Navis Food Partners Formed to Create Independent Foodservice Distribution Platform in the Northeast
BOSTON, March 8, 2024–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Navis Food Partners, a newly formed holding company focused on creating a leading independent foodservice distribution platform in the Northeast, today announced its official launch.
Navis Food Partners completed its first acquisition in August 2023 with the purchase of City Line Distributors, the largest independent New England-based full-service food distributor serving Southern New England and Eastern New York .
With City Line Distributors as its cornerstone acquisition, Navis Food Partners aims to establish a leading foodservice distribution platform serving independent customer channels throughout the region.
“We are excited to announce the creation of Navis Food Partners as the next step in our partnership with the Frontenac team,” said Robert Berkowitz, CEO of Navis Food Partners. “Our vision is to create a premier foodservice distribution platform that delivers exceptional service and value to our independent restaurant owners throughout the Northeast. Our belief is that independent operators in the region need a distribution relationship with companies that share their values. – service, timeliness and value – and we believe that with City Line Distributors as our foundation and with Frontenac as our partner, we are well positioned to win this relationship.
Navis Food Partners’ strategy is focused on acquiring complementary businesses with unique capabilities, expanding the platform both geographically and across categories.
Navis Food Partners’ operating model is about maintaining the people and brand that have built these companies’ success in the communities they serve. Unlike other large entities seeking to acquire, consolidate and bundle acquisitions, Navis Food Partners’ model is to enhance the existing brand and co-create a value creation plan in partnership with the local management team.
“Navis Food Partners aims to build a comprehensive distribution network of companies that meet the evolving needs of their customers while providing operational excellence and superior customer service. The Northeast market is renowned for its strong independent foodservice establishments and it is time for these operators to have a greater choice of distribution partners who can meet both their service and value needs.” , said Sean Griffin, executive chairman.
“We are excited to launch this next stage of our partnership with industry veterans Robert Berkowitz and Sean Griffin on this transformative journey,” said Betsy Williamson, Managing Director of Frontenac. “Navis Food’s commitment to innovation, customer service and operational excellence closely aligns with Frontenac’s investment philosophy. Together, we aspire to drive growth and build a leading platform in the Northeast foodservice distribution market.
Navis Food Partners understands how critical it is to support its businesses with experienced foodservice operational executives. Together, CEO Robert Berkowitz and Executive Chairman Sean Griffin bring more than 80 years of operational experience leading restaurant businesses to the Northeast market.
In addition to Robert and Sean, Paul Green and Steve Humphreys have joined the board. Paul Green, retired UNFI Supply Chain Director and President of UNFI Fresh, has expertise in supply chain and operational excellence over his 45 years in the industry and will be a valuable resource for company leadership teams. Steve Humphreys, retired U.S. Foodservice West Region President, also has more than 40 years of experience in foodservice distribution with particular expertise in business functions including sales, categories and purchases.
The partnership between Navis Food Partners and Frontenac brings together deep industry expertise and financial strength to drive strategic growth and value creation in this new regional platform. Collectively, the Board of Directors has more than 150 years of experience in foodservice distribution, including more than 120 years in the Northeast market.
Opportunities
Navis Food Partners invites interested Northeast-based independent foodservice distributors who may wish to consider joining our mission of building this dynamic, customer-centric business.
For more information about Navis Food Partners, please contact Robert Berkowitz at rberkowitz@citylinefoods.com or sean@griffinadvisers.com
About Frontenac
Frontenac is a Chicago-based private equity firm. The Company focuses on investing in lower middle market buyout transactions in the consumer, industrial and service sectors. Frontenac works in partnership with established operational leaders, through an executive-centric approach called CEO1ST®, which aims to identify, acquire and build market-leading businesses through transformational acquisitions and operational excellence. Over the past 50 years, Frontenac has built a franchise working with more than 300 mid-sized business owners as they address complex transition issues around liquidity, management improvement and business planning. the growth. For more information, please visit www.frontenac.com.
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Contacts
rberkowitz@citylinefoods.com
Or
sean@griffinadvisers.com
