2004 Distribution Giants
Index

By The Editors & Reed Research Group

2003 was a year when dozens of the country's top dealerships posted sales that were either lower than or flat compared to the year before (see the dealer listings starting on page 37). A few dealers, however, reported impressive gains that they attributed largely to new staff and additional training.

Foodservice Equipment & Supplies contacted some of these companies to find out of what their training regimens consist. The responses vary from a reliance on tried-and-true methods, such as mentoring, to new, more innovative programs, such as visits to showrooms run by utility companies. Jack Chang at Monterey Park, Calif.-based Action Sales, where 2003 sales grew by approximately 8% over 2002, for example, has operator-customers come to sales meetings to discuss their experiences with the company's salespeople, support staff and the equipment it sells.

Roger Boyles, president of United Restaurant Supply in Colorado Springs, Colo., which posted a 28% increase in sales, has his sales manager meet one-on-one with each DSR every week to set performance goals and track progress using a number of metrics.

1. Edward Don & Co.
2. The Wasserstrom Co.
3. Franke Contract Group USA
4. QualServ Corp.
5. Strategic Equipment & Supply Co.
6. TriMark USA Inc.
7. PrimeSource FoodService Equipment
8. Hubert Co.
9. The Boelter Companies
10. Singer Equipment Co.
11. Concept Services
12. Bargreen-Ellingson
13. National Restaurant Supply Co.
14. General Hotel & Restaurant Supply Corp.
15. Duray/J.F. Duncan Industries
16. Stafford Smith Inc.
17. M. Tucker Co.
18. Ace Mart Restaurant Supply
19. Baring Industries
20. R.W. Smith & Co.
21. Economy Restaurant Fixtures Inc.
22. Paramount Restaurant Supply
23. Gill Group Inc.
24. East Bay Restaurant Supply Inc.
25. S.S. Kemp & Co.
26. Standard Restaurant Supply
27. Beltram Foodservice Group
28. Atlanta Fixture & Sales Co.
29. Clark Associates Inc.
30. Great Lakes Hotel Supply
31. Calico Industries
32. Action Sales
33. Smith & Greene Co.
34. Zoll Brothers
35. Best Restaurant Equipment & Design Inc.
36. Adams Burch Inc.
37. Hotel & Restaurant Supply
38. Johnson-Lancaster and Assoc. Inc.
39. Restaurant Design Group
40. Arizona Restaurants
41. Kirby Restaurant Supply
42. Hockenbergs Equipment & Supply
43. The Sam Tell Companies
44. Premier Restaurant Equipment Co.
45. Dykes Restaurant Supply Inc.
46. Proctor Cos.
47. Ford Hotel Supply Co. Inc.
48. Boston Showcase
49. Curtis Restaurant Equipment Inc.
50. State Restaurant Equipment & Supply
51. Perkins
52. Trendco Inc.
53. Buffalo Hotel Supply Co. Inc.
54. Kamran & Co. Inc.
55. Bresco
56. United Restaurant Equipment
57. Bunzl Philadelphia
58. Gold Star Products
59. American Restaurant Supply
60. Schweppe and Sons Inc.
61. Bintz Restaurant Supply
62. The Restaurant Source
63. Kittredge Equipment
64. Rapids Wholesale Equipment
65. Mobile Fixture & Equipment Corp.
66. United Restaurant Supply
67. Restaurant & Store Equipment Co.
68. H. Weiss
69. Direct South Inc.
70. Bar Boy Products Co. Inc.
71. Holyoke Equipment Co.
72. Tassone Equipment Corp.
73. Manning Brothers Food Service
74. A.D.E.
75. Dean Supply Co.
76. New & Nearly New Restaurant Equipment
77. Atlas Restaurant Supply
78. CRC Products Inc.
79. Dakota Food Equipment Inc.
80. May FoodService Equipment & Design
81. United Restaurant Equipment
82. A&H Restaurant Supply
83. National Fabco Mfg. Inc.
84. Curran-Taylor Inc.
85. Foodservice Concepts Inc.
86. Wes Design & Supply Co. Ltd.
87. Oswalt Restaurant Supply
88. Jacob Licht Inc.
89. Stern Food Service Equipment & Furnishings
90. Eastern Bakers
91. Kessenich's Ltd.
92. American Energy Restaurant Equipment
93. Boxer Northwest Co.
94. Curtis Restaurant Supply
95. Buckelew's
96. Star Restaurant Equipment & Supply
97. Loubat Equipment Co.
98. Murrays Hotel & Restaurant Supply
99. Restaurant Equipment Sales Inc.
100. Davida Food Service Int'l.