Cheney Brothers
Cheney Brothers is a broadline foodservice distributor founded in 1925, distributing 65,000+ items to restaurants, hospitality, and foodservice operators across the Southeastern U.S. via 2M+ sq ft of warehouse space and a 1,900-vehicle fleet.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1925
- HeadquartersMiami, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Cheney Brothers does
Cheney Brothers is a broadline foodservice distributor founded in 1925 in Florida and currently in its fourth generation of family operation under Chairman & CEO Byron Russell. The company distributes more than 65,176 stocked items across dry goods, refrigerated foods, frozen foods, fresh produce, meat, seafood, disposables, equipment, and supplies to restaurants, hospitality operators, and foodservice businesses across the Southeastern United States. It operates over 2 million square feet of distribution space across facilities in Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, supported by a fleet of 1,900 tractors and trailers and 800+ trucks traveling 24 million miles annually, delivering six days per week with will-call available seven days.
The technology stack centers on Cheney Central, a customer-facing web application supporting online ordering, delivery tracking, invoice management, custom order guides, multi-ship-to single sign-on, and menu costing. Trucks are equipped with on-board computer systems featuring barcode scanning, invoice printing, electronic signatures, and real-time billing. Cheney Brothers operates multiple e-commerce storefronts across its divisions — Grand Western Steaks, Southern Foods Direct, Cheney Express, Crazy Fish, and Belgium Butter Nut & Candy — and has built a portfolio of 12 exclusive house brands (Duck Deli, Fronte, Bari Brand, Acento Latino, Grand Western, Belgium Butter Nut & Candy, Tres Hermanos, Simply Nuts, Grumpy Potato, Southern Foods, etc.) that provide margin differentiation. The company reports an industry-leading 99.3% fill rate with a 1:3800 mispick ratio and supports customers with 60 in-house specialists plus value-added services including CBI Kitchens (test kitchens and custom meat cutting), Coast to Coast food brokerage, JMS Menu Marketing, and international export services.
In October 2024, Performance Food Group (NYSE: PFGC) completed its $2.1 billion acquisition of Cheney Brothers, making it a wholly-owned subsidiary. Revenue is generated primarily through product sales to foodservice operators on a quote-based, contract-driven pricing model, supplemented by value-added services, private-label brand margins, and dropship fulfillment that the company has scaled to twice its prior volume. With annual sales exceeding $3 billion, Cheney Brothers ranks as one of the largest broadline foodservice distributors in the Southeastern United States and was previously ranked #4 among South Florida's largest private companies.
Cheney Brothers firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cheney Brothers
- Legal name
- Cheney Bros., Inc.
- Website
- https://cheneybrothers.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1925
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Cheney Brothers is a broadline foodservice distributor founded in 1925, distributing 65,000+ items to restaurants, hospitality, and foodservice operators across the Southeastern U.S. via 2M+ sq ft of warehouse space and a 1,900-vehicle fleet.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cheney Brothers industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Foodservice Distribution
- NAICS
- Other Grocery and Related Products Merchant Wholesalers (42449), Meat and Meat Product Merchant Wholesalers (42447), Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers (42446)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Private-Label / Own-Brand Broadline Distributors (AFAIAAAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Noncommercial/Institutional Broadline Distributors (K-12, Higher Ed, Healthcare, Government) (AFAIAAAC), Foodservice Cash-and-Carry (Restaurants/Caterers) (CRAHACAC)
Keywords
Where Cheney Brothers is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Miami
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices11 records
Markets served
Cheney Brothers business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Foodservice Distribution: Cheney Brothers generates revenue through the sale and distribution of foodservice products including dry goods, refrigerated foods, frozen foods, fresh produce, meat, seafood, disposables, equipment, and supplies. The company distributes from over 2 million square feet of space and stocks over 65,176 items. Revenue comes from product sales to restaurant, hospitality, and foodservice operators with six-day-per-week delivery service.
- Exclusive/Private Label Brands: The company carries exclusive brands including Duck Deli, Fronte, Bari Brand, Acento Latino, Grand Western, Cheney Brothers Estate, Grand Western Steaks, Belgium Butter Nut and Candy, Tres Hermanos, Simply Nuts, Grumpy Potato, and Southern Foods. These private label products provide margin differentiation and customer loyalty.
- Specialty Services: Additional revenue streams include CBI Kitchens (test kitchens and custom meat cutting operations), Cheney Express (will-call service), Coast to Coast importing services, and professional services like JMS Menu Marketing, food safety certification training, and credit card processing services.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Cheney Brothers product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cheney Brothers is a broadline foodservice distributor that supplies restaurants, hotels, and food service operators across the Southeastern United States with over 65,000 stocked items across dry goods, refrigerated foods, frozen foods, fresh produce, meat, seafood, disposables, equipment, and supplies. The company provides six-day-per-week delivery service from more than 2 million square feet of distribution space using a fleet of 1,900 tractors and trailers, supported by online ordering through the Cheney Central platform and value-added services including test kitchens, custom meat cutting, export logistics, and 12 exclusive private label brands.
Product overview
Cheney Brothers is a broadline foodservice distributor offering a unified distribution platform with multiple service layers. The core offering centers on Cheney Central (web-based ordering platform) and Cheney Express (will-call pickup service), supported by value-added services including CBI Kitchens (test kitchens and custom meat cutting), Coast to Coast (food brokerage), and comprehensive export services. The company distributes over 65,000 stocked items across meat, seafood, dairy, frozen foods, dry grocery, disposables, equipment, supplies, and chemicals. The product portfolio includes 12 exclusive house brands (Duck Deli, Fronte, Bari Brand, Acento Latino, Grand Western, Cheney Brothers Estate, Belgium Butter Nut and Candy, Tres Hermanos, Simply Nuts, Grumpy Potato, Southern Foods) plus sub-brands Grand Western Steaks (premium meats and seafood) and Crazy Fish International (seafood). The company operates 12 distribution facilities across Florida, South Carolina, and North Carolina, with a fleet of over 1,900 tractors and trailers traveling 24 million miles annually.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Duck Deli: Exclusive deli brand offering prepared deli products
- Fronte
- Bari Brand
- Acento Latino
- Grand Western
- Grand Western Steaks
- Cheney Brothers Estate
- Belgium Butter, Nut and Candy
- Tres Hermanos
- Simply Nuts
- Grumpy Potato
- Southern Foods
Products and services
- Cheney Central Online Ordering Platform
Quantifiable outcome
- 99.3% fill rate with mispick ratio of 1:3800 cases
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Cheney Brothers
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Cheney Brothers technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Cheney Brothers partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators9 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Cheney Brothers competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Performance Food Group: Acquired Cheney Brothers in October 2024 for $2.1B; now Cheney's parent. Operates Vistar, Roma and core broadline businesses nationally; the closest strategic incumbent given the direct parent-subsidiary relationship and channel overlap.
Direct peers
- Labatt Food Service: Privately held broadline foodservice distributor serving Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Louisiana. Comparable regional broadliner with similar institutional and restaurant customer mix.
- Maines Paper & Foodservice: Family-owned broadline foodservice distributor serving the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Comparable in privately held status, regional scale and broadline-plus-disposables product mix.
- US Foods Holding Corp: Second-largest US broadline foodservice distributor with national footprint and exclusive brands (e.g., Stock Yards). Competes head-to-head with Cheney for restaurant and hospitality accounts across the Southeast and nationally.
- Nicholas & Company: Family-owned broadline foodservice distributor serving the Western US (Utah, Nevada, Arizona and surrounding states). Comparable to Cheney as a privately held regional broadliner with exclusive brands and institutional customers.
- Shamrock Foods Company: Family-owned broadline foodservice distributor based in Arizona serving the Southwest. Comparable to Cheney as a privately held, family-led broadliner with dairy/produce capabilities and exclusive brands.
- Reinhart Foodservice: Broadline foodservice distributor serving the Midwest and Southeast, also acquired by Performance Food Group in 2024. Highly comparable given overlapping customer base and now shared PFGC parent.
- Ben E. Keith Company: Privately held foodservice distributor and beverage wholesaler serving Texas, the Southeast and adjacent regions. Comparable to Cheney in regional broadline model, multi-state footprint and exclusive product lines.
- Gordon Food Service: Privately held broadline foodservice distributor serving restaurants, schools and institutions across the Midwest, Southeast and Canada. Comparable in private-company status and exclusive-brand strategy to Cheney.
- Sysco Corporation: Largest US broadline foodservice distributor, serving restaurants, hotels and institutions nationwide. Direct competitor to Cheney Brothers in foodservice distribution with overlapping product categories and customer segments, but at vastly greater national scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Cheney Brothers social profiles
Digital presenceCheney Brothers financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cheney Brothers leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Cheney Brothers subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
Cheney Brothers funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cheney Brothers M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cheney Brothers
What does Cheney Brothers do?
Cheney Brothers is a broadline foodservice distributor that supplies restaurants, hotels, and food service operators across the Southeastern United States with over 65,000 stocked items across dry goods, refrigerated foods, frozen foods, fresh produce, meat, seafood, disposables, equipment, and supplies. The company provides six-day-per-week delivery service from more than 2 million square feet of distribution space using a fleet of 1,900 tractors and trailers, supported by online ordering through the Cheney Central platform and value-added services including test kitchens, custom meat cutting, export logistics, and 12 exclusive private label brands.
Is Cheney Brothers a public or private company?
Cheney Brothers is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was Cheney Brothers founded?
Cheney Brothers was founded in 1925. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Cheney Brothers based?
Cheney Brothers is headquartered in Miami, United States, in the North America region.
How does Cheney Brothers make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Foodservice Distribution is the primary driver. The others are exclusive/Private Label Brands and specialty Services.
Who are Cheney Brothers's main competitors?
Performance Food Group is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Labatt Food Service, Maines Paper & Foodservice, US Foods Holding Corp, Nicholas & Company, Shamrock Foods Company, Reinhart Foodservice, Ben E. Keith Company, Gordon Food Service and Sysco Corporation.
Does Cheney Brothers have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cheney Brothers.
What industry is Cheney Brothers in?
Cheney Brothers's product category is Foodservice Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAIAAAI, Private-Label / Own-Brand Broadline Distributors, with a secondary code of AFAIAAAC, Noncommercial/Institutional Broadline Distributors (K-12, Higher Ed, Healthcare, Government). Its NAICS code is 42449 and its SIC code is 5140.