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CHATTANOOGA, TN Five Star Food Service has acquired vending giant and Canteen franchise Southern Refreshment Services along with three other leading providers of micromarkets, vending, pantry, office coffee, water and catering services. Three of the four acquisitions were tucked in to the company's existing Canteen franchise footprint while the fourth expanded its franchise area across Georgia's midsection including the entire metro Atlanta. The first and largest acquisition of the group was Sou...
April 23, 2019
CHATTANOOGA, TN – Five Star Food Service has acquired vending giant and Canteen franchise Southern Refreshment Services along with three other leading providers of micromarkets, vending, pantry, office coffee, water and catering services. Three of the four acquisitions were tucked in to the company's existing Canteen franchise footprint while the fourth expanded its franchise area across Georgia's midsection including the entire metro Atlanta.
The first and largest acquisition of the group was Southern Refreshment Services, based in Tucker, GA. The purchase expands Five Star's Canteen franchise territory to cover all of metro Atlanta and includes operating subsidiaries of Allmora Culinary Services and Old Fashion Foods. Five Star will continue to operate Allmora as a subsidiary division focused on catering and will expand its capabilities across the company's footprint. Southern Refreshment Services and Old Fashion Foods will join Five Star's Marietta location (formerly Eagle Vending) in forming a new region under the Five Star name led by Southern's former president Jeff Parks.
"Dan Hart and the leadership at Southern Refreshment Services have built an incredible company and legacy over the last 40 years -- that is not lost on us. We are blessed with the opportunity to continue to grow the business and serve their great customers," commented Five Star president and chief executive Al Recher. "The Atlanta market and its consolidation offers many operating synergies on top of the great value and reputation Southern brings to Five Star. We are beyond excited about the opportunities ahead of us."
In early March, Five Star entered into an agreement to purchase the micromarket, vending and coffee service portion of Knoxville, TN-based Star Vending. The deal added more than 250 customers to the company's existing base, boosting route density for all service lines in Knoxville. The former owners, Gordon and Dee Turnage, will continue operating Star as a catering business locally.
A few short weeks later, Five Star acquired Jonesboro, GA-based Tara Vending tucking in over 150 vending, micromarket, and coffee service customers to the company's existing base in the South Atlanta and Middle Georgia regions.
In early April, Five Star reached an agreement to acquire the bottled water service business of Nature's Big Spring Water in Knoxville, TN, from Calhoun, GA-based J&J Water Inc. The purchase adds to Five Star's rapidly growing five-gallon bottled water service business, making the company the second largest bottled water service operator in the East Tennessee region.
"We are honored to add the great companies of Star Vending, Tara Vending, and Nature's Big Spring Water to our growing business. Each brings strong value, customer relationships, and growth opportunity to our company," Recher concluded.
Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Chattanooga, TN, Five Star has grown to one of the largest privately held convenience service operators in the United States.
