The New KEEN KANTEEN Series Innovates Service Performance Footwear for the Growing Hospitality Industry

Portland, Ore. (January 17, 2019) – Today’s hospitality professionals face a number of safety and wellness challenges. KEEN Utility, an innovator in safety and industrial footwear, is introducing the KEEN KANTEEN Series for Spring 2019, a line comprised of industry-changing shoes for men and women with a winning recipe for comfort, performance and safety features. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reported in 2017 that more than 7.4 million men and women were employed full-time in food preparation, with kitchen duties as restaurant cooks, chefs as well as waitstaff, while also accounting for hotel, motel and resort desk clerk positions. OSHA has reported steady increases in the number of accommodation and food service workers in the United States year to year with growth projections through 2024. This 1 growing segment of hardworking men and women face a number of comfort and safety challenges on the job in such a fast-paced industry.

Slips and falls account for the majority of reported OSHA incidents and slip-resistance, as found in the new KEEN KANTEEN line of shoes, is vitally important on the job where staff may be lifting and balancing heavy trays while working around sharp cutting utensils on slippery floors in confined areas. Additionally, standing for long periods of time in one position on hard surfaces can lead to muscle fatigue and soreness in the body and the feet while wet and slippery floors, spills and lack of housekeeping can contribute to slips, trips and falls that could result in time away from the job.
For Spring 2019 KEEN Utility will launch a new series of hospitality-specific service shoes for men and women. The KEEN KANTEEN series earned its namesake from the company-owned employee cafeteria located at KEEN Headquarters in Portland, Ore. and was designed to solve many of the job site stresses today’s hospitality workers face.
“The KEEN KANTEEN gave us first-hand experience in the hospitality industry and because of this, our product development team had a very personal level of discussion and dissection to understand challenges the men and women working in the KEEN KANTEEN face,” said Todd Lewis, Product Director at KEEN Utility. “The KEEN KANTEEN footwear series helps meet some of the unique challenges service professionals face in a silhouette that feels current and stylishsomething many front of house hospitality workers demand.” The KEEN KANTEEN series features the new KEEN.

WET TRAX outsole design that helps maximize grip and surface area contact where food, liquid and oils are present and satisfies Mark II and Satra non-slip testing standards. The outsole also incorporates oil- and slip-resistance using engineered rubber channels to divert liquids and maximize surface contact area to help provide
surefootedness in wet and slick conditions. Crafted with smooth, waterproof and stain-resistant leather uppers, the shoes are easy to clean and polish. Each style also features a compression-molded EVA midsole and removable PU footbed that contours to the foot for cushioned comfort throughout the day and night. Additionally, a Cleansport NXT lining provides natural odor protection free of chemicals and dyes. A series standout, the men’s Romeo Soft Toe offers a classic Romeo silhouette with the comfort performance of an athletic sneaker. The all black service shoe, featuring twin-gore panels and easy pull-on design, is not only extremely comfortable, but offers an industry-leading slip resistant outsole. Other silhouettes available within the KANTEEN series include a classic men’s Oxford, and for women: an iconic Clog, a classic Oxford, and a Hostess Flat for front-of house applications.

The entire KEEN KANTEEN series will be available at select retailers and online beginning in February 2019. Visit keenutility.com to view the KEEN KANTEEN collection and other safety styles for men and women.