SAN DIEGO – Harvest Food Distributors and Sherwood Food Distributors merge to form a nationwide protein and perishable food distribution network, servicing independent food retailers, regional retail chains, national retail chains, cruise lines and foodservice distributors from coast to coast.
The merger of Harvest and Sherwood brings together two family-owned companies to serve as a single, trusted partner for suppliers and customers. While both companies will retain their existing individual identities, their shared network of distribution routes and warehouses throughout the U.S. will allow Harvest and Sherwood to meet local needs reliably and frequently, moving large amounts of product wherever it is needed.
“Harvest’s network throughout the Western U.S. and expertise in both commodity and branded products pairs well with Sherwood’s East Coast presence and vast portfolio of commodity and perimeter-of-store products,” said Jay Leavy, CEO of San Diego-based Harvest Food Distributors. “This merger is so complementary — our vendors should be pleased to know they can now reach more customers through one partner.”
In addition to national distribution through a single sale, the new company will offer full-service transportation, storage and freight services.
“Our regional distribution centers and proven routes allow us to move high volumes of brands and products across markets quickly and consistently — now on a scale previously unattainable to independent food companies like those we serve,” said Earl Ishbia, CEO of Detroit-based Sherwood Food Distributors.
Both companies have a history of acquiring a variety of natural and specialty brands that meet the demands of today’s consumers with regard to origin, purity, sustainability and animal care. Offering commodities and branded products, Harvest and Sherwood will stock retailers throughout the perimeter of the store, including bakery, deli, meat and seafood departments, and offers marketing resources to help drive sales. The company will also continue supplying foodservice operators, broadline distributors and cruise lines with quality protein and perishable products.
The merger keeps the best of both companies intact, with no immediate change in service to suppliers or customers, and no staff reduction. The new organization’s executive leadership team will consist of Jay Leavy and Earl Ishbia serving as co-CEOs, and Kevin Leavy and Jason Ishbia serving as co-presidents.
About Harvest Food Distributors
Founded in 1989, Harvest Meat Company sought to meet the needs of independent food companies that did not have the scale to self-distribute their protein products. Frank Leavy and sons Jay, Kevin and Dennis grew the company to today’s 10 distribution centers and 12 sales offices serving more than 6,000 customers in retail, foodservice, distribution, manufacturing and other processing segments. The company is now known as Harvest Food Distributors and has headquarters in San Diego with distribution coverage spanning from the West Coast to the Midwest. The company currently ships 15 million pounds of product weekly on a fleet of more than 125 trucks. To learn more, visit harvestmeat.com.
About Sherwood Food Distributors
Since its 1969 inception, then known as Regal Packing Company, Earl Ishbia and the late Alex Karp have grown Sherwood Food Distributors to one of the largest independent distributors in the meat and food industry. Alex’s son Gary and Earl’s sons Howard, Joel, Jason, David and Scott have been a mainstay of the business and integral to its growth and success. Sherwood Food Distributors has five distribution centers and nine sales offices servicing more than 6,000 customers in a diverse range of areas such as retail, cruise lines, food service, distribution, manufacturing and processing segments. The company currently ships 20 million pounds of products weekly on a fleet of more than 250 trucks covering an area ranging from Northern Michigan to Southern Florida, with its headquarter office located in Detroit, Michigan. To learn more, sherwoodfoods.com.
Source: Harvest-Sherwood Food Distributors
