Sysco Acquires Robert's Foods

HOUSTON - Sysco Corp. has acquired Robert's Foods, a broadline foodservice distributor located in Springfield, Ill., according to the leading North American distributorship based here.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Founded in 1916, Robert's Foods operates from a 58,000-sq.-ft. distribution facility and employs approximately 85 associates, 14 of them are DSRs. Dean "Robbie" Robert, grandson of founder Henry Robert, will continue to serve as president and chief executive officer of the company, which distributes food items and related foodservice supplies to customers throughout central Illinois and portions of Indiana, Wisconsin and Missouri.

In an interview with ID Access earlier this year, Robert said the company rang up just more than $40 million in sales in 2003, adding that the broadliner is slightly ahead of its target of $45 million this year.

It championed the establishment of a virtual warehouse with Dot Foods, Mount Sterling, IL, which Robert said was the driver of its growth. "We have a unique product in our service that our customers and the manufacturing community have been looking for," he said.

(Click for ID Access story about Robert's Foods.

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