AMCON Acquires Foodservice Distributor Henry’s Foods
AMCON Distributing Company, an Omaha, Neb.-based convenience distributor is pleased to announce the acquisition of foodservice distributor Henry’s Foods, Inc., of Alexandria, Minn.
“We are honored that Brian Eidsvold and the Eidsvold family have chosen AMCON to continue the legacy and stewardship of their family held business that was established by Henry Eidsvold in 1929,” said Christopher H. Atayan, AMCON’s chairman and chief executive officer.”
The Henry’s foodservice distributor business and name will continue in the marketplace and the business will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of AMCON. Kellie Janssen will continue to lead the business in her role as President of Henry’s.
“Henry’s is the preeminent provider of high-quality foodservice to the convenience distribution industry and will add important new offerings and expertise that we can bring to our customer base,” said Andrew C. Plummer, AMCON’s president and chief operating officer. “We also look forward to sharing the customer-centered suite of services that AMCON has developed to add value for Henry’s customers. Kellie Janssen’s unwavering commitment and dedication to customer service is a shared value between AMCON and Henry’s and is ultimately the foundation to build an exciting business for the future.”
“Our organization is excited about this transaction as together we will be able to add increased capabilities for Henry’s customers,” said Kellie Janssen, president of Henry’s. “We now have the enhanced facilities, capacity and geographic reach to serve our customers as they grow. AMCON shares our respect for a positive and collaborative work environment among colleagues which is another key element of our success. This made AMCON the ideal partner for the growth of our business.”
The transaction is expected to close in the company’s second quarter of fiscal 2023, subject to customary closing conditions.
AMCON is a leading convenience distributor of consumer products, including beverages, candy, tobacco, groceries, foodservice, frozen and refrigerated foods, automotive supplies and health and beauty care products with distribution centers in Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee and West Virginia (operated by its Team Sledd, LLC subsidiary). AMCON, through its Healthy Edge Retail Group, also operates 19 health and natural product retail stores in the Midwest and Florida.
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Artisinal Cheese Company Sartori Names Bert Satori as CEO
Artisinal cheese company Sartori Cheese names Bert Sartori its new CEO, the company has ushered in the fourth generation of family leadership in its storied 83-year history.
Satori’s father, Jim Sartori, represented the third generation of Sartori family leadership while holding the CEO role for nearly three decades. While Bert Sartori is poised to add a unique creative vision for the artisinal cheese company’s future, he looks to honor and maintain the commitment to the cheesemaking craft that Sartori Cheese has built over the previous three generations.
“Sartori Cheese has always represented a culture of cheesemaking that celebrates creativity, passion, and authenticity,” said Bert Sartori. “I’m proud to lead a company anchored in tradition while pushing the boundaries of our craft so we can share new-to-the-world, award-worthy cheeses with people across the globe.”
Bert Sartori holds an MBA from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, is a licensed cheesemaker and has over 17 years of progressive experience in finance, operations, and business development. Sartori’s longevity and diversity of experience give him invaluable insight into every aspect of the cheesemaking business. His vision for the company’s future is centered around a continued partnership with Wisconsin’s best dairy farms and a steadfast commitment to the craft of cheesemaking.
Sartori Cheese is proud to have four dozen licensed cheesemakers, including one of only two female Master Cheesemakers in Wisconsin. The company’s commitment to cultivating passionate cheesemakers is further highlighted by a best-in-class apprenticeship program that helps candidates hone their skills during the final steps of their training.
“Making great cheese starts with exceptional people – and we’re excited to continue investing in the talented, dedicated members of our team,” said Sartori.
Sartori was founded in 1939 by Bert Sartori’s great-grandfather, Paolo, an Italian immigrant. Bert Sartori ’s grandfather, Joe, preceded his father, Jim, as the leader of the business. The company has grown from its dozen team members at the time of its founding to more than 900 today as it delights cheese lovers in over 50 countries worldwide.
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NaturalShrimp Aquaculture Company Launches Online Delivery, E-Commerce Program
NaturalShrimp, Inc., a biotechnology aquaculture company that has developed and patented the first shrimp-focused commercially operational Recirculating Aquaculture System, has launched its online ordering home delivery program and e-commerce website at www.naturalshrimpharvest-select.com. A link to the online retail store is also available on the NaturalShrimp website at www.naturalshrimp.com.
NaturalShrimp’s Harvest-Select online retail store is led by NaturalShrimp chef and director of e-commerce Douwe Iedema. Product availability includes fresh harvested heads-on shrimp and Chef Douwe’s long-awaited shrimp cocktail sauce. Unique NaturalShrimp sauces and spices, recipe books and instructional videos for the home cook will be available soon as well.
Customers visiting the website can build their box by selecting raw or cooked shrimp and choosing a sauce. Once the order is placed, NaturalShrimp humanely harvests, chill kills, and packages the order into containers with vacuum-sealed lids that are then plastic sealed. The box is packed with gel packs and peanut foam to ensure quality-control and freshness. After the order has been packed, the “direct to your door” order is shipped out the same day anywhere within the continental United States. The first orders are expected to be shipped Dec. 12.
The NaturalShrimp Distribution Center located within the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex is completed and the Company is ready to receive and process its product for packaging and shipping for the online ordering home delivery program. In addition, the Distribution Center will make it possible to process thousands of pounds of shrimp not only for home delivery, but as a hub for pickup and delivery to local chefs.
“The decision to launch the new e-commerce program was driven by the ongoing demand for retail and direct-to-consumer sales of NaturalShrimp,” said Iedema. “The online platform offers our fresh, naturally grown shrimp and sauces, and was built with the capability to evolve with opportunities to provide our customers additional products such as pre-cooked shrimp, marinades, seasonings and other sauces, and perhaps eventually prepared meals. We are looking forward to exploring the multifaceted ways in which the home delivery program and e-commerce website will help drive our expansion strategy.”
Gerald Easterling, CEO of NaturalShrimp, said, “This launch creates a tremendous opportunity to further our mission to provide the freshest shrimp and seafood to local markets everywhere, with the ability to now deliver our product to customers across the country. This direct-to-consumer expansion diversifies and complements our commercial distribution strategy including our planned U.S. facility expansion, partnership with US Foods, South Texas area, and the continued success of our live shrimp sales program. We are highly focused on expanding our sales channels and geographic footprint as we continue our growth strategy.”
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