NORTH CANTON, Ohio — Through a recent partnership, AVI Foodsystems unveiled a refreshed café at Timken, creating a cleaner, brighter and more organized dining space with greater variety and healthier options for employees. The renovation included updated food stations, new serving equipment and visual enhancements designed to improve both presentation and accessibility. The Timken café closed after lunch service May 19 and reopened May 21 after a full renovation.  

Jared Levin, AVI Foodsystems’ Director for Marketing, and his team of Field Marketing Managers assessed the café and determined new smallware, serving vessels and branding elements were needed. The team removed existing equipment and rebuilt the space, adding a redesigned entrance and updated graphics. White serving pieces replaced silver ones to create a brighter presentation, and food stations were reorganized to improve access and accommodate new menu options. The refresh also placed a greater emphasis on wellness-focused offerings. Fresh fruit, infused water and expanded salad options are prominently featured throughout the café, giving employees additional choices for balanced meals and snacks.  

Timken employee Ryan Hohman said the renovated space feels cleaner and more inviting.  “It definitely flows easier than before,” Hohman said. 

The team also introduced new serving utensils to help prevent cross-contamination.  “I think it looks great, honestly,” Josh Gauze, a new employee at Timken, said. “Everything is very clean, very well set up.” 

The refresh also expanded the variety of food and beverage options available to employees. AVI updated several food stations at the café, including a salad bar, pizza station, grill, deli and grab-and-go options. New additions include a fruit and yogurt bar, trail mix bar, pickle bar featuring house-made pickles and a soup station with a bread bowl option. An all-new coffee bar is available, which includes freshly brewed Starbucks coffee alongside Timken-branded pots. Cream, sugar and other accompaniments are available nearby. 

The expanded salad bar allows employees to customize meals with a wider variety of vegetables, proteins and toppings, with the number of ingredients increasing from 12 to more than 25. Employees can add freshly prepared hot proteins to their salads and choose from 10 different dressings. Meatballs and breadsticks complement pizzas baked fresh on-site. The grill features house-made chips and a variety of burger toppings, such as kimchi, pickles, tomatoes, jalapeños, habaneros and two different types of greens and onions. 

Robyn Bernai, a Timken employee of 13 years, was on vacation when the refresh happened. She was surprised to see the change for the first time when she came back to work. 

“It looks like there are healthier options,” Bernai said. “There’s more variety.” 

The café is only open for breakfast and lunch, but employees also have the option to purchase from Market C. Located next to the café, Market C is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and is a self-service market that offers a wide range of snacks, drinks and fresh culinary options. Employees can also access nutritional information and portion-size details for every product in Market C. 

About Timken  

The Timken Company (NYSE: TKR) is a leading manufacturer of highly engineered systems and components in strategic end markets, including aerospace and defense, power and electrification, automation and industrial solutions, infrastructure and industrial transportation and mobility. Timken specializes in critical applications driven by emerging market needs, modern technologies and customer-led innovation. The company has more than 125 years of expertise and a multinational presence, making it a trusted partner worldwide. Learn more at www.timken.com or @TheTimkenCompany. 

On Saturday April 18, over 50 AVI Foodsystems team members, along with their family and friends participated in the Warren Citywide Community Clean-up in celebration of Earth Day. Boxed lunches were generously provided by AVI Foodsystems. Thank you to all who showed up to help keep our town beautiful!