FoodHandler
FoodHandler, a Reno, Nevada-based division of Bunzl North America, supplies disposable gloves, food storage bags, and protective apparel to US foodservice operators and adjacent institutional verticals, leveraging patented dispensing technology and a food-safety education platform.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1970
- HeadquartersElk Grove Village, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What FoodHandler does
FoodHandler is a US-based supplier of disposable gloves, food storage bags, and protective apparel serving the foodservice sector and adjacent institutional verticals. Founded around 1969-1970 and headquartered in Reno, Nevada, the company operates as a division of Bunzl North America (itself a subsidiary of UK-listed Bunzl plc), with a workforce of 501-1,000 employees and a multi-decade brand position as a food safety specialist. Its product portfolio spans nitrile, vinyl, latex, poly, hybrid, synthetic vinyl, and vinyl/nitrile-blend gloves, complemented by food storage and pan liner bags plus poly bibs, aprons, hair nets, and caps; notable technical differentiators include the patented oneSAFE cuff-first single glove dispensing system, the thinsense ultra-thin nitrile formulation (claimed ~50% cube savings vs. vinyl, ~20% vs. traditional nitrile), PanPals high-heat nylon liners rated -50°F to 400°F, and 510(k)-certified MedHandler exam-grade gloves.
FoodHandler monetizes primarily through hardware sales of consumables, distributed via a regional sales director force targeting enterprise and multi-location foodservice operators, an authorized broker network reaching mid-market accounts, and phone-based inside sales for smaller buyers. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, reflecting negotiated B2B contracts rather than transactional e-commerce. A secondary revenue and relationship-building layer comes from paid ServSafe certification delivery (administered via the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation) and the free SafeBites webinar platform, which functions as a content marketing channel, a continuing-education resource for foodservice professionals, and a specifier-influence asset anchored by resident food safety experts from Kansas State and Iowa State universities.
Strategically, FoodHandler competes on brand longevity (50+ years), proprietary dispensing and nitrile technology, sustainability credentials (EcoVadis Gold via parent Bunzl in 2026), and a content-and-certification ecosystem rather than on price alone. End markets span restaurants and QSR (primary), grocery and deli, food processing, healthcare foodservice, hospitality and catering, K-12 and university foodservice, salon and spa, airline catering, and convenience stores, providing deliberate vertical diversification under one private corporate umbrella.
FoodHandler firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- FoodHandler
- Legal name
- FoodHandler
- Website
- https://foodhandler.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1970
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- FoodHandler, a Reno, Nevada-based division of Bunzl North America, supplies disposable gloves, food storage bags, and protective apparel to US foodservice operators and adjacent institutional verticals, leveraging patented dispensing technology and a food-safety education platform.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
FoodHandler industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Foodservice Disposable Products
- SIC
- Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Disposables & Single-Use Foodservice Products Wholesale (AFAIALAC)
Keywords
Where FoodHandler is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Elk Grove Village
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
FoodHandler business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Disposable Gloves Sales: Primary revenue from manufacturing and selling disposable gloves including nitrile, vinyl, latex, poly, hybrid, synthetic vinyl, and vinyl/nitrile blend options. Sold in various colors and sizes to foodservice operations.
- Food Storage Bags and Packaging: Sales of food storage bags, reclosable bags, saddle pack bags, pan liners, oven bags, steam bags, bun rack covers, and sandwich/snack/del bags.
- Foodservice Apparel: Sales of protective apparel including poly bibs, aprons, hair nets, and bouffant caps for foodservice and hygiene applications.
- SafeBites Education and Training: Free food safety education webinars and courses (SafeBites) that allow foodservice professionals to earn continuing education credits. Also offers paid ServSafe certification training programs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Custom quotation for gloves, bags, and apparel products |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
FoodHandler product offering
Product offeringCore offering
FoodHandler manufactures and distributes a full line of disposable foodservice gloves (nitrile, vinyl, latex, poly, hybrid, synthetic vinyl, and vinyl/nitrile blends), food storage and cooking bags (food storage, reclosable, saddle pack, pan liners, and bun/rack covers), and foodservice apparel (poly bibs, aprons, hair nets, bouffant caps), supported by patented dispensing and material technologies and a food-safety education platform. Operations and sales are run from Reno, Nevada, primarily through regional sales directors and authorized brokers serving US foodservice operators across restaurants, grocery, food processing, healthcare foodservice, hospitality, education, and similar segments.
Product overview
FoodHandler is a food safety products company offering a comprehensive portfolio of disposable safety products organized into three main categories: Gloves (including nitrile, vinyl, poly, hybrid, synthetic vinyl, latex, and vinyl/nitrile blend materials), Bags (food storage, reclosable, saddle pack, pan liners, and covers), and Apparel (poly bibs, aprons, hair nets, caps). The company markets products under multiple sub-brands including thinsense® (ultra-thin nitrile), oneSAFE® (single glove dispensing system), JobSelect® (job-specific gloves), MedHandler® (exam-grade medical gloves), PanPals® (high-heat pan liners), FORMFLEX® (flexible gloves), and BladeBlocker® (cut protection). FoodHandler also provides food safety education through its Safebites® webinar series and ServSafe® training certifications. The company operates as part of Bunzl North America, headquartered in Reno, Nevada, with over 50 years of industry experience.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- JobSelect®: Glove brand focused on the right glove for the right application
- oneSAFE®
- thinsense™
- PanPals®
- FORMFLEX®
- SafeBites®
- MedHandler®
- QuickFit®
- Contact®
- Textra®
- Teknique®
- BladeBlocker®
- Risk Nothing®
Products and services
- FoodHandler® Disposable Gloves Complete line of high-performance disposable gloves in nitrile, vinyl, latex, poly, hybrid, synthetic vinyl, and vinyl/nitrile blend materials, available in multiple colors for color-coding programs to prevent cross-contamination. Built for foodservice operators across restaurant, grocery, food processing, healthcare foodservice, hospitality, education, airline catering, convenience, and salon/spa segments.
- thinsense® Nitrile Gloves Ultra-thin nitrile disposable glove providing the thinnest nitrile formulation in the market while maintaining strength; approximately 50% savings in cube space versus vinyl gloves and 20% savings versus traditional nitrile gloves. Available in pink, white, blue, and black.
- oneSAFE® Single Glove Dispensing System Patented single-glove dispensing system enabling foodservice operations to minimize cross-contamination by allowing users to touch gloves only at the cuff. Helps improve employee hygiene, reduce waste, and improve compliance.
- JobSelect® Glove Selection System Glove selection system providing guidance to foodservice operators on choosing appropriate glove materials for specific tasks based on food type, task duration, chemical resistance, and allergen considerations. Includes sub-products such as JobSelect® Heavy Duty Cleaning Gloves.
- MedHandler® Exam-Grade Gloves Exam-grade disposable gloves that are 510(k) certified as a medical device and meet or exceed a 2.5 Accepted Quality Level, offered in vinyl and nitrile options. Marketed for healthcare foodservice and other clinical-adjacent uses.
- PanPals® Pan Liners and Bags High-heat nylon pan liners and bags engineered to withstand temperatures from -50°F to 400°F, available in various sizes for soup kettles through full-size hotel pans, reducing cleaning time, water/electricity/chemical usage, and drain clogs.
- FORMFLEX® Gloves Flexible disposable glove product line offered by FoodHandler.
- BladeBlocker® Cut Protection Gloves Reusable cut-resistant gloves with 7 gauge Spectra fiber for butchering, deboning, and ice carving. Ambidextrous, no-seam design protects employees and food products.
- JobSelect® Heavy Duty Cleaning Gloves Reusable industrial-strength gloves protecting employees from exposure to potentially dangerous chemicals during cleaning, scouring, and degreasing tasks.
- FoodHandler® Food Storage Bags Comprehensive range of food storage bags designed for efficiency, food safety, and reliable performance across foodservice operations.
- FoodHandler® Reclosable Bags Single and double track reclosable bags built for easy access and secure sealing in foodservice operations.
- FoodHandler® Saddle Pack Bags Convenient saddle pack bags designed for easy access and efficient dispensing in foodservice prep areas.
- FoodHandler® Bun Pan and Rack Covers Bun pan and rack covers for protecting food during storage and transport.
- FoodHandler® Poly Bibs Disposable poly bibs for children and adults used in foodservice applications.
- FoodHandler® Poly Aprons Lightweight, strong, and comfortable disposable apron protection for foodservice operations.
- FoodHandler® Hair Nets and Caps Hair containment products including hair nets and bouffant caps for maintaining hygiene standards in foodservice.
- SafeBites® Education & Training Free food safety education webinars and courses featuring food safety experts that allow foodservice professionals to earn continuing education credits on topics including FDA Food Code compliance, hand hygiene, cross-contamination prevention, allergen management, and crisis communication.
- ServSafe® Training Certification Food safety training program administered by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, covering foodborne illness prevention, food allergen management, safe food handling, and facility safety. Certification is valid for five years and is recognized by more federal, state, and local health jurisdictions than any other food safety training program in the United States.
Quantifiable outcome
- PanPals reduce cleaning time significantly, lower water/electricity/chemical usage, and prevent grease and food from clogging drains
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use FoodHandler
Customer profileSegments9 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
FoodHandler technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
FoodHandler partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Bunzl North AmericacoreFoodHandler is a division of Bunzl North America, one of the largest distributors of disposable gloves, bags, and apparel for foodservice operations. This parent company relationship provides FoodHandler with distribution scale and supply chain advantages across the North American market.
- Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF)minorFor every case of pink thinsense gloves sold, FoodHandler donates $1.00 to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. This cause marketing partnership supports breast cancer research while creating a differentiated product offering (pink-colored gloves for breast cancer awareness).
- National Restaurant Association Educational FoundationcoreFoodHandler is an authorized provider of ServSafe food safety training and certification, administered by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. ServSafe is recognized by more federal, state, and local health jurisdictions than any other food safety training program in the United States and meets Certified Food Protection Manager requirements.
- Kansas State University - Center for Food Safety in Child Nutrition ProgramscoreDr. Kevin R. Roberts serves as co-director of the Center for Food Safety in Child Nutrition Programs at Kansas State University. The center develops educational resources for food safety in retail operations and school nutrition programs. Dr. Roberts is FoodHandler's resident food safety expert and hosts SafeBites webinars.
- Iowa State University - Department of Food Science and Human NutritioncoreDr. Angela Shaw is an Associate Professor of Food Safety at Iowa State University and serves as a SafeBites webinar presenter. Her expertise in food law and regulations, and research on farm to retail food safety, contributes to FoodHandler's educational content. Dr. Catherine Strohbehn and Dr. Sara E. Gragg also have ties to Iowa State.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
FoodHandler competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Bunzl plc: Multinational distribution and services group that owns FoodHandler via its Bunzl North America subsidiary. Operates a broad portfolio of foodservice, retail, hygiene, and safety disposables across many geographies, making it the parent and closest strategic comparable.
- US Foods Holding Corp: Major U.S. broadline foodservice distributor that supplies restaurants and institutions with food and non-food supplies, including disposables. Comparable on the customer/procurement relationship layer even though foodservice disposables are a small portion of total SKUs.
- Top Glove Corporation: World's largest manufacturer of disposable gloves (nitrile, latex, surgical) based in Malaysia. Competes upstream as a global supplier into the same U.S. foodservice and healthcare channels where FoodHandler operates.
- Performance Food Group: U.S. foodservice and convenience distributor (Vistar) that supplies independent restaurants, chain restaurants, and institutions. Sells a complementary mix of foodservice supplies alongside food, sharing customer segments with FoodHandler.
- Hartalega Holdings: Major Malaysian nitrile glove manufacturer with global reach into medical and foodservice channels. Competes with FoodHandler indirectly as a low-cost upstream supplier of disposable gloves.
- Sysco Corporation: Largest U.S. broadline foodservice distributor selling a wide assortment of foodservice supplies — including disposable gloves and bags — to restaurants, healthcare, and education. Overlaps with FoodHandler on customer base and product category from a distribution-side perspective.
Emerging players
- Henry Schein: Large U.S. distributor of healthcare and dental supplies, including exam-grade disposable gloves. Overlaps with FoodHandler's MedHandler line and healthcare foodservice customer base.
- Medline Industries: Large privately held manufacturer and distributor of medical supplies, including exam-grade disposable gloves. Comparable on the MedHandler exam-grade product line and in healthcare foodservice channels, though much broader in medical scope.
Direct peers
- Kimberly-Clark Professional: Business unit of Kimberly-Clark that sells hygiene and safety products — including disposable gloves, wipes, and apparel — into foodservice, healthcare, and industrial end markets. Direct product-line and channel overlap with FoodHandler at significantly larger scale.
- Ansell Limited: Global manufacturer of protective gloves (nitrile, latex, poly) sold into healthcare, industrial, and foodservice end markets. Directly comparable to FoodHandler's core disposable glove business with overlapping product portfolio and customers, though at significantly larger scale and with broader international reach.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
FoodHandler social profiles
Digital presenceFoodHandler financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
FoodHandler leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
FoodHandler funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
FoodHandler 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 FoodHandler
What does FoodHandler do?
FoodHandler manufactures and distributes a full line of disposable foodservice gloves (nitrile, vinyl, latex, poly, hybrid, synthetic vinyl, and vinyl/nitrile blends), food storage and cooking bags (food storage, reclosable, saddle pack, pan liners, and bun/rack covers), and foodservice apparel (poly bibs, aprons, hair nets, bouffant caps), supported by patented dispensing and material technologies and a food-safety education platform. Operations and sales are run from Reno, Nevada, primarily through regional sales directors and authorized brokers serving US foodservice operators across restaurants, grocery, food processing, healthcare foodservice, hospitality, education, and similar segments.
Is FoodHandler a public or private company?
FoodHandler is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was FoodHandler founded?
FoodHandler was founded in 1970. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is FoodHandler based?
FoodHandler is headquartered in Elk Grove Village, United States, in the North America region.
How does FoodHandler make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Disposable Gloves Sales are the primary driver. The others are food Storage Bags and Packaging, foodservice Apparel and safeBites Education and Training.
Who are FoodHandler's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Bunzl plc, US Foods Holding Corp, Top Glove Corporation, Performance Food Group, Hartalega Holdings and Sysco Corporation. Emerging players are Henry Schein and Medline Industries. Direct peers are Kimberly-Clark Professional and Ansell Limited.
Does FoodHandler have an API?
No public API is recorded for FoodHandler.
What industry is FoodHandler in?
FoodHandler's product category is Foodservice Disposable Products. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAIALAC, Disposables & Single-Use Foodservice Products Wholesale. Its SIC code is 5141.