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Choice Food Group, Inc. |
| About Us History & Growth |
 About Us Family of Food CompaniesSenior ManagementMilestones |
Middle Tennessee has its share of renowned food service distributors and manufacturers. But recent consolidation in the food industry has led to several established businesses, serving local restaurants and grocery stores in the area, becoming acquired and relocated to other cities.
It was the vision of one Nashville entrepreneur, Michael D. Shmerling, who felt the need to preserve our local heritage as well as protect these independently-owned and operated food companies in Middle Tennessee.
He felt that these food companies were economically vital to the area as well as potentially good business investments with successful business models, but they lacked in resources and capital to grow. He also saw a fragmented market that needed revitalizing. His vision was, and continues to be, to combine resources among these diverse food service businesses to help them prosper and grow.
These observations were the impetus that led Mike Shmerling and his team of management professionals to establish Choice Food Group, Inc., (CFG) and the premise from which our company has grown to the depths it has today.
Nashville-based Choice Food Group, Inc. is a privately-held enterprise involved in manufacturing, wholesale & retail distribution, further processing and marketing of food service companies.
Investing in Wholesale Food Distribution
Choice Food Group’s beginnings were founded on making investments in several of Nashville’s oldest and most successful food institutions. In January 2005, CFG made its first investment in Nashville Egg, Inc. which launched the company’s entry into the food distribution industry. On June 1, 2005, its second investment was in Gibson Food Products, Inc. which expanded its distribution business.
Emergence of Choice Food Distributors
Choice Food Distributors, Inc. was established in September 2005 as a merger between Nashville Egg and Gibson Food Products, Inc., paving the way to become a full service, independent, wholesale food service distributor. The merger pooled their resources: mixing complementary product lines and customer segments and providing a competitive advantage with new opportunities for growth and added value to our customers.
Gibson Food Products, Inc. of Hendersonville, Tenn. was founded in 1985 and was known in the industry as a broad line distributor dedicated to providing full service solutions for its customers. Nashville Egg, Inc. was founded in the 1940s and became the premier provider of fresh poultry, egg and meat products in Middle Tennessee.
Investing in Food Manufacturing
Another pivotal moment was Choice Food Group’s decision to balance the food distribution side of the business by investing in companies that specialize in food manufacturing. Century-old Vietti Foods Company, a manufacturer and marketer of canned food products and its regionally-famous canned chili, caught its eye. Founded in 1898 and incorporated in Nashville, Tenn. in 1936, Vietti was acquired by Choice Food Group on December 31, 2005.
Choice Food of America Established
In May 2006, Choice Food of America, LLC was established, specializing in custom food solutions. The company was founded through the acquisition of a Nashville packaging plant that previously housed manufacturing operations for Portion Pac, Inc., a H. J. Heinz Corp. subsidiary. The plant manufactured portion control and bulk food service items which was the basis for operational growth and expansion within our food manufacturing division.
First Retail Food Outlet
Nashville Cash & Carry was acquired January 1, 2007 as the company’s first retail food outlet, a Nashville tradition that has offered institutional food service products & party supplies to the public for over 30 years.
Parent Company Incorporated
Choice Food Group, Inc. was incorporated on January 18, 2007 as the parent company for two facets of its food service business: food distribution and food manufacturing.
Two Food Manufacturers Merge
Vietti Foods Company, Inc. and Choice Food of America, LLC merged to form Choice Food of America, LLC in March 2007, a move to better align business operations among the two companies.
Adding Customized Processing of Meats
Hobson Food Service became an attractive addition to our family of food service companies because it offered customized processing and distribution of poultry, beef and pork products to our line of food service offerings in Middle Tennessee. Hobson Food Service was founded in 1984 by the late Don Hobson, his wife, Barbara, and son, Rick. Hobson Food Service was acquired on March 1, 2007. To complete its “center of the plate” meat offerings of poultry, pork and beef with seafood, Choice Food Group invested in American Seafood Company, Inc. in April 2008.
