Benedict Refrigeration Service
Benedict Refrigeration Service (dba Benedict Sales & Service) is a fourth-generation, family-owned commercial HVAC, refrigeration, food service, and draft beer systems provider founded in 1938 in western Wisconsin, serving supermarkets, restaurants, breweries, institutions, and industrial clients across Wisconsin, southeastern Minnesota, and northern Iowa.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1938
- HeadquartersAltoona, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Benedict Refrigeration Service does
Benedict Refrigeration Service, Inc. (operating as Benedict Sales & Service) is a fourth-generation, family-owned commercial HVAC, refrigeration, food-service equipment, and draft beer systems provider founded in 1938 and headquartered in Altoona, Wisconsin. The company operates from at least six staffed locations across western Wisconsin (Altoona/Eau Claire, La Crosse, Onalaska, Hartland/Milwaukee), southeastern Minnesota (Winona), and northern Iowa, employing 51–100 people. Its service portfolio spans design, equipment procurement, installation, 24/7 emergency service, preventative maintenance, and reconditioned-equipment resale, anchored by authorized-dealer status with Hill Phoenix and authorized service-provider status for most major equipment brands. Customers span supermarkets and convenience stores, full-service restaurants, bars, breweries and wineries, institutional accounts (schools, hospitals, prisons), and industrial/manufacturing facilities, with named enterprise accounts including Kwik Trip, McMillan Electric, and Azura Memory Care alongside a long tail of SMB foodservice operators.
The business model combines product resale (hardware margins on refrigeration, HVAC, food-service, and draft beer equipment) with project-based professional services (design, installation) and recurring service revenue (preventative maintenance contracts and 24/7 emergency service). GTM is anchored on direct enterprise field sales for project work plus a 10,000-square-foot showroom/warehouse in Eau Claire that supports walk-in SMB trade. Marketing relies on a website product gallery, location-specific Facebook pages, community/earned-media recognition, and the company's multi-generational brand — not paid performance or digital channels.
Two acquisitions (Schomburg Refrigeration in 2017 and Thorne's Refrigeration in 2021) form the backbone of Benedict's geographic expansion strategy, with a 2019 rebrand to Benedict Sales & Service reflecting deliberate broadening of scope beyond refrigeration into HVAC, food service, and draft systems. The company is privately held, has no disclosed institutional capital or parent company, and has no disclosed revenue figures; competitive moats derive from 87 years of regional brand equity, authorized-dealer relationships, multi-trade cross-selling (refrigeration + HVAC + food service + draft beer), and recurring maintenance contracts that create customer stickiness.
Benedict Refrigeration Service firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Benedict Refrigeration Service
- Legal name
- Benedict Refrigeration Service, Inc.
- Website
- https://benedictss.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1938
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Benedict Refrigeration Service (dba Benedict Sales & Service) is a fourth-generation, family-owned commercial HVAC, refrigeration, food service, and draft beer systems provider founded in 1938 in western Wisconsin, serving supermarkets, restaurants, breweries, institutions, and industrial clients across Wisconsin, southeastern Minnesota, and northern Iowa.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Benedict Refrigeration Service industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial Refrigeration & HVAC Services
- NAICS
- Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance (81131), Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (33341), Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing (33331)
- SIC
- Refrigeration & Service Industry Machinery (3580), Services-Miscellaneous Repair Services (7600), Wholesale-Professional & Commercial Equipment & Supplies (5040), Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Refrigeration & Cold-Chain Equipment Service (IMAIABAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Commercial & Industrial Refrigeration Systems (IMAHAKAA), Emergency Refrigeration Service (24/7) (HSAOAJAM), Preventive Maintenance Programs for Refrigeration Systems (HSAOAJAL)
Keywords
Where Benedict Refrigeration Service is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Altoona
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices6 records
Markets served
Benedict Refrigeration Service business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Equipment Sales: Through strong relationships with suppliers, purchases and resells all equipment required for commercial refrigeration, HVAC, food service, and draft beer system projects.
- Installation Services: Expert installation of commercial refrigeration, HVAC, food service equipment, and draft beer/line systems by experienced teams.
- Service & Maintenance: 24/7 emergency service, preventative maintenance programs, repair services, and retail parts sales for all equipment brands.
- Design Services: Works closely with customers to understand unique business requirements and present optimal designs for refrigeration, HVAC, and food service layouts.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Service invoice payments |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Benedict Refrigeration Service product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Benedict Sales & Service plans, designs, sells, installs, and services commercial refrigeration, HVAC, food service equipment, and draft beer and line systems for businesses across Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa. The company also offers 24/7 emergency repair, preventative maintenance programs, and resale of new and high-quality reconditioned commercial equipment. Its customer base spans supermarkets, convenience stores, restaurants, bars, breweries, institutions, and industrial facilities.
Product overview
Benedict Sales & Service (formerly Benedict Refrigeration Service) is a family-owned commercial refrigeration and HVAC service company founded in 1938, offering integrated equipment sales, installation, and maintenance services. The company operates as a single unified service offering rather than a software platform, providing five core service lines: Commercial Refrigeration Services, Commercial HVAC Services, Food Service Equipment, Draft Beer & Line Systems, and Preventative Maintenance Programs. These services are complemented by Reconditioned Equipment Sales and Restaurant Furniture design/installation. The company serves diverse industries including supermarkets, convenience stores, restaurants, bars, breweries, wineries, industrial facilities, meat markets, warehousing, manufacturing plants, schools, hospitals, and prisons across western Wisconsin, southeastern Minnesota, and northern Iowa.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Commercial Refrigeration Services Design, sales, installation, and service of commercial refrigeration equipment including walk-in coolers and freezers, display cases, reach-ins, beer caves, compressor systems, and custom shelving for supermarkets, restaurants, breweries, and institutions.
- Commercial HVAC Services Design, installation, and service of commercial heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment including packaged rooftop units, split-systems, heat pumps, air handlers, exhaust systems, and commercial furnaces.
- Food Service Equipment Sales, design, layout, and installation of food service equipment for bars, restaurants, and institutions, including cooking equipment (grills, fryers, ovens), prep equipment, ventilation systems, walk-ins, under-counter coolers, sinks, ice machines, and beer dispensing systems.
- Draft Beer & Line Systems Full-service design, installation, service, and maintenance of draft beer and line systems, including draft beer equipment, beer supplies, tap handles, glycol line systems, and beer faucets & shanks for bars, breweries, and restaurants.
- Preventative Maintenance Programs Recurring preventative maintenance programs for refrigeration, HVAC, food service, and draft beer equipment designed to extend equipment life, control breakdowns, and reduce emergency service calls; supplemented by 24/7 emergency service.
- Reconditioned Equipment for Sale Resale of high-quality reconditioned commercial refrigeration, HVAC, food service, and restaurant equipment, including coolers, freezers, food service equipment, display/warming equipment, ice machines, beverage equipment, sinks, tables, and storage, offered through the company's showroom and virtual showroom.
- Restaurant Furniture Design, sales, and installation of restaurant furniture, including outdoor dining setups, indoor dining furnishings, bar equipment, booth seating, and custom bar tops for restaurants and bars.
Quantifiable outcome
- 24/7 emergency service available around the clock, 7 days a week including holidays
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Benedict Refrigeration Service
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Benedict Refrigeration Service technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Benedict Refrigeration Service partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Hill PhoenixcoreBenedict Sales & Service is an authorized Hill Phoenix dealer, providing Hill Phoenix coolers, freezers, and compressor systems to customers. Hill Phoenix is a major manufacturer of commercial refrigeration equipment and Benedict combines their products with their expertise in planning and installation.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Benedict Refrigeration Service competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- CoolSys: Largest pure-play commercial refrigeration and HVAC services provider in North America, offering design, installation, service, and maintenance to supermarkets, restaurants, and industrial customers - directly comparable to Benedict's full-service commercial refrigeration model.
- Service Logic: National commercial HVAC, refrigeration, and mechanical services franchise network serving restaurants, supermarkets, and convenience stores with installation and maintenance - directly comparable to Benedict's core service offering.
Broad incumbents
- EMCOR Group: Large publicly traded facility services and commercial mechanical contractor with HVAC, refrigeration, and building services across commercial and institutional customers - a much broader incumbent in adjacent end markets.
- Trane Technologies: Global manufacturer and service provider of HVAC and commercial refrigeration systems; competes indirectly via OEM-direct service programs and authorized dealer networks that intersect with Benedict's installed base.
Regional players
- Bassett Mechanical: Wisconsin-based commercial mechanical contractor serving industrial, institutional, and food-processing customers with HVAC, plumbing, and refrigeration - a regional Midwest peer with similar customer mix.
- Harris Companies: Minnesota-based mechanical contractor providing HVAC, plumbing, and building services across the Upper Midwest - directly overlaps Benedict's geography and commercial service offering.
- YMC (Yates Mechanical Contractors): Upper Midwest mechanical contractor offering HVAC, plumbing, refrigeration, and building automation to commercial and institutional customers - comparable Midwest regional service competitor.
Others
- Hillphoenix: Major manufacturer of commercial refrigeration systems (coolers, freezers, compressor racks) and Benedict's primary OEM partner; relevant as both a supplier and indirect competitor through OEM-direct service.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Benedict Refrigeration Service social profiles
Digital presenceBenedict Refrigeration Service financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Benedict Refrigeration Service leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Benedict Refrigeration Service subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Benedict Refrigeration Service funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Benedict Refrigeration Service 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 Benedict Refrigeration Service
What does Benedict Refrigeration Service do?
Benedict Sales & Service plans, designs, sells, installs, and services commercial refrigeration, HVAC, food service equipment, and draft beer and line systems for businesses across Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa. The company also offers 24/7 emergency repair, preventative maintenance programs, and resale of new and high-quality reconditioned commercial equipment. Its customer base spans supermarkets, convenience stores, restaurants, bars, breweries, institutions, and industrial facilities.
Is Benedict Refrigeration Service a public or private company?
Benedict Refrigeration Service is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Benedict Refrigeration Service founded?
Benedict Refrigeration Service was founded in 1938. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Benedict Refrigeration Service based?
Benedict Refrigeration Service is headquartered in Altoona, United States, in the North America region.
How does Benedict Refrigeration Service make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Equipment Sales are the primary driver. The others are installation Services, service & Maintenance and design Services.
Who are Benedict Refrigeration Service's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are CoolSys and Service Logic. Broad incumbents are EMCOR Group and Trane Technologies. Regional players are Bassett Mechanical, Harris Companies and YMC (Yates Mechanical Contractors). Hillphoenix is listed as an others.
Does Benedict Refrigeration Service have an API?
No public API is recorded for Benedict Refrigeration Service.
What industry is Benedict Refrigeration Service in?
Benedict Refrigeration Service's product category is Commercial Refrigeration & HVAC Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAIABAE, Refrigeration & Cold-Chain Equipment Service, with a secondary code of IMAHAKAA, Commercial & Industrial Refrigeration Systems. Its NAICS code is 81131 and its SIC code is 3580.