

Brand Foodspace Branding

Foodspace Branding

Brand development and collateral system.

Brand e360 Brand Standards

e360 Brand Standards

Full brand book with logo usage and voice guidelines.

Brand Tandem Nutritional Bar

Tandem Nutritional Bar

Logo, brand, and packaging design.

Brand CafeButter Branding

CafeButter · Brand & Packaging

Label design and brand voice for gourmet PB spread.

Design KTG Print Ad

Kitchens To Go · Print Advertising

Industry print ads tailored to editorial focus.

Design KTG Trade Show Booth

KTG · 20ft Trade Show Booth

Custom booth design for industry trade shows.

Design Wanzl Rebrand

Wanzl North America · Rebrand

POS, signage, and full collateral rebrand from Technibilt.

Design Wanzl Banner Design

Wanzl NA · Banner Stand Design

Pop-up banners and trade show materials.

Design Hope To Walk Newsletter

Hope To Walk · Newsletter Design

Seasonal newsletter design for nonprofit fundraising.

Design KTG Sales Collateral

KTG · Sales Collateral

Flyers, sell sheets, and brochures for the sales team.

Design FCSI Conference Ad

FCSI · 2022 Conference Magazine Ad

Full page ad in FCSI Magazine.

Packaging D9 Systema Natura

D9 · Systema Natura Series

Packaging design for GABF Gold Medal winning series.

Web Webb Foodservice Design

Webb Foodservice Design · Website

Complete overhaul reflecting their industry-leading brand.

Web BSI Website

BSI · Website

Complete refresh with focus on documentation organization.

Web PB2 Foods Website

PB2 Foods · Website

Strategic content reorganization with product locator integration.

Web Kitchens To Go Website

Kitchens To Go · Website

Complete overhaul with focus on user engagement and flow.

Web Foodspace Website

Foodspace · Website

Complete rebuild reflecting new brand aesthetic.

Web English Manufacturing

English Manufacturing · Website

Complete web build for industrial manufacturer.

Web Premier Culinary Solutions

Premier Culinary Solutions · Website

Complete brand web presence.

Video FCSI On Tap S3 E1

FCSI On Tap · S3 E1

Season 3 episode of the FCSI podcast.

Video FCSI On Tap S3 Teaser

FCSI On Tap · S3 Teaser

Season 3 teaser for FCSI podcast.

Video FCSI Conference Highlights

FCSI TA · 2022 Conference Highlights

Conference recap and highlight reel.

Video Weiler Foundry

Weiler Abrasives · Foundry

Industrial product video for foundry application.

Video Weiler Crimped Cup Brush

Weiler · Crimped Wire Cup Brush

Product video for industrial buyers.

Video Weiler Knot Cup Brush

Weiler · Knot Wire Cup Brush

Product demonstration video.

Video KTG Paradise CA

KTG & BP · Paradise, CA

Project case video documenting Paradise rebuild.

Video KTG Clovis Medical

KTG · Clovis Community Medical Center

Healthcare foodservice case video.

Video KTG Company Video

Kitchens To Go · Company Video

Corporate brand overview video.

Video That's Tasty Purees

That's Tasty · Organic Purees

Product launch video for organic puree line.

Video That's Tasty Transportation

That's Tasty · Transportation

Refrigerated LTL feature video.

Video That's Tasty Grow Tech

That's Tasty · Indoor Controlled Tech

Grow technology product video.

Photo D9 Lifestyle Photography

D9 · Lifestyle Photography

Brewery lifestyle and product shots.

Photo That's Tasty Product Photo

That's Tasty · Product Photography

Studio product shots for marketing.

Photo That's Tasty Corporate

That's Tasty · Corporate Photography

Corporate portraits and environmental work.

Brand Foodspace Brand Standards

Foodspace · Brand Standards

Brand book with voice and usage guidelines.

Design KTG Sponsored Content

KTG · Sponsored Content

Industry publication sponsored content articles.

Brand Hopkins Dining

Hopkins Dining · Johns Hopkins University

Six dining concept identities, one summer.

Brand Camp FCSI Austin 2024

Camp FCSI · Austin 2024

Conference identity, signage, video, all on-site.

Brand FCSI EF FEED Workshop

FCSI EF · FEED Workshop

Naming, identity, web, ads, live event coverage.

Web FCSI The Americas Website

FCSI The Americas · Website

Member-first IA, four languages, fast.

Web Reitano Design Group

Reitano Design Group · Website

Mobile, modern, organized for inquiries.

Print Stanley Black & Decker Catalogs

Stanley Black & Decker · Catalogs

Lista, Vidmar, healthcare, agricultural editions.

Research Lidl Research

Lidl · Shopping Systems Research

Focus groups for the US store rollout.

See yourself in this work?

Let's talk about what FUZE could do for your brand. Or take 5 minutes and find out where you stand right now.

Schedule a Call →

Got a project like this?

Most of our best work started with a single conversation. Let's have one.

Start a Project →
·

Client
Industry
Year
Scope
"
The outcome

What happened next.

We don't pitch We partner

Got a project like this? Tell us what you're up against and we'll figure out together whether we're the right Fuzers to help.

Let's talk →

Field notes from the foodservice trenches

What we're watching, reading, shooting, and arguing about. Monthly-ish. Written by the Fuzers, not a content mill.

Strategy

Why we stopped building campaigns and started building constellations

Campaigns end. Audiences keep moving. The methodology we use now treats every asset as a node in a larger, ongoing story universe. And it's changed what our clients ask us for.

Production

Notes from a shoot: filming inside an active foundry.

Heat, sparks, noise, and a product demo you couldn't stage if you tried. Clint walks through the prep that let us shoot Weiler safely. And why the one-take takes happened on purpose.

AI & Digital

AEO is the new SEO. Here's the plain-English version.

ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini are the new search results for a growing share of your buyers. A short primer on Answer Engine Optimization and how it's different from ranking on Google.

Industry

Eight dining concepts under one roof: what UA Lakeside taught us about brand architecture.

When a single residential hall holds a Brazilian churrascaria and a soul food counter and a pasta bar, you don't build eight brands. You build a system that makes eight brands feel like Alabama.

Strategy

The quietest agency in the room usually wins the account.

A short rant about discovery meetings, talking too much, and why the first question we ask clients is always the same. And why that's worked for twenty-four years.

Industry

What 22 FCSI consultants taught us about trade show ROI.

We spent two days at a foodservice conference asking people one question: what actually makes a trade show worth the cost? The answers were shorter than expected and more honest.

Inside FUZE

Building The Brand Ignition Engine™ in a weekend with FUZEai.

How we went from a workshop idea to a shippable personal brand assessment app in about 36 hours of focused building, running live at FCSI EPiC. The honest stack breakdown.

Monthly-ish. Never spammy.

Field notes from twenty-four years in the foodservice trenches, delivered to your inbox when we have something worth saying.

Get to know the Fuzers

Obsessing over brands since 2002. Foodservice specifically since 2013. Mostly hybrid, always traveling, weirdly close-knit. When we partner with you, these are the people you get.

We don't pitch We partner

The good work happens when we become one of your team. That starts with an actual conversation.

Let's talk →

We don't pitch
We partner

Tell us what you're working on. The first conversation is just that, a conversation. We'll figure out fit before anyone signs anything.

Or email us directly: info@thefuze.net

( 01 / Strategy )

The part that has to be right before anything else

Positioning, research, and the messaging systems that keep your team and your customers on the same page. The diagnostic that comes before the campaign.

Start a strategy conversation →
5%
Of a B2B buyer's journey spent with any single sales rep.
Gartner, 2023
10+
Channels the average B2B customer uses during a buying cycle.
McKinsey B2B Pulse, 2023
22x
More memorable when you lead with story instead of facts.
Stanford

Strategy starts with a conversation

No deck. No pitch. Just a real talk about what you're trying to do and whether we're the right Fuzers to help.

Let's talk →
( 02 / Creative )

Work that looks like the work

Brand identity, packaging, print, signage, and environmental design that reflects the quality of what you actually do. Not a few degrees behind it.

Start a creative conversation →

Every surface your brand lives on.

01

Brand development

Logos, identity systems, naming, voice, and standards. Complete visual architectures that scale.

02

Packaging design

Food, beverage, and consumer packaging that earns shelf. GABF Gold medal work in the portfolio.

03

Print & sales collateral

Brochures, sell sheets, trade publications. The collateral your sales team will actually use.

04

Trade show design

Booth design, environmental graphics, sales enablement at NAFEM, FCSI, and beyond.

05

Concept branding & signage

Dining concept identities, wayfinding, digital menu boards, environmental graphics.

06

Editorial & publication design

Association magazines, annual reports, long-form editorial. Typography as a point of view.

Creative that's worth looking at

Brand, packaging, print, signage. Tell us what you need to make and we'll talk about how we'd build it with you.

Let's talk →
( 03 / Production )

Cameras Lights Stories worth keeping

Video, documentary, podcast, animation, conference, and photography. We capture expertise on camera and turn it into content you'll actually be proud of.

Start a production conversation →

Full production, in-house.

01

Video & brand films

Customer stories, executive interviews, launch films. Cinematic quality, every time.

02

Documentary production

Long-form, story-led production for brands with something real to say.

03

FUZE Animation Studio

2D, 3D, motion graphics, animated explainers, character work. Our newest practice.

04

Podcast production

Full-service podcast from name and brand through three seasons. Track record with FCSI On Tap.

05

Conference & association production

Live event capture, stage content, keynote films. Production partner Julius Nemovi leads from San Diego.

06

Photography

Product, food, corporate, lifestyle, and event. Studio and on-location across the Southeast.

07

Motion graphics

Title sequences, kinetic type, explainer animation. Makes the flat stuff move.

Partner
08

FUZEvr / Visual Conquest

3D and immersive production for foodservice. Brenden Wright's studio out of Ft. Lauderdale.

Got something worth filming?

Tell us the story and we'll tell you how we'd shoot it. No treatment deck on spec. A conversation about the project.

Let's talk →
( 04 / Digital, AI & Apps )

Web, apps, and AI that earn their keep

Custom sites, custom applications, SEO that lands in AI search results, and AI training that actually changes how your team works. Built by the practice, run by the partner.

Start a digital conversation →

Custom-built, fast, and modern.

01

Website design & development

Custom-coded sites, headless builds, CMS rollouts. Runs through Microhound, Xavier's practice.

02

Application development

Member portals, event apps, campus dining tools, internal systems for architecture and consulting firms.

03

SEO & AEO

Search engine optimization for Google. Answer engine optimization for ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini.

04

Content & social marketing

Editorial calendars, platform strategy, and the channel-by-channel execution behind them.

05

AI enablement

Custom prompt libraries, tool training for Copilot, ChatGPT, and Gemini. Built by Dave Hodges.

Workshop
06

ACCELERATE AI training

4–6 session workshop series that puts AI tooling into the hands of your sales and marketing teams.

Got a site, an app, or an AI idea worth shipping?

We'll scope it honestly. If we're not the right fit we'll tell you that before we tell you anything else.

Let's talk →
Start a Project

Twenty-four years.
One obsession

We've been helping foodservice brands tell their story since 2002. Six offices, one team, fifteen-year average client relationships, and thousands of projects shipped. The only thing we love more than the work is the people we get to do it with.

Started in a kitchen. Still happens there.

FUZE began in 2002 as ZooFuze, a creative shop with a soft spot for the foodservice industry. By 2013 we'd narrowed our entire focus to that one industry, doubled down, and never looked back. Today we're a 6-office, multi-discipline agency that lives and breathes commercial kitchens, hospitality brands, foodservice equipment manufacturers, and the operators who use it all.

We don't pitch for work. We don't do spec creative. We don't write proposals before we've had an actual conversation. The way we figure out fit is by sitting down with you, learning what you're up against, and being honest about whether we're the right people to help.

That model is why our average client relationship runs 15 years. It's also why we'd rather earn the next decade with you than win a one-off project.

Wherever the work is.

01

Charlotte

Headquarters. The hub. 933 Louise Ave, Suite 101.

02

Chicago

Strategy + production. NRA Show home base.

03

Phoenix

Creative + manufacturer accounts.

04

Charleston

Brand strategy + content production.

05

Ft. Lauderdale

FUZEvr. VR/AR experience design.

06

San Diego

West coast production + digital.

Some of who we work with.

Ali Group
Ice-O-Matic
Champion
Wanzl
FCSI The Americas
University of Alabama
D9 Brewing
Lakeside Dining
Atosa
Nexus
Weiler
KTG Paradise

Plus a few hundred more we'd love to tell you about over coffee.

Ready to start a conversation?

No deck. No spec work. Just a chat about what you're working on and whether we're a fit.

Start a Project

Four disciplines.
One team

We organize ourselves around four disciplines. Most engagements pull from two or three. Pick a starting point, or talk to us about what you're trying to figure out.

The Brand Ignition Engine

A free 16-question personal-brand diagnostic. FUZEai-powered. Sixteen quick questions, four dimensions, your archetype in about seven minutes.

Take the assessment

AI for B2B
sales & marketing
teams

Most AI training is a one-day session that doesn't stick. ACCELERATE is a 4-6 session workshop series built around the tools you actually use, the workflow you actually run, and the prompts you'll keep using long after the engagement ends.

Built and led by Dave Hodges, FUZE's AI strategy lead.

01

Custom prompt libraries

We map your actual sales process and write prompts that match it. Not generic templates. Real prompts for your real workflow that your reps will use after week one.

02

Tool-specific training

Copilot. ChatGPT. Gemini. HubSpot AI. Whatever stack you're already paying for. We train your team on the tools you have, not the ones we'd sell you.

03

Workflow integration

AI sits inside your existing process. Account research, prospect outreach, follow-up, proposal drafting, post-call summaries. We wire it into your CRM and team rituals.

04

4-6 session series

Spaced over 6-10 weeks. Workshop-style, hands-on. Reps leave each session with a workflow they can run that week. Not slides. Not theory. Real wins they can show their boss.

Foodservice equipment manufacturers, distributors, and operators.

ACCELERATE is built for B2B teams in foodservice, hospitality, and adjacent industries where the buyer journey is long, the deals are technical, and the reps are busy. If your team is curious about AI but worried about wasted training budget, this is for you.

Typical engagements run 8-30 reps. We've delivered for manufacturers, dealers, foodservice consultants, and growth-stage hospitality brands. Pricing scales with team size.

Want a 30-minute walkthrough?

Dave will show you the workshop framework, share two or three sample prompt playbooks, and answer questions. No pitch.

Talk to Dave