M.R. Williams

What M.R. Williams does

M.R. Williams, Inc. is a family-owned convenience store distributor headquartered in Henderson, North Carolina, founded in 1976 by Mike Williams after acquiring the Watkins-Sydnor Wholesale Distributor. The company serves convenience store operators across the Carolinas and surrounding states (Delaware to Georgia) through a direct-store-delivery (DSD) model, distributing grocery, snacks, beverages, and tobacco products alongside four complementary business lines: the Scratch Made commissary program (fresh sandwiches, breakfast items, cups, and baked goods made the morning of delivery), the Graze'abl shelf-stable snacking line, the Novelty Express novelty and impulse items subsidiary, and the Verge software division which licenses proprietary retail technology to non-competing distributors nationwide.

The technology backbone consists of proprietary, in-house-developed platforms branded as Ignite (iPad retail management), Spark (next-generation inventory), Ember (BYOD option), Replenish (item-level replenishment), and the Fusion BYOD mobile app for iPhone and Android, supported by a customer portal, sales portal, and integrations with major pricebook vendors (CMI Solutions, FACTOR, Pinnacle Corporation, Petrosoft, PDI, ADD Systems). These platforms are licensed nationally through Verge, extending the company's footprint beyond its physical DSD geography. Infrastructure is anchored at the Henderson campus, which has been progressively expanded — most notably an 85,000 SQFT dry warehouse addition in 2018 and a 20,000 SQFT three-level freezer with 600 feet of conveyor in 2022 — to support food service scaling.

M.R. Williams makes money through a transaction-fee model on physical distribution, unit pricing on Scratch Made commissary products (e.g., wedge sandwiches approximately $2.20–$2.94 per unit, full sandwiches $2.86–$5.59), and licensing/royalties through Verge's software division. GTM is sales-led via Territory Managers and Regional Sales Managers combined with direct DSD fulfillment, supplemented by content marketing and customer portal e-commerce. Leadership includes founder Mike Williams and President Lawson Williams (since 2009), supported by VPs of Sales, Operations, IT, Finance, HR, and Marketing & Purchasing.

Name

M.R. Williams

Legal name

M.R. Williams, Inc.

Website

https://mrwilliams.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

M.R. Williams is a family-owned convenience store distributor headquartered in Henderson, North Carolina, serving retailers across the Carolinas and surrounding states via direct-store-delivery, complemented by the Scratch Made commissary brand, Novelty Express impulse program, and Verge software licensing division.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Convenience Store Distribution

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141)

akta.pro primary industry

Bakery & Confectionery Wholesale (AFAIABAG)

Keywords

• Convenience store distribution
• Direct store delivery
• Food service commissary
• Retail technology licensing
• Novelty impulse programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Henderson

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Convenience Store Distribution: Core distribution business serving convenience stores with grocery, snacks, beverages, and tobacco products. Services the Carolinas and surrounding states from Delaware to Georgia.
2. Commissary / Food Service: Fresh prepared food products through Scratch Made brand, including sandwiches, breakfast items, cups, and baked goods. Also stocks over 4000 food service items regularly.
3. Software Licensing (Verge): Licensing proprietary retail technology platforms (Ignite, Spark, Ember, Replenish) to non-competing distributors nationwide
4. Novelty Express: Fully curated, 100% guaranteed novelty and impulse item program operated as independent subsidiary serving convenience stores, truck stops, and travel centers via DSD model

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

M.R. Williams is a convenience store distributor providing direct store delivery of grocery, snacks, beverages, and food service products across the Carolinas and surrounding states. The company also operates the Scratch Made commissary program for fresh prepared foods, the Graze'abl shelf-stable snack line, and the Novelty Express impulse item program as an independent subsidiary. Through its Verge software division, M.R. Williams licenses proprietary retail technology platforms (Ignite, Spark, Ember, Replenish, Fusion BYOD) to non-competing distributors nationwide.

Product overview

M.R. Williams is a convenience store distributor offering a dual product portfolio: (1) proprietary retail technology platforms—Ignite for iPad, Spark, Ember, Replenish, Fusion BYOD App, and Customer Portal—managed through its Verge software division which licenses technology to distributors nationwide; and (2) food/branded products including the Scratch Made turnkey commissary program with its Graze'abl shelf-stable extension, the Novelty Express novelty/impulse program, and Southern Zest food service offerings. The company distributes over 4000 food service items and serves convenience stores across the Carolinas and surrounding states.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Scratch Made™: Turnkey commissary program offering fresh, made-from-scratch products including sandwiches, fruit cups, parfaits, and baked goods for convenience stores.
• Graze'abl
• Verge
• Fusion BYOD

Products and services

• Convenience Store Distribution (DSD) Core direct store delivery distribution of grocery, snacks, beverages, tobacco, and food service products to convenience store operators across the Carolinas and surrounding states (Delaware to Georgia), managed through Territory Managers and Regional Sales Managers.
• Scratch Made Commissary Program Turnkey fresh commissary program providing sandwiches, breakfast items, cups, and baked goods made the same morning of delivery, enabling convenience store retailers to offer fresh prepared foods comparable to large chain operators without infrastructure investment.
• Graze'abl Shelf-Stable Snack Line Shelf-stable grab-and-go snacking line by Scratch Made featuring chocolate-covered pretzels, chocolate-covered peanuts, peanut brittle, gummy candies, and marshmallow bites for convenience store retailers.
• Novelty Express Impulse Merchandise Program Fully curated, 100% guaranteed novelty and impulse item program operated as an independent subsidiary, designed to maximize store profitability through high-margin impulse purchases at convenience stores, truck stops, and travel centers.
• Southern Zest Food Service Program Food service program for convenience stores providing fresh prepared foods to bolster food service and drive sales.
• Verge Software Licensing Platform Software division and brand that licenses proprietary retail management and inventory technology platforms (Ignite for iPad, Spark, Ember, Replenish, Fusion BYOD, Customer Portal) to non-competing convenience store distributors nationwide.

Quantifiable outcome

• Fresh food delivery same morning of delivery
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• DateCodeGeniecoreTechnology or IntegrationMR Williams partnered with DateCodeGenie to bring better food product label practices to convenience stores, enhancing food safety and labeling compliance.
• WilFoods LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company of MR Williams providing Scratch Made commissary products. WilFoods handles all staffing, regulatory requirements, and operations for the fresh food program.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Eby-Brown: Large privately-held convenience store distributor in the Midwest, offering snacks, candy, tobacco, and food service via DSD. Closest comparable in business model — regional, privately-held c-store distributor with food service growth.
• H.T. Hackney & Co. Privately-held wholesale distributor serving convenience stores, dollar stores, and grocers across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. Direct comparable given overlapping geography (Carolinas and surrounding states) and product mix.
• S. Abraham & Sons: Family-owned convenience store and grocery distributor in the Midwest with DSD model and proprietary technology platforms. Comparable in private ownership, family culture, and DSD-to-c-store focus.

Broad incumbents

• Frito-Lay (PepsiCo): National DSD snack distributor and a major supplier to convenience stores. Comparable in DSD model and snack distribution to c-stores, though operating at vastly greater scale as a manufacturer-owned operation.
• McLane Company: Largest US convenience store distributor (owned by Berkshire Hathaway), serving national chains with grocery, snacks, beverages, and food service. Most directly comparable scaled peer to MR Williams' core DSD distribution business, but operates nationally rather than regionally.
• Core-Mark International (Performance Food Group):

Others

• WilFoods LLC: Sister company of MR Williams providing Scratch Made commissary products. Comparable in fresh food manufacturing capabilities for c-stores; closely related rather than truly independent peer.
• Couche-Tard / Circle K: Largest independent c-store operator in North America; also operates distribution for its own banners. Relevant comparable for c-store operator customer behavior and competitive dynamics, though vertically integrated rather than a distributor.
• PDI (Professional Datasolutions): Enterprise software provider for convenience retail and wholesale distribution. Both technology partner and adjacent competitor to MR Williams' Verge software division in the c-store retail technology space.

Regional players

• J&H Oil / J&H Family Stores distributor network: Mid-Atlantic/Southeast regional convenience store and fuel operator with affiliated distribution operations. Adjacent comparable in geography and customer overlap though vertically integrated into retail.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about M.R. Williams