ROSEMONT, IL - In October, Reinhart Foodservice entered into an agreement with Earth Brothers, Ltd. to purchase, substantially, all assets of the Black River Produce distribution business.

AndNowUKnow is following Reinhart to determine what is on the horizon for the distributor in the New England region, and the company had the following to say about the acquisition.

“Black River Produce is a great company with strong management focused on delivering the highest quality local products and service to its customers. The Black River culture, product strategy, as well as the proximity of its territory to key Reinhart markets, makes this acquisition a strong fit for both companies. We look forward to working with the team at Black River Produce to grow the business in the New England area and beyond,” said Jeff King, President and Chief Operating Officer of Reinhart, according to a statement.

The acquisition brought all Black River Produce employees into the fold, and for the time being the company is conducting business as usual. Black River Produce has served more than 2,000 accounts across Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island, and New York. According to Reinhart, the Black River Produce sourcing expertise in the region complements the national scale and customer commitment that Reinhart currently delivers.  

“Since we founded Black River Produce in 1978, we’ve prided ourselves on being the fresh connection for our customers across the markets we serve,” said Mark Curran and Steve Birge, Co-Founders of Black River Produce. 

The two leaders continued, “We are fully committed to our customers’ needs and providing them with the best locally-sourced products they can find. We are proud to join our operations with Reinhart so that we can combine their national leverage, supply chain expertise and operator solutions with our passion and focus on local solutions for our growing customer base.”

The acquisition further marks Reinhart’s commitment to the Vermont market following the opening of a new distribution center in Essex, Vermont, in 2014, and strengthens Reinhart’s position in the New England distribution area.

Stay tuned with AndNowUKnow as we continue to cover the changing landscape of the fresh produce industry.