Feb. 23, 2015, Strathroy, Ont. – Ricco Foodservice is
expanding its operation to keep up with its growing product lines for
full-service restaurants.
Feb. 23, 2015, Strathroy, Ont. – Ricco Foodservice is
expanding its operation to keep up with its growing product lines for
full-service restaurants.
The distributor added a sixth refrigerated delivery truck in
2014 and further expanded its warehouse by adding 13,000 square feet, 5,000 of which
is freezer space.
Almost 1,000 SKUs were recently added to the company’s
product line.
Ricco also recently complemented its sales staff with two
territory managers: Todd Cordell was hired handle the London and Sarnia areas,
and Brian Campbell was hired to oversee sales efforts in areas north of
Strathroy, including Listowel, as well as Chatham, Wallaceburg and other neighbouring
regions.
The 24-year-old food distribution business began life in an
1,800-square-foot warehouse in south London, Ont. “Deliveries were made using
the company’s 12-foot cube van and Dodge extend-a-van,” the company said in a news
release.
In May 1998, following two expansions, they relocated to
Strathroy to a new building covering more than 10,000 square feet, later adding
a neighbouring 3,500-square-foot warehouse for excess inventory.
In the spring of 2008, they broke ground on an 8,000-square-foot
addition to the existing building for a total of more than 20,000 square feet.
Cordell, who was with the company 22 years ago and recently
returned, cited volume within the company’s existing clientele and the desire
to fulfil a niche market as reasons for the physical growth of the operation.
“We’ve always been a one-stop pizza shop supplier, but now
we’re expanding to supply the full-service restaurant,” he told Canadian Pizza. They still
provide “everything to do with pizza” but have branched out into baked and
protein products with an eye toward providing a full range of products to other
restaurant clients.
A recent trend has been in items for the barbecue, he said,
pointing to brisket, ribs and a new line of value-added chicken products as examples.
“We are already looking forward to another expansion in the
near future,” said the release. Cordell couldn’t comment on the plans other
than to say there have been discussions “round the table” about expanding
again.
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