Stratford Company Celebrates 50 Years In Business

STRATFORD, CT — A local family-owned company has been in business 50 years. Stratford-based Kitchen Brains recently celebrated the five-decade milestone at its headquarters on Honeyspot Road.

"There's not many companies that survive 50 years," CEO Christian Koether said.

Kitchen Brains was started by his parents, Ben and Joan Koether, in the laundry room of their home in Westport, according to Roz Koether, the company's vice president and general counsel, who is also Christian Koether's sister. Kitchen Brains moved to Stratford in the early 1970s, she said.

Roz Koether said she was grateful for her parents' entrepreneurial spirit, and that the growth of the company is a testament to their courage.

Kitchen Brains develops controllers, timers, sensors and other solutions for commercial kitchens and equipment manufacturers, according to information provided by the company. It has customers in 130 countries, including many large quick-service restaurant chains. Customers have included KFC, Burger King and Wendy's, according to the Kitchen Brains website.

The company has satellite offices in Florida, the United Kingdom, Singapore and China, although the product design, engineering and manufacturing all take place in the 50,000-square-foot Stratford facility.

"It's a wonderful place to have a business — great community, wonderful people," Founder Ben Koether said of Stratford.

During the anniversary celebration Sept. 24, Ben Koether regaled an audience of employees and area officials with stories about past Kitchen Brains staffers and the early days of the company, which was previously named Food Automation — Service Techniques, Inc.

Mayor Laura Hoydick offered her congratulations to the Koether family and said it is outstanding for Stratford to have a company in town for 50 years providing jobs for residents. Roz Koether shared a similar sentiment.

"We can be a family to many families in our community," she said.

Kitchen Brains is headquartered at 905 Honeyspot Road. For more information, visit kitchenbrains.com.