Empire Foods

What Empire Foods does

Empire Foods Ltd. is a privately held wholesale food distributor founded in 1974 and headquartered in Markham, Ontario. Operating from a 60,000 sq. ft. distribution facility, the company supplies over 4,000 SKUs spanning fresh, frozen, and dry goods to restaurant and food service operators across Southern Ontario. Its portfolio includes branded products from suppliers such as Kelloggs, Heinz, Quaker, Kraft, MF, and McCain, organized around categories including Sauces and Dips, Butter & Oils, Frozen Meats, Fries, Fish and Seafood, and Bread & Baked Goods.

The company runs a direct B2B sales motion with a sales-led go-to-market, using an online "Become a Customer" form to onboard accounts. Order mechanics include a $250 minimum purchase, next-day delivery for orders placed by 2:00 p.m., C.O.D. payment unless pre-approved for credit, and a customer pick-up option at the Markham facility. Distribution is executed via a company-owned delivery fleet following a scheduled weekly route system that covers the Greater Toronto Area and surrounding communities including Mississauga, Etobicoke, Burlington, Hamilton, Kitchener, Waterloo, London, and Barrie.

Empire Foods reports an industry-leading 97.5% fill rate, positioning reliability and vendor consolidation as core value propositions. The company carries no disclosed proprietary technology platforms, AI/ML systems, APIs, or integrations, and operates as a traditional logistics and distribution business. Revenue is generated through product markups on a transactional basis with quote-based, non-publicly-disclosed pricing; no revenue figures, headcount, funding history, or ownership details beyond its private Ontario incorporation are disclosed in available sources.

Name

Empire Foods

Legal name

Empire Foods Ltd.

Website

https://empirefoods.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Empire Foods Ltd. is a privately held wholesale food distributor founded in 1974, supplying over 4,000 SKUs of fresh, frozen, and dry goods from a 60,000 sq. ft. Markham facility to restaurant and food service businesses across Southern Ontario via a next-day delivery fleet.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wholesale Food Distribution

NAICS

Grocery and Related Product Merchant Wholesalers (4244)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141), Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140)

akta.pro primary industry

Broadline Foodservice (Multi-Category) Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

National/Multiregional Broadline Foodservice Distributors (AFAIAAAA)

Keywords

• Wholesale food distribution
• Foodservice supply
• Restaurant ingredient supply
• Frozen foods wholesale
• B2B food distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Mumbai

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Food Distribution: Empire Foods operates as a wholesale food distributor generating revenue through the sale of food products to restaurant and food service businesses. Revenue is derived from product markups on a transaction basis, with a minimum order requirement of $250. The company carries over 4,000 SKUs spanning fresh, frozen, and dry goods categories, bridging suppliers and customers to make food service more accessible, reliable, and cost-effective.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Empire Foods is a wholesale food distributor that bridges suppliers and restaurant/foodservice operators in Southern Ontario, delivering over 4,000 SKUs of fresh, frozen, and dry goods from its 60,000 sq. ft. facility in Markham. The company offers next-day delivery for orders placed by 2:00 p.m., an industry-leading 97.5% fill rate, and vendor consolidation under a $250 minimum order with C.O.D. payment terms.

Product overview

Empire Foods is a wholesale food distribution company serving the restaurant industry in Southern Ontario since 1974. The company operates as a single unified distribution service offering over 4,000 SKUs spanning fresh, frozen, and dry goods from their 60,000 sq. ft. facility in Markham, Ontario. Their product portfolio includes six main categories: Sauces and Dips, Butter & Oils, Frozen Meats, Fries, Fish and Seafood, and Bread & Baked Goods. The company differentiates through next-day delivery with an industry-leading 97.5% fill rate and a $250 minimum order requirement. Empire Foods carries branded products from suppliers including Kelloggs, Heinz, Quaker, Kraft, MF, and McCain, offering these alongside their distribution service to consolidate vendors for restaurant customers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sauces and Dips

Quantifiable outcome

• 97.5% fill rate ensures consistent product availability
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Performance Food Group: Major U.S. foodservice distributor with broadline operations through Performance Foodservice. Comparable in product mix and customer segments (restaurants, foodservice operators) to Empire, though at substantially larger scale.
• US Foods: Top-tier U.S. broadline foodservice distributor serving independent restaurants and chain accounts. While primarily U.S.-focused, US Foods represents the same broadline model and category breadth that Empire operates within Southern Ontario.
• Gordon Food Service: Major North American broadline foodservice distributor with significant operations across Canada, including Ontario. Overlaps with Empire's restaurant and institutional customer base with substantially greater scale and category depth.
• Sysco: Largest North American broadline foodservice distributor with extensive Canadian operations through Sysco Canada. Competes with Empire for restaurant and institutional accounts but at meaningfully larger scale and broader geographic reach.

Direct peers

• Flanagan Foodservice: Largest Canadian-owned independent broadline foodservice distributor headquartered in Kitchener, Ontario. Operates a multi-category inventory with broad restaurant and foodservice customer coverage in Ontario, making it the closest direct regional peer to Empire Foods.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Empire Foods