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The Boelter Companies Acquires Direct South

The Macon, Georgia-based foodservice equipment and supplies dealer will go to market as Boelter Direct South.

The Boelter Companies, Inc., a Wisconsin-based foodservice equipment and supplies dealership, has expanded its focus in the Southeast by acquiring Direct South, Inc., a Macon, Ga.-based dealership.

As a result of the deal, Direct South will now go to market as Boelter Direct South. The different parts of the Direct South business, such as Citisco Food Service Equipment (government sales) and RKS (retail foodservice equipment and supplies sales) will continue to go to market under those trade names. Nick Adams, previously president of Direct South, will continue to serve in the same capacity for Boelter Direct South and it will be business as usual for the customers and suppliers that work with the Macon dealer.

“If they are doing business with any one of those entities, they are doing business with Boelter,” added Eric Boelter, president of The Boelter Companies. “We have been really blessed and successful and have a great team of people that have put us in a position to make an acquisition like this. The Southeast geography is something we have been looking at for a while but it had to be the right company. We looked at a lot of companies and this is one we chose to pursue.”

What made Direct South a good fit is its leadership, its people and its culture, Eric Boelter added. “In any acquisition, you need to have the appropriate leadership. We felt very comfortable Nick and the Direct South leadership would fit in with the Boelter servant leadership model,” Eric Boelter said. “You are looking for additional ways to bring value to your customers.”

In 2014 The Boelter Companies reported annual revenues of $260 million, making it the fifth largest foodservice equipment and supplies dealer according to FE&S’ 2015 Distribution Giants Study. Direct South reported annual revenues of $22.51 million, making it the 66th largest foodservice equipment and supplies dealer.

In 2012, Direct South merged with Citisco Food Service Equipment, another area dealer. Direct South, Inc. was founded in 1960 as Macon Restaurant Supply Company. The Boelter Companies has offices in Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, California, and Maryland and serves customers throughout the country.