Fast-growing retail food brokerage company will double its space, relocate headquarters to the Westshore Business District
TAMPA, Fla. — Bay Food Brokerage, a Tampa-based retail food brokerage company serving the Southeast, has purchased an office building in Tampa’s Westshore Business District for $4.3 million. At 11,975 square feet, the two-story property at 5201 W Laurel Street will nearly double the size of Bay Food’s existing office space on Memorial Highway in Tampa.
Abbey Ahern of Dohring Ahern represented Bay Food Brokerage in the transaction. Greg Andretta, SIOR, and Bill Besselieu, CCIM, with Andretta Properties represented the seller, 5201 W Laurel Street LLC. Bill Amoriello of DFCU Financial provided the financing for the purchase.
“We’ve been on a fairly steep growth trajectory for the past decade, and it was time to upgrade the size, location and amenities of our headquarters,” said Chris Chatterton, executive vice president of Bay Food Brokerage. “Our rapid growth in recent years – in terms of revenue and employees – prompted a need for space that’s comfortable for our team and also can support our growth into the future.”
Previously occupied by a food service brokerage company, the property at 5201 W Laurel Street included features Bay Food needed, such as a commercial test kitchen.
“It’s not often that we come across a building so perfectly matched, especially considering the special requirements needed to operate a food brokerage business,” Ahern said. “For many, a full-service commercial kitchen built within their office headquarters would be considered excessive; but, for Bay Food Brokerage, this building checked nearly every box.”
Location was also an important consideration, as Bay Food leadership wanted to prioritize commuting needs of their staff – approximately 50 employees in Tampa Bay – and convenience for out-of-town clients who travel in and out of Tampa International Airport.
“We’re thrilled to have found a building in a location that really meets all our needs and will allow us to grow into the next generation of Bay Food Brokerage,” said Cammie Chatterton, Bay Food’s president and CEO. “We’re also excited to move from Hillsborough County into the City of Tampa, the city we love and support through many charitable endeavors.”
Cammie Chatterton established Bay Food Brokerage in 1993, as one of the first women in the country to own a retail food brokerage company.
Bay Food Brokerage will renovate the new building, making cosmetic and floorplan updates such as interior and exterior paint, new flooring and adding offices. Move-in is anticipated for March 2025.
“The property was an ideal corporate headquarters location and in great condition,” Andretta said. “It was a pleasure to represent the seller, and it was such a smooth transaction working with the buyer’s broker, Abbey Ahern.”
Bay Food currently owns three buildings totaling approximately 7,000 square feet on Memorial Highway in Tampa. Upon relocating to the new property, leadership plans to explore leasing or selling the current space. The company also has an office location in Lake Wylie, S.C.
About Bay Food Brokerage
Bay Food Brokerage is an industry-leading, fast-growing retail food brokerage company based in Tampa, Florida. Working as the sales and marketing partner for hundreds of food manufacturers worldwide, Bay Food Brokerage partners with the largest grocers in the Southeast U.S. to create and enhance opportunities for their clients. Since 1993, Bay Food Brokerage has combined unparalleled personal commitment and unrivaled support with cutting-edge technology to help food manufacturers achieve their goals.
