Nebraska-based foodservice equipment and supplies dealership expands its presence in the Minnesota market.

Hockenbergs, an Omaha, Neb.-based foodservice equipment and supplies dealer, has acquired Grand Restaurant Equipment and Design. Located in Plymouth, Minn., Grand Restaurant Equipment and Design is a foodservice equipment and supplies dealership with $12 million in annual sales.

Grand Restaurant Equipment and Design focuses on design build and national account sales and will operate from its current location in Plymouth. "Most of what they do is outside of the market. So there is not a lot of crossover with our current office up there," said Tom Schrack Jr., Hockenbergs' president. "We wanted to make a major gain in that market and this helped us with that. The dollars might not be spent in that market but the orders are being placed there. I think everything will be business as usual for their customers and suppliers. We won't really change much."

Joining Hockenbergs are 13 Grand Restaurant Equipment and Design employees, including former owner Eric Skogrand. "We reached out to Eric about close to a year ago and the company was doing well on its own. We thought the company would fit well with us," said Schrack. "They are good quality people."

The deal reunites Skogrand with his previous employer. "When we first bought our Minnesota store in 1999, Eric was part of our team and his main salesperson, Todd Sherner was also a Hockenbergs employee," Schrack said.