First Source
First Source is a national distributor, packager, and manufacturer of confectionery and gourmet specialty products, serving US food retail and specialty channels from its Tonawanda, NY headquarters.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1927
- HeadquartersTonawanda, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What First Source does
First Source is a privately held American company headquartered in Tonawanda, New York, that operates as a national distributor, packager, and manufacturer of confectionery and gourmet specialty products. Founded in 1927, the company combines three integrated capabilities — product distribution, contract packaging, and in-house manufacturing — to serve food retail and specialty channels across the United States. With a workforce of 1,001–5,000 employees, it is an operationally mid-sized enterprise with the scale to manage confectionery products from production through national delivery, though no revenue, customer count, or contract structure data is disclosed in the available input.
The firm's go-to-market is anchored by its national distribution footprint and vertically integrated packaging and manufacturing operations, which allow it to consolidate supply chain functions for confectionery brands and retailers. Its nearly century-long operating history points to established relationships with confectionery manufacturers and retail buyers, and the multi-function model (distribute + package + manufacture) is a deliberate positioning rather than a single-line business. The input data does not disclose pricing models, revenue mix across the three functions, customer concentration, geographic restrictions, or technology stack, so claims beyond what is stated should be treated as inferred.
First Source firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- First Source
- Website
- https://first-source.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1927
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- First Source is a national distributor, packager, and manufacturer of confectionery and gourmet specialty products, serving US food retail and specialty channels from its Tonawanda, NY headquarters.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
First Source industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Confectionery Distribution and Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing (3113)
- SIC
- Sugar & Confectionery Products (2060)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Specialty & Gourmet Foods Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAAAI)
Keywords
Where First Source is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tonawanda
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
First Source business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales
First Source product offering
Product offeringCore offering
First Source is a national distributor, packager, and manufacturer of confectionery and gourmet specialty products. The company supplies confectionery items and gourmet specialty foods to customers across the United States through its distribution, packaging, and manufacturing operations based in Tonawanda.
Product overview
No product or service information is available from the provided source data.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Confectionery Products
- Gourmet Specialty Products
- National Confectionery Distribution
Companies that use First Source
Customer profileIdeal customer profiles1 record
First Source technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
First Source competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Russell Stover Chocolates: Large US boxed-chocolate manufacturer with national distribution to mass retailers and gift channels. Comparable on confectionery manufacturing and national distribution to retailers.
- Jelly Belly Candy Company: Long-established US confectionery manufacturer with national distribution of branded candies and gourmet jelly beans. Highly comparable on product category (confectionery) and national distribution model.
- Promotion in Motion Companies: US confectionery company that manufactures, packages, and distributes branded and licensed candy and snack products. Closely mirrors First Source's integrated manufacturer/packager/distributor model in confectionery.
- See's Candies: Long-established US boxed chocolate and confectionery company with retail and national gifting distribution. Comparable on heritage (founded 1921), confectionery manufacturing, and national premium distribution model.
- KeHE Distributors: Major US specialty and gourmet food distributor serving retailers nationwide. Directly comparable to First Source on the gourmet/specialty distribution leg of the business.
- Spangler Candy Company: Multi-generational US confectionery manufacturer (founded 1906) producing and nationally distributing branded candies. Directly comparable on founding-era heritage, confectionery focus, and national distribution.
Broad incumbents
- The Hershey Company: Largest North American confectionery manufacturer with national distribution and outsized shelf-share power. Operates in the same confectionery category but at vastly greater scale and with deep branded differentiation.
- United Natural Foods (UNFI): Largest US distributor of natural, organic, and specialty/gourmet foods to retailers nationwide. Comparable on the national specialty/gourmet food distribution leg, though much larger and publicly traded.
- Ferrara Candy Company: Major US sugar confections and candy manufacturer (Brach's, Lemonheads, Nerds) owned by Ferrero. Overlaps with First Source on confectionery manufacturing and national distribution but at meaningfully greater scale and brand breadth.
Others
- American Sugar Refining / Domino Foods: Major US sugar supplier feeding confectionery manufacturers. Adjacent rather than competitive - relevant for understanding input cost dynamics and supply chain ecosystem around First Source's confectionery manufacturing leg.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
First Source social profiles
Digital presenceFirst Source financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
First Source leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
First Source funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
First Source 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 First Source
What does First Source do?
First Source is a national distributor, packager, and manufacturer of confectionery and gourmet specialty products. The company supplies confectionery items and gourmet specialty foods to customers across the United States through its distribution, packaging, and manufacturing operations based in Tonawanda.
When was First Source founded?
First Source was founded in 1927. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is First Source based?
First Source is headquartered in Tonawanda, United States, in the North America region.
Who are First Source's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Russell Stover Chocolates, Jelly Belly Candy Company, Promotion in Motion Companies, See's Candies, KeHE Distributors and Spangler Candy Company. Broad incumbents are The Hershey Company, United Natural Foods (UNFI) and Ferrara Candy Company. American Sugar Refining / Domino Foods is listed as an others.
Does First Source have an API?
No public API is recorded for First Source.
What industry is First Source in?
First Source's product category is Confectionery Distribution and Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAOAAAI, Specialty & Gourmet Foods Wholesale Distribution. Its NAICS code is 3113 and its SIC code is 2060.