Kelley Supply

What Kelley Supply does

Kelley Supply, Inc. is a privately held, family-owned B2B distribution and light-integration business founded in 1953 and headquartered in Colby, Wisconsin. The company serves food and dairy processors with a 13-category product catalog spanning barrier packaging, chemicals, lab supplies, equipment, food ingredients, plant maintenance, sanitation, safety supplies, and food service items, sold through an e-commerce storefront (kelleysupply.com), a quote-based field sales team, and a fleet-based regional delivery network covering Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin on weekly/bi-weekly routes, supplemented by SpeeDee, FedEx, and UPS nationwide.

Beyond commodity distribution, Kelley Supply operates an Automation Solutions arm that designs, sells, and services end-of-line packaging automation including robotic bag palletizers, case erectors/packers/sealers (notably the proprietary KSI OptiPAC system), conveyors, and Pattyn bag-in-box inserters. It holds integrator-level partnerships with Tetra Pak for cheesemaking equipment (vats, cheese belts, blockformers, 40-lb block bag auto-loaders) and a 25-year-plus co-development partnership with Ecolab for sanitation chemistry; it also services Fanuc, ABB, Nachi, Yaskawa, Okura, Fuji, and Denso robot brands on a brand-agnostic basis. Headcount is 11-50 with no disclosed revenue; cGMP/GDP, FSMA, and USDA-NOP organic certifications support regulated dairy customers. Geographic automation footprint is stated as 40+ U.S. states and 5 countries, though primary catalog distribution remains regional.

Name

Kelley Supply

Legal name

Kelley Supply, Inc.

Website

https://kelleysupply.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kelley Supply is a privately held B2B distributor and light-integration partner serving food and dairy processors from Colby, Wisconsin, supplying 13 categories of industrial supplies plus automated end-of-line packaging and robotic palletizing systems through a regional Midwest fleet and national e-commerce platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Distribution for Food and Dairy Processing

NAICS

Service Establishment Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (42385)

SIC

Wholesale-Professional & Commercial Equipment & Supplies (5040)

akta.pro primary industry

Janitorial & Sanitation (JanSan) Supplies Wholesale (CRAOAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cleaning Chemicals & Disinfectants Distribution (CRAOAGAB), Waste Handling, Liners & Recycling Supplies Distribution (CRAOAGAG)

Keywords

• Industrial supply distribution
• Food processing supplies
• Packaging automation systems
• Dairy industry supplies
• Sanitation chemicals

Headquarters

HQ city

Colby

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. B2B Distribution of Industrial Supplies: Business-to-business distributor selling automation, packaging, safety wear, ingredients, chemicals, and other products to food and dairy industries. Products are sold through transactional purchases with both catalog/website pricing and quote-based pricing for larger orders.
2. Automation Equipment Sales and Integration: Sale, distribution, and service of automation equipment including robotic palletizers, case sealers, conveyors, and end-of-line packaging systems. Kelley Supply also provides system integration and project management services.
3. Service and Technical Support: Service technician provides equipment repair, installation, training, and maintenance. Product managers offer consulting for packaging and automation solutions. Includes on-site inspections and follow-up service quotes.
4. Tetra Pak Cheesemaking Equipment: Through integrator agreement with Tetra Pak, Kelley Supply sells, distributes and services Tetra Pak's cheesemaking equipment including vats, cheese belts, blockformers, and 40-pound cheese block bag auto-loaders

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Kelley Supply is a B2B industrial distributor that sells packaging supplies, sanitation chemicals, safety/PPE equipment, food ingredients, lab supplies, and end-of-line packaging automation equipment to food and dairy processors. The company also provides automation system integration, design, consulting, installation, and ongoing maintenance services, including as a U.S. integrator for Tetra Pak cheesemaking equipment and a long-standing partner for Ecolab sanitation chemicals.

Product overview

Kelley Supply is a business-to-business distributor serving the food and dairy industries with a comprehensive product catalog and automation solutions. Their offering consists of an e-commerce platform (kelleysupply.com) for ordering, supported by 13 core product categories: Barrier Packaging, Janitorial Supplies, Chemicals, Lab Supplies, Equipment, Packaging Supplies, Food Handling & Processing, Paper Products, Food Ingredients, Plant Maintenance, Food Plant Sanitation, Safety Supplies, and Food Service. Additionally, they provide Automation Solutions covering end-of-line robotic packaging and palletizing systems including design, consulting, and turn-key implementations, featuring products like the KSI OptiPAC. The company also offers product line cards, vendor catalogs, a physical Kelley Catalog, and services including equipment installation, maintenance, and technical support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Barrier Packaging Supplies Specialized packaging materials designed to protect food products from moisture, oxygen, and contamination, including 40lb block bags, tower bags, 640lb liners, barrel liners, bulk packaging, cheese packaging, shred film, shrink bags, and vacuum pouches for food and dairy processors.
• Chemicals Industrial cleaning and sanitation chemicals for food processing facilities, including acid cleaners, alkaline cleaners, enzyme cleaners, degreasers, neutral foam cleaners, sanitizers, water conditioners, and membrane program products, supplied in partnership with Ecolab.
• Industrial Equipment Industrial processing and packaging equipment including case sealers, conveyors, industrial inkjet printers, leak detector tanks, strapping tools, stretch wrappers, and tape dispensers.
• Packaging Supplies General packaging materials and supplies including marking/coding/labeling equipment, non-barrier packaging, protective packaging, shrink film, strapping, stretch film and tools, and tape products.
• Food Ingredients Specialty ingredients for food manufacturing including acids, anti-caking agents, brined peppers/fruits/vegetables, coagulants and enzymes, commodity ingredients, cultures, dairy ingredients, defoamers, dry ingredients, flavors, herbs/spices/blends, lipase, mold and yeast inhibitors, phosphates, specialty ingredients, and whiteners.
• Food Plant Sanitation Supplies Sanitation equipment and supplies for food processing facilities including antimicrobial products, brooms and sweeps, brushes, color coded items, dustpans, filters, hand scoops, paddles/spatulas/mixers, scrapers, shovels, and squeegees.
• Safety Supplies (PPE) Personal protective equipment and safety supplies including disposable clothing, ear protection, eye protection, fall protection, first aid, foot protection, hairnets/beard restraints, hand protection, head protection, safety clothing, and safety kits.
• Janitorial Supplies General cleaning and maintenance supplies for food processing facilities including bag hoops, buckets, chemical dispensers, cleaners, dusting supplies, floor sorbents, footbaths, garbage bags, janitorial carts, matting, mopping supplies, odor control, pumps, restroom supplies, skin care, snow/ice melts, waste containers, and window wash supplies.
• Lab Supplies Testing and quality control supplies for food processing facilities including hydrometers, moisture testing equipment, pH and acidity testing supplies, recorder charts, sample bags, testing kits, thermometers, and vials.
• Food Handling & Processing Supplies Materials and equipment for food processing operations including food storage containers, pallets, safety signs, totes, and boxes.
• Paper Products Paper-based supplies for food facilities including dispensers, facial tissue, toilet tissue, towels, and wipes.
• Plant Maintenance Supplies Maintenance supplies and equipment for food processing plants including gaskets, hoses, lubricants, O-rings, security supplies, stainless steel fittings, utility shelving, walkie-talkies, and wireless message alert units.
• Food Service Supplies Supplies for food service operations including cleaning products, cutlery, grocery and deli supplies, and kitchen supplies.
• Automation Solutions and Integration Services End-of-line packaging automation including robotic bag packaging and palletizing systems, design, consulting, and turn-key solutions. Covers case packers, carton sealers, conveyors, and palletizing systems, including the KSI OptiPAC All-in-One Case Erector, Packer and Sealer, using the proprietary C2 Design Process.
• Equipment Service and Technical Support Service technician provides equipment repair, installation, training, and maintenance. Product managers offer consulting for packaging and automation solutions. Includes on-site inspections and follow-up service quotes.
• Tetra Pak Cheesemaking Equipment (Integrator) Through an integrator agreement with Tetra Pak, Kelley Supply sells, distributes, and services Tetra Pak cheesemaking equipment in the U.S., including vats, cheese belts, blockformers, and 40-pound cheese block bag auto-loaders.
• Online E-Commerce Ordering Platform B2B online ordering platform at kelleysupply.com enabling customers to browse catalog, place orders, track shipments, manage order history, view updated pricing, and track annual spend. Ordering available via online, phone, and fax.

Quantifiable outcome

• Systems installed in over 40 states and 5 countries
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Tetra PakcoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegrator relationship enabling Kelley Supply to sell, distribute and service Tetra Pak's cheesemaking equipment in the U.S. Tetra Pak continues to directly sell, service, and supply its equipment while leveraging Kelley Supply's extensive customer reach. The agreement positions Kelley Supply to deliver complete turnkey operations from production using Tetra Pak equipment through finished product handling with automation partners and AGVs for storage and shipping. Offerings have expanded from 40-pound cheese block bag auto-loaders to include vats, cheese belts, and blockformers.
• EcolabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnique and collaborative partnership in place for over 25 years supplying food and beverage industries with products and services to support sanitation programs. Partnership allows customized and competitive offerings on sanitizers, cleaners, enzymes, degreasers, water conditioners, additives, and membrane program products. Chemical storage, dispensing, and mixing equipment available to support customized programs. Teams work together to provide synergistic approach to sanitation program management.
• PattyncoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership for bag inserter equipment including Pattyn Flexim-31, Model ZIM-11, and Maxim-21-XL. Products offer smaller footprint and lower height than competitive units, 7% savings in film circumference, mechanical grippers instead of vacuum for higher reliability, completely automatic servo-driven machinery with stainless steel construction.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Stoelting Food Equipment: Stoelting designs and manufactures food processing equipment, particularly for dairy and ice cream, with system integration capabilities analogous to Kelley Supply's automation/services offerings to the same end customers.
• Nelson-Jameson: Nelson-Jameson is a direct peer: a privately held B2B distributor serving dairy, food, and beverage processors with supplies, equipment, ingredients, sanitation, and packaging. Closely mirrors Kelley Supply's product breadth and customer base.
• Feldmeier Equipment: Feldmeier supplies stainless steel processing equipment, tanks, and sanitary components to dairy and food processors, overlapping with Kelley Supply's equipment and plant maintenance categories for the same customers.

Others

• Ecolab: Ecolab is Kelley Supply's 25+ year strategic chemical-partner, supplying the cleaning/sanitation products Kelley Supply resells to food and beverage customers; relevant as both a supplier and an adjacent competitor in sanitation programs.

Broad incumbents

• Pro Mach: Pro Mach is a large integrated packaging machinery provider offering case packing, palletizing, and end-of-line automation across food and dairy — overlapping with Kelley Supply's automation and packaging equipment lines at greater scale.
• GEA Group: GEA is a global incumbent in dairy and food processing equipment and automation, competing with Kelley Supply's Tetra Pak-integrated cheesemaking and end-of-line automation offerings for the same large dairy customers.
• Tetra Pak: Tetra Pak is the strategic technology partner whose equipment Kelley Supply integrates in the U.S., but it also sells cheesemaking and processing systems directly to the same dairy customers globally.
• Wulftec (Pro Mach): Wulftec manufactures stretch wrappers and palletizing equipment; Kelley Supply services and sells Wulftec units while also competing in end-of-line automation installations.
• Douglas Machine: Douglas Machine manufactures secondary packaging machinery (case packers, tray formers, shrink wrappers) for food and dairy — overlapping with Kelley Supply's case sealing and end-of-line automation offerings.
• WebstaurantStore: WebstaurantStore is a large e-commerce food service and janitorial supply distributor, competing with Kelley Supply's catalog business for janitorial, packaging, and safety supplies nationally.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCVIPTQVbyP2alv4s-v62g1A
• Facebookfacebook.com/kelleysupplyinc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kelley-supply

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 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 Kelley Supply