Thomas, Large & Singer

What Thomas, Large & Singer does

Thomas, Large & Singer Inc. (TLS) is a privately held Canadian value chain distribution company founded in 1912 in Toronto by Earl S. Thomas and now headquartered in Markham, Ontario, with operations in Canada and the United States (TLS America, est. 2016). The company provides a 360-degree suite of services to Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) brands seeking to enter or expand within the North American market, spanning value chain distribution, logistics (road, rail, air, ocean), warehousing via wholly-owned subsidiary Emblem Logistics, e-commerce management (vendor portals, Amazon, SEO, D2C fulfillment), broker management, private label development, trade promotion management, and financial management (AR/AP, deductions, tax reporting).

The technology stack underpinning these services includes a continuously updated MAGIC ERP system in place since 1999, a custom-built EDI communication module, a Tableau-based business intelligence platform providing clients 24/7 data access, the Exceedra trade promotion management platform licensed in 2010, and an Emblem Logistics WMS installed in 2021 across the 587,000 sq ft Brampton facility (46,000 racked pallet positions, frozen and refrigerated storage, 75 hydraulic docks). In October 2024, TLS launched ValueStream, an end-to-end logistics platform that consolidates business management, fulfillment, logistics, warehousing, trade finance, and EDI/broker connectivity with real-time dashboards.

TLS generates revenue primarily through variable-cost, customized, multi-year managed-services contracts with enterprise CPG clients. Pricing is quote-based with no publicly disclosed rate cards. Its customer base spans a long roster of named enterprise brands including McCain (since 1957), Rich Products (since 1958), Tropicana/Post, Tim Hortons, Tetley Tea, Starbucks Canada, Sunny D, Popchips, Beyond Meat, Mentos, Equal, Sweet Baby Ray's, Ragu, Premier Protein, and Bush Beans, with relationship tenures commonly measured in decades. The company is family-controlled across four generations of Singer-family leadership, employs 251-500 people, and operates with no external institutional investors.

Name

Thomas, Large & Singer

Legal name

Thomas, Large & Singer Inc.

Website

https://thomaslargesinger.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1912

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Thomas, Large & Singer is a privately held, family-controlled Canadian CPG value chain distribution firm, founded in 1912 and headquartered in Markham, Ontario, providing end-to-end logistics, warehousing, e-commerce, broker management, and financial services to enterprise consumer packaged goods brands across Canada and the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

CPG Value Chain Distribution Services

NAICS

Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers (4251)

SIC

Public Warehousing & Storage (4220)

akta.pro primary industry

E-commerce & Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Brands (TLAIALAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Subscription Box & Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Parcel Delivery (TLAAAFAK)

Keywords

• CPG value chain distribution
• Third-party logistics
• Warehousing and fulfillment
• Broker management services
• D2C e-commerce solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Markham

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Value Chain Distribution Services: Comprehensive value chain distribution services including logistics management, warehousing solutions, financial management, and order-to-cash cycle completion. Revenue is generated through service fees for managing the cost centers of clients' operations while they control revenue generators. The company offers variable cost pricing tailored to individual client needs.
2. E-Commerce Solutions: Complete e-commerce management services including vendor portal management, new item setup, content management, SEO, promotional planning, customer review correspondence, and D2C fulfillment. Services are bundled as part of the overall value chain solution offering.
3. Broker Management: Broker management solution utilizing established broker relationships to source appropriate brokers for clients' businesses. Includes development of sales targets and execution on tactics.
4. Private Label Services: Private Brands Division services including manufacturer services, category management, and retailer network access for private label product development and execution from strategy through implementation and consumer engagement.
5. Warehousing & Distribution (Emblem Logistics): Wholly-owned subsidiary Emblem Logistics provides customized warehousing and distribution solutions. Revenue generated through warehouse storage, fulfillment, co-packing, and D2C fulfillment services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Thomas, Large & Singer provides end-to-end value chain distribution services to Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) companies seeking to access or expand within the North American market (Canada and U.S.). The company manages clients' logistics, warehousing, e-commerce, broker networks, private label development, and financial/order-to-cash cycle operations through variable-cost managed service contracts, supported by its wholly-owned Emblem Logistics warehouse subsidiary. Its flagship ValueStream platform, launched in October 2024, unifies these capabilities with real-time dashboards for 24/7 supply chain visibility.

Product overview

Thomas, Large & Singer is a full-service Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) value chain solutions provider offering a 360-degree suite of services. The core offering centers on ValueStream, an end-to-end logistics platform launched in October 2024 that unifies business management, fulfillment, logistics, warehousing, trade finance, and EDI/broker connectivity with real-time dashboards. Supporting services include e-commerce solutions (vendor portal management, SEO, D2C fulfillment), broker management, private label services, logistics (road/rail/air/ocean), warehousing via subsidiary Emblem Logistics (587,000 sq. ft.), technology solutions (ERP, EDI, Tableau BI, Exceedra TPM), financial management (AR/AP, deductions, reporting), and 3PL services. The company operates primarily in Canada and the USA with distribution network access across North America.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Emblem Logistics: Wholly-owned subsidiary of Thomas, Large & Singer providing warehousing and distribution services with 587,000 square feet of warehouse space
• ValueStream

Products and services

• ValueStream All-in-one end-to-end logistics platform for CPG brands consolidating business management, marketing, fulfillment, logistics, warehousing, trade finance, EDI/Broker Connector, and co-packing into a unified offering with real-time dashboards and complete data transparency for demand planning, invoicing & cash management, D2C fulfillment, and trade finance management.
• E-Commerce Solutions Complete e-commerce management service for CPG brands, including vendor portal management, new item setup, content management, SEO, promotional planning, customer review correspondence, reporting, and in-house D2C fulfillment services, with established vendor relationships across major online retailers.
• Broker Management Broker sourcing and management service providing CPG brands with access to TLS's established broker relationships across North America, including sales-target development and tactic execution to accelerate market entry or expansion.
• Private Label Services Private label product development and execution service providing manufacturer services, category management, and access to TLS's retailer network for private label brands across strategy, implementation, and consumer engagement stages.
• Logistics Services International shipping logistics service for CPG brands covering road, rail, air, and ocean transport, inventory management, worldwide procurement and transportation, cross-border shipment with customs clearance, freight consolidation, and cross-docking.
• Warehousing Solutions (Emblem Logistics) Warehousing and distribution service operated by Emblem Logistics (a wholly-owned TLS subsidiary) providing 587,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space with 46,000 racked pallet positions in dry/ambient storage, frozen and refrigerated capabilities, 250,000+ sq. ft. of bulk storage, 75 hydraulic docks, co-packing, D2C fulfillment, and 24/7 emergency service.
• Financial Management Services Back-office financial services for CPG brands including accounts receivable and payable, custom reporting, post-promotion analysis, deduction management, invoicing, collections, cash and forex management, tax reporting, database management, and GS1 product catalogue services.
• CPG Solutions Full-service value chain solutions for Consumer Packaged Goods companies covering brand, market, financial, and logistics analysis, product development and management, and access to TLS's established North American distribution network.
• 3PL Logistics Services Third-party logistics service for CPG companies bundling warehousing, distribution, and supply chain management as part of TLS's overall value chain distribution offering.

Quantifiable outcome

• Canadian brand achieved 700% revenue growth in U.S. market using ValueStream solution
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers20 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

Integration1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Emblem LogisticscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1972Emblem Logistics is TLS's wholly-owned subsidiary established in 1972 to service client logistics and warehousing needs. It has grown to operate a 587,000 square foot facility in Brampton, Ontario with 46,000 racked pallet positions, frozen/refrigerated capabilities, and 24/7 emergency service. The subsidiary provides customized warehousing and distribution solutions, co-packing, and D2C fulfillment.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• DHL Supply Chain: Global 3PL and contract logistics leader serving CPG and food-and-beverage customers with warehousing, distribution, and value-added services. Comparable to TLS as a multi-service CPG logistics provider, but operating globally rather than Canada-US focused.
• McLane Company: Major North American food, beverage, and CPG distributor and supply chain services provider with significant warehousing and logistics capabilities. Comparable to Emblem Logistics in food and beverage distribution at a substantially larger scale.
• C.H. Robinson: Large North American 3PL and freight broker with significant CPG and food-and-beverage customer base. Provides warehousing, distribution, and supply chain solutions similar to TLS, but at much larger scale and with a freight-brokerage heritage.
• Reyes Holdings: Diversified foodservice and CPG distribution platform including warehousing, logistics, and broker/representation functions. Comparable to TLS in serving major CPG brands across North America, but with foodservice focus.
• Kuehne+Nagel: Global logistics provider with strong contract logistics and CPG verticals. Competes with TLS for outsourced value-chain and distribution contracts but operates at global scale with much broader geographic and service coverage.

Direct peers

• Acosta Sales & Marketing: Sales, marketing, and broker management services provider for CPG brands across North America. Directly comparable to TLS's broker management services — notably Acosta actually acquired TLS's former national branded food brokerage division in 2002.
• Dot Foods: Largest food redistributor in North America providing warehousing, logistics, and brokerage-adjacent services to food and CPG brands. Comparable to TLS as a redistributor and supply chain intermediary serving CPG brands of various sizes.
• KeHE Distributors: Specialty food and CPG distributor serving North American retailers with warehousing, broker, and value-added services. Directly comparable to TLS in serving emerging and specialty CPG brands across North America with bundled distribution solutions.

Others

• Mondelez International (CPG owner, customer analog): Global CPG owner/operator with extensive North American distribution and broker relationships. Not a direct competitor but representative of the CPG client type TLS serves and the strategic value of integrated logistics partnerships.
• AGT International (AGT Food Services): Canadian food distribution and logistics company providing supply chain solutions for food and CPG brands in Canada and internationally. Operates in a comparable Canadian-anchored food/CPG logistics niche to TLS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Thomas-Large-Singer-285382918260918

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Thomas, Large & Singer