Hobson Food Service  Milestones

About Us Senior Management History Other Further Processing Options

1944
H.L. Decker Sr. founded the company as Decker Poultry & Produce at 1808 4th Avenue South in Nashville, Tenn. H.L. Decker Jr. inherited the business.

1982
Don Hobson offered equal partnership in Decker Poultry & Produce with H.L. Decker Jr., changing the name to Decker & Hobson Poultry & Egg.

May 1985
H.L. Decker Jr. retired and Don Hobson purchased Mr. Decker’s share of business and became the sole owner of company, changing name to Hobson Food Service. Wife, Barbara, and son, Rick, joined the business.

1986
Developed company’s cheese program.

1987
Recipient of the Tennessee Restaurant Association’s 1987 Purveyor of the Year.

1991
Changed focus of business to “further poultry processing” and offered deboning, customizing (sizing) and marinating according to customers’ specifications.

Started its first USDA further poultry processing operation on 2nd Avenue & Broadway in the old T.G. Tillman & Son Meat Company building.

1995
Moved to a bigger facility, located on Franklin Road at Moore’s Lane in Brentwood, Tenn., and offered products under the label of “Farm Fresh”

Computerized company’s operational systems

1998
Launched the company’s Hazardous Analysis of Critical Control Points (HACCP) Program to meet requirements as a USDA facility

September 2001
Acquired S.R. Smith Meats to expand business services by “moving to the center plate,” offering further processing of beef and pork. S.R. Smith Meats was established in 1917 by Samuel Richard Smith, Sr. Changed ownership over the years to his sons, Norton and Sam, to Doug Doty and then in 1985 to longtime salesman Otis McDaniel whom Mr. Hobson purchased the business from.

Second processing facility established from S.R. Smith acquisition, located at 202 Howerton Street in East Nashville.

January 2004
Consolidated operations under one roof and moved to its current Howerton facility. A new warehouse with cooler and freezer space was built and additional property was purchased for office space and parking.

March 2004
Mr. Hobson passed away after seven years of illness with cancer. Wife, Barbara, and son, Rick, continued to manage the business.

September 2004
Completion of expansion at Howerton facility.

December 2006
S.R. Smith merged with Hobson Food Service, becoming the largest further processor of fresh meats in the Nashville area.

March 1, 2007
Choice Food Group acquired Hobson Food Service.

April 2007
Recipient of the Tennessee Restaurant Association’s 2007 Purveyor of the Year, exactly 20 years from receiving same award in 1987.