Pandemic Giants
The pandemic, of course, brought with it the most volatile and disruptive industry environment in memory. In the FE&S 2021 Distribution Giants study, based on 2020 year-end sales figures, fully 84% of companies reported or were estimated to have had sales decreases that year, the peak of the COVID-19 crisis. Overall volume generated by Top 100 dealers fell by 14.37% in 2020 and even most of the largest, strongest players were not spared.
Among the Top 10 dealers, only Clark Associates and KaTom ended 2020 in positive territory, up 9.8% and 25.7%, respectively. Notably, both of those dealerships were early and aggressive players in the e-commerce space. KaTom was hard at work developing an online business channel back in the 1990s, and Clark launched its online platform, WebstaurantStore, in 2004. All others in the Top 10 saw significant 2020 revenue declines, with most in the -20% to -30% range.
But as the broader foodservice industry bounced back — National Restaurant Association data show industry sales growing from $855 billion in 2020 to $1.5 trillion projected for 2025 — dealers bounced back, as well. Looking specifically at the post-pandemic years 2021 to 2024, sales growth achieved collectively by the Top 100 dealers was 34.3%.
Again, the Top 10 outperformed. While Distribution Giants, overall, grew sales by 34.3% from 2021 to 2024, the Top 10 together increased sales by 43.54% in that same period, painting a picture of resiliency and strength. Some acquired their way to growth, in other cases it was organic, and for some, it was both. Growth can also be attributed to adjusting product assortments, pursuing previously untapped customer segments or meeting the moment with more robust ecommerce channels — or some combination of the above. The Top 10 have continued to raise the bar and widen the gap between themselves and the rest of the industry.
Top 10 Post-Pandemic Growth
Year-End Sales 2021–2024
| 1. Singer Equipment Co | 76.32% |
| 2. Edward Don & Co. | 62.67%* |
| 3. Johnson-Lancaster and Associates Inc. | 58.98% |
| 4. Stafford-Smith Inc. | 46.19% |
| 5. Clark Associates Inc. | 42.35% |
| 6. Bargreen Ellingson Inc. | 37.70% |
| 7. KaTom Restaurant Supply Inc. | 35.29% |
| 8. Wasserstrom Co. | 33.33% |
| 9. TriMark USA | 33.19% |
| 10. Boelter | 31.82% |
Source: FE&S Distribution Giants studies, 2023-2025
*FE&S estimate for 2023, 2024
Post-Pandemic Growth Year-End Sales
Year-End Sales 2021–2024
| Top 10 Distribution Giants................... | 43.54% |
| All Distribution Giants............................ | 34.30% |
