The Sam Tell Companies
The Sam Tell Companies is a privately held, family-owned commercial foodservice equipment and supplies distributor founded in 1956, operating a 75,000 sq ft warehouse in Farmingdale, NY and a Manhattan showroom. It serves restaurants, hotels, healthcare, education, and hospitality operators across the tri-state area and continental US with integrated design, build, and supply services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1956
- HeadquartersFarmingdale, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Sam Tell Companies does
The Sam Tell Companies is a privately held, family-owned commercial foodservice equipment and supplies distributor founded in 1956 by Sam Tell and his son Neil, now in its third generation of family leadership under CEO Marc Tell and co-lead Dan Saltzman. Headquartered in a 75,000-square-foot warehouse facility in Farmingdale, New York, with a Manhattan design showroom at 36 East 31st Street and additional Long Island warehousing, the company serves restaurants, hotels, sports and entertainment venues, corporate dining, healthcare, education, country clubs, retail and grocery, and travel lounge operators across the NYC metropolitan area, the broader tri-state region, and the continental United States via shipping arrangements.
The company's offering is organized around three integrated service lines: Design, Build, and Supply. The Design and Build business provides commercial kitchen and bar layout planning, equipment specification, and professional installation, supported by an in-house team of designers, drafters, estimators, project managers, and installers, including access to the Krowne BarFlex 3D bar design configurator. The Supply business distributes tens of thousands of products spanning heavy-duty cooking equipment (Waring, Vollrath, Equipex, Hobart, Vitamix), refrigeration (Continental), preparation (Globe slicers, Vitamix), tabletop (Libbey Infinium, Bugambilia), storage (Camshelving), safety (Cactus Mat), and premium specialty items (Pacojet, Rational iVario, Mauviel, Perceval, Enomatic). Distribution is executed through a direct enterprise sales team, an e-commerce storefront at shop.samtell.com, and a company-owned delivery fleet operating five days per week.
The revenue model combines one-time equipment and supplies sales with project-based design and build professional services, both priced on a quote basis. The company ranks as the 30th largest foodservice equipment and supplies distributor in the United States and employs approximately 180 team members. Notable customers include Virgin Hotel NYC, Printemps NYC, Balthazar, LeRock, Minetta Tavern, Locanda Verde, Stony Brook University, and Hotel Barrière Fouquet's New York. Marc Tell's role includes Mergers and Acquisition activity, and the company has historically pursued tuck-in acquisitions (e.g., Pascoe-Jacobs Associates in 2003) to expand design and engineering capabilities.
The Sam Tell Companies firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Sam Tell Companies
- Legal name
- The Sam Tell Companies
- Website
- https://samtell.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1956
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- The Sam Tell Companies is a privately held, family-owned commercial foodservice equipment and supplies distributor founded in 1956, operating a 75,000 sq ft warehouse in Farmingdale, NY and a Manhattan showroom. It serves restaurants, hotels, healthcare, education, and hospitality operators across the tri-state area and continental US with integrated design, build, and supply services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Sam Tell Companies industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial Foodservice Equipment Distribution
- SIC
- Wholesale-Industrial Machinery & Equipment (5084), Wholesale-Machinery, Equipment & Supplies (5080)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Food Preparation Equipment & Smallwares Wholesale (AFAIALAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Janitorial & Sanitation Supplies (Foodservice) Wholesale (AFAIALAD), Commercial Refrigeration & HVAC (Foodservice) Wholesale (AFAIALAI)
Keywords
Where The Sam Tell Companies is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Farmingdale
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
The Sam Tell Companies business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Foodservice Equipment & Supplies Sales: Sale of commercial kitchen equipment including refrigerators, ovens, mixers, cookware, glassware, dinnerware, utensils, cleaning supplies, and tabletop items
- Design & Build Services: Commercial kitchen design and build services including layout planning, equipment selection, and professional installation
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Quote-based pricing for equipment and supplies |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
The Sam Tell Companies product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Sam Tell Companies distributes commercial foodservice equipment and supplies—including commercial kitchen equipment, tabletop, storage, safety, and smallwares from major brands—while also providing integrated commercial kitchen design, build, and professional installation services. The company operates a 75,000 sq ft warehouse in Farmingdale, NY, a Manhattan design showroom, and an in-house delivery fleet, serving operators across restaurants, hospitality, healthcare, education, country clubs, sports venues, corporate dining, retail/grocery, and travel lounges.
Product overview
The Sam Tell Companies operates as a commercial foodservice equipment and supplies distributor serving restaurants and foodservice operations across New York City, Long Island, and nationwide. The company offers tens of thousands of products spanning heavy-duty kitchen equipment (Waring waffle makers, Equipex panini grills, Vollrath induction cooktops), refrigeration (reach-in and walk-in units), tabletop items (Libbey Infinium shatter-resistant beverageware, Bugambilia dinnerware), storage solutions (Camshelving racks, Cambro containers), prep equipment (Globe meat slicers, Vitamix blenders), safety products (Cactus Mat floor mats), and specialty items (Pacojet, Rational iVario, Mauviel copper cookware). The company complements its supply business with design and build services including commercial kitchen design, installation, and the Krowne BarFlex 3D bar configurator tool. Sam Tell positions itself as among the largest foodservice equipment and supplies distributors in the United States.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Foodservice Equipment & Supplies Distribution Distribution of tens of thousands of commercial foodservice products spanning heavy-duty kitchen equipment (Waring waffle makers, Vollrath induction ranges, Vitamix blenders, Globe meat slicers, Equipex panini grills, Continental refrigerated equipment stands and bases, Hobart and Kitchenaid mixers, high-end brands such as Pacojet, Rational iVario, Mauviel, Perceval, Peugeot, Miyabi, Enomatic), tabletop (Libbey Infinium and Infinium DX shatter-resistant beverageware, Bugambilia dinnerware), storage (Camshelving universal storage racks), safety (Cactus Mat floor mats), and ongoing smallwares for foodservice operators.
- Commercial Kitchen & Bar Design and Build Services Integrated design, engineering, build, and installation services for commercial kitchens and bars, including layout planning, equipment selection, project management, and professional equipment installation delivered by an in-house team operating out of the NYC design office and Farmingdale warehouse.
- Sam Tell Online Shop E-commerce storefront at shop.samtell.com where customers can browse the catalog and order foodservice equipment, supplies, and smallwares.
- Krowne BarFlex 3D Bar Configurator 3D bar design software that lets customers configure bar workstations with modular bar dies or traditional legs, offering pre-configured stations such as The Taffer Command Station, Craft Cocktail Bar, and Hotel Bar, plus a design wizard for customized layouts.
Quantifiable outcome
- 30th largest foodservice equipment and supplies distributor in the country
Companies that use The Sam Tell Companies
Customer profileNamed customers29 records
Segments9 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The Sam Tell Companies technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
The Sam Tell Companies partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Sam Tell Companies competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat4 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Sam Tell Companies social profiles
Digital presenceThe Sam Tell Companies financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Sam Tell Companies leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
The Sam Tell Companies funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Sam Tell Companies 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 The Sam Tell Companies
What does The Sam Tell Companies do?
The Sam Tell Companies distributes commercial foodservice equipment and supplies—including commercial kitchen equipment, tabletop, storage, safety, and smallwares from major brands—while also providing integrated commercial kitchen design, build, and professional installation services. The company operates a 75,000 sq ft warehouse in Farmingdale, NY, a Manhattan design showroom, and an in-house delivery fleet, serving operators across restaurants, hospitality, healthcare, education, country clubs, sports venues, corporate dining, retail/grocery, and travel lounges.
Is The Sam Tell Companies a public or private company?
The Sam Tell Companies is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was The Sam Tell Companies founded?
The Sam Tell Companies was founded in 1956. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is The Sam Tell Companies based?
The Sam Tell Companies is headquartered in Farmingdale, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Sam Tell Companies make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Foodservice Equipment & Supplies Sales are the primary driver. The others are design & Build Services.
Does The Sam Tell Companies have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Sam Tell Companies.
What industry is The Sam Tell Companies in?
The Sam Tell Companies's product category is Commercial Foodservice Equipment Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAIALAK, Food Preparation Equipment & Smallwares Wholesale, with a secondary code of AFAIALAD, Janitorial & Sanitation Supplies (Foodservice) Wholesale. Its SIC code is 5084.