Ultimate Sales

What Ultimate Sales does

Ultimate Sales, founded in 1993 and headquartered in Savannah, Georgia, is a privately held, founder-owned foodservice sales and marketing agency focused exclusively on the convenience store channel in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The company operates as a national broker representing foodservice manufacturers to c-store retailers, drug stores, and dollar stores, with a coverage footprint described as 150,000+ retail partners, 95,000+ independent retailers, 700 national retail headquarters relationships, and 380 distributors. Its product portfolio spans nine in-store categories: Coffee Bar, Hot-To-Go, Beverage Cooler, Bakery, Made-To-Order, Frozen & Refrigerated, Impulse, Center Store, and Behind-the-Counter, represented through more than 30 named brand partnerships including Chobani, Kellogg's (MorningStar Farms/Incogmeato), McCain, Unilever, Foster Farms, Smithfield, Sara Lee, Nathan's, Pilgrim's, Trident Seafoods, Cirkul, and clearly-identified additions such as TNT Crust, Stryve, TRUBAR, Good Crisp, and Clearly Canadian.

The company's core offering is broker representation on a transactional commission basis, augmented by proprietary analytics tooling. The 'ULT1MATE DNA' platform supports custom Business Reviews (year-over-year product and category performance reporting) and Custom Dashboards (deeper competitive analysis configurable by client). The website indicates brand partners are required to commit a minimum of $250,000 to C-Store brand development, suggesting a high-engagement, multi-year contract model rather than transactional spot brokerage. Go-to-market is sales-led, executed through a hierarchical regional field-sales organization (Regional Sales Managers, VPs by territory, and territory reps covering named regions up to Director level for Southwest & Mexico), supported by a marketing function (The ULT1MATE Blog, industry infographics, PR).

Ultimate Sales has grown through three disclosed acquisitions (MA Marketing Group/The Progressive Sales & Marketing Company in 1998, G&J Marketing C-Store Division in 2002, C&S Sales in 2005), was rebranded to its current name in 2008, expanded internationally in 2017, and executed a company-wide transformation it calls 'ULTIMATE 2.0' in 2020. Leadership is concentrated: Founder & CEO Wes Stone and Co-Owner & COO Tyler Coates anchor a named management team that includes EVP of Sales (Eric Hagglund), VP of Technology (Doug Thomas), VP of Operations, regional VPs, and customer-service staff. The company has no disclosed external funding, no public financials, and reports between 11 and 50 employees.

Name

Ultimate Sales

Legal name

Ultimate Sales

Website

https://thebestcstorebroker.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ultimate Sales is a privately held, founder-owned foodservice broker founded in 1993 that exclusively represents manufacturer brands to convenience stores, drug stores, and dollar stores across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico through a regional field-sales network and proprietary analytics platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Savannah

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations

Revenue model

1. Brokerage/Commission Revenue: Ultimate Sales operates as a foodservice sales agency/broker representing brands that sell to c-stores, drug stores, and dollar stores. They earn commissions on successful sales facilitated through their retail network relationships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Ultimate Sales is a foodservice broker and sales/marketing agency that represents foodservice manufacturers' brands and sells them into convenience stores, drug stores, and dollar stores across North America. The company connects brand partners with retail buyers via a regional direct-sales team and a network covering 150,000+ retail partners, 95,000+ independent retailers, 700 national retail HQs, and 380 distributors, supplemented by proprietary ULT1MATE DNA analytics including custom business reviews and competitive dashboards.

Product overview

Ultimate Sales operates as a c-store foodservice sales and marketing agency founded in 1993. The company offers a unified broker service connecting foodservice manufacturers with convenience stores through their established distribution network. Their core offering is broker representation services, supplemented by proprietary analytics tools including Business Reviews (custom performance reports with year-over-year analysis) and Custom Dashboards (competitive analysis dashboards). They represent product lines across multiple in-store categories: Coffee Bar, Hot-To-Go, Beverage Cooler, Bakery Case, Made To Order, Frozen & Refrigerated Foods, Impulse Buy, Center Store, and Behind the Counter. Their portfolio includes over 100 brand partnerships spanning major foodservice manufacturers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Foodservice Broker Services Sales and marketing agency services representing foodservice manufacturers' brands and selling them into convenience stores, drug stores, and dollar stores across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Connects manufacturers with retail buyers through a direct regional sales team and a network of 150,000+ retail partners, 95,000+ independent retailers, 700 national retail HQs, and 380 distributors.

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

33 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ChobanicoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRepresents Chobani coffee and creamer product lines in the c-store channel including plant-based milks and coffee programs for convenience stores.
• Kellogg'scoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRepresents Kellogg's hot-to-go products including MorningStar Farms plant-based options and Incogmeato brand for c-store foodservice.
• McCaincoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNational broker for McCain frozen food products in the convenience store channel.
• UnilevercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRepresents Unilever coffee programs and products including Hellmann's condiments for c-store retail.
• Foster FarmscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRepresents Foster Farms chicken products for hot-to-go food offerings in convenience stores.
• SmithfieldcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRepresents Smithfield meat products for hot-to-go and deli offerings in c-stores.
• Sara LeecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRepresents Sara Lee bakery products including frozen baked goods for convenience store bakery cases.
• TNT CrustcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNational c-store broker for TNT Crust pizza crusts - announced May 16, 2019. TNT Crust produces 200+ million crusts annually in par-baked and self-rising varieties.
• Nathan's FamouscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRepresents Nathan's hot dog and prepared food products for c-store foodservice.
• Pilgrim'scoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRepresents Pilgrim's chicken products for convenience store hot-to-go offerings.
• MegaMex FoodscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRepresents MegaMex food products including Herdez sauces and Mexican cuisine options for c-stores.
• InnovAsiancoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRepresents InnovAsian Chinese cuisine and food-to-go products for convenience stores.
• Deli Express (E.A. Sween)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerRepresents Deli Express deli sandwiches and refrigerated meal products for c-stores.
• Swanson/E3 Energy CubescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRepresents E3 Energy Cubes and frozen/refrigerated products for convenience stores.
• StryvecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRepresents Stryve meat snacks and jerky products for c-store impulse and snack sections.
• Trident SeafoodscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRepresents Trident Seafoods frozen fish and seafood products for convenience store frozen food sections.
• Massimo Zanetti Beverage (MZB)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerRepresents Massimo Zanetti Beverage coffee programs for c-store coffee bars.
• Ventura FoodscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRepresents Ventura Foods products including dressings and condiments for c-stores.
• Crunch PakcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRepresents Crunch Pak fresh fruit cups and produce items for convenience stores.
• Volpi FoodscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRepresents Volpi Foods meat snacks and charcuterie products for c-stores.
• CirkulcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRepresents Cirkul water enhancers and beverage products for c-store beverage coolers.
• Clearly CanadiancoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRepresents Clearly Canadian sparkling water and beverage products for convenience stores.
• Lotus BakeriescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRepresents Lotus Bakeries specialty bakery items for c-store bakery cases.
• Rubicon BakerycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRepresents Rubicon Bakery products for convenience store bakery sections.
• Bakery ExpresscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRepresents Bakery Express bakery products for c-store fresh bakery offerings.
• Schwan'scoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRepresents Schwan's frozen food products for convenience stores.
• Azteca FoodscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRepresents Azteca Foods Mexican products including tortillas for c-stores.
• 1st PhormcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRepresents 1st Phorm protein and energy products for c-store impulse and health food sections.
• Perky JerkycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRepresents Perky Jerky meat snacks for convenience store snack sections.
• Savage JerkycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRepresents Savage Jerky products for c-store meat snack sections.
• UNiTEcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRepresents UNiTE snack products for convenience store impulse buy areas.
• The Good Crisp CompanycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRepresents Good Crisp Company chip and snack products for c-stores.
• TRUBARcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRepresents TRUBAR protein bar products for convenience store snack sections.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Eby-Brown: Eby-Brown is a leading convenience store wholesale distributor in the Midwest and Southeast — comparable channel overlap with Ultimate Sales' retailer-side network, particularly across regional c-store accounts.
• McLane Company: McLane is a major distributor to convenience stores, grocery, and foodservice — broad incumbent that competes for the same shelf space and manufacturer relationships as Ultimate Sales, though through wholesale distribution.
• Performance Food Group: Performance Food Group is a major foodservice distributor with national reach across restaurants and convenience — broad incumbent operating at greater scale in adjacent foodservice channels.
• Dot Foods: Dot Foods is the largest foodservice redistributor in North America, distributing 150,000+ products to operators across all channels — comparable as a foodservice-focused supply chain intermediary serving similar end customers.
• Core-Mark International: Core-Mark is one of the largest convenience store distributors in North America, distributing food, beverages, and tobacco — broader incumbent that also touches c-store foodservice relationships though via distribution rather than pure broker representation.
• Imperial Dade: Imperial Dade is a leading foodservice and janitorial products distributor with national coverage — comparable as a broader foodservice supply chain intermediary, though operating via distribution rather than broker representation.
• H.T. Hackney: H.T. Hackney is one of the largest privately held wholesale distributors in the U.S., heavily concentrated in convenience stores across the Southeast — adjacent competitor for the same c-store supply relationships.

Direct peers

• Advantage Solutions: Advantage Solutions is a publicly traded retail services agency providing sales, merchandising, and category management for CPG brands in grocery, mass, and convenience — directly overlaps Ultimate Sales' broker representation model.
• Crossmark: Crossmark provides retail merchandising, sales, and marketing services for CPG brands across multiple retail channels — a direct peer in the third-party retail services and broker space.
• Acosta: Acosta is a large CPG sales and marketing agency representing food and beverage brands across retail channels including convenience stores — directly comparable as a foodservice/CPG broker with national coverage.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ultimate-sales
• Xx.com/UltimateSales1

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Ultimate Sales