What Great Lakes Hotel Supply does

Great Lakes Hotel Supply (also operating as Great Lakes Ventures) is a fourth-generation, family-owned commercial foodservice equipment dealer and kitchen design-build company founded in 1933 and headquartered in Southfield, Michigan. The company delivers turn-key projects spanning culinary design, equipment procurement, project management, installation, warehousing and logistics, and post-installation warranty service. Its design arm, Great Lakes Culinary Design (GLCD), provides 3D modeling in Autodesk Revit as a standard deliverable, and the firm maintains a smallwares division through Kessenich's. The business is organized into five regional divisions (Great Lakes Hotel Supply, Great Lakes East, Great Lakes Denver, Great Lakes Southeast, and Great Lakes Southwest) operating from ten offices across Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Texas, Nevada, and Colorado.

The company serves 15+ commercial end-markets, with primary verticals in K-12 schools (including Filter First compliance solutions), restaurants and bars, and hospitals and healthcare, plus country clubs, government, higher education, multi-unit operators, event venues, outdoor entertainment, supermarket foodservice, travel and resorts, airports, breweries, corporate dining, and senior living. Its core technology is Autodesk Revit-based 3D design integrated with a multi-vendor equipment catalog and a vetted installer network. Strategic partnerships with Ascentium Capital (financing), Vollrath (co-branded equipment), Champion, Bi-Line, and Zink Foodservice (hospital dishroom ecosystems) extend its service envelope and ticket size.

Commercially, the firm runs an enterprise field-sales model with dedicated account executives guaranteeing a one-business-day response, complemented by inside-sales contact forms, a content-marketing blog (Foodservice Resource Center), and a portfolio of completed-project case studies. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time equipment sales and professional services (design, project management, installation) rather than subscription or recurring fees, with financing offered via Ascentium Capital to enable 100% project bundling. The company has scaled from a 17-person family operation to 170+ employees while remaining privately held with no disclosed institutional investors.

Name

Great Lakes Hotel Supply

Legal name

Great Lakes Hotel Supply

Website

https://glhsco.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1933

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Great Lakes Hotel Supply is a fourth-generation, family-owned commercial foodservice equipment dealer and kitchen design-build firm founded in 1933, serving K-12 schools, restaurants, hospitals, and other foodservice operators across ten U.S. offices via turn-key design, procurement, installation, and project management services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Foodservice Equipment & Kitchen Design Services

NAICS

Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing (33331)

SIC

Wholesale-Machinery, Equipment & Supplies (5080), Wholesale-Professional & Commercial Equipment & Supplies (5040), Refrigeration & Service Industry Machinery (3580)

akta.pro primary industry

Bar & Beverage Service Supplies Wholesale (AFAIALAG)

Keywords

• Commercial foodservice equipment
• Commercial kitchen design
• Foodservice equipment dealer
• Restaurant kitchen supply
• Institutional kitchen equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Southfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Equipment Sales & Procurement: Sales and procurement of commercial foodservice equipment including refrigeration, cooking equipment, ventilation hoods, warewashing systems, induction ranges, heated holding, and stainless steel cookware. Revenue generated from one-time equipment sales to commercial kitchens.
2. Culinary Design Services: Award-winning culinary design services providing turn-key design/build services for commercial kitchens, from concept to completion.
3. Installation Services: Expert installation services coordinating with vetted local installers for HVAC, refrigeration, large equipment, millwork, and equipment installation.
4. Project Management Services: Comprehensive project management overseeing all aspects of commercial kitchen projects from day one, coordinating with other trades and managing installation.
5. Smallwares Sales: Sales of prep tools, cookware, utensils, storage, and serving solutions through Kessenich's division with access to wider selection and better pricing through national network purchasing power.
6. Warehousing & Logistics: Warehousing and logistics services with warehouses across the country, large inventory in stock, staging and delivery of equipment components.
7. Financing Services: Partnership with Ascentium Capital (a division of Regions Bank) providing flexible financing options for equipment purchases, including 100% financing that bundles shipping, tax and other expenses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Great Lakes Hotel Supply is a family-owned commercial foodservice equipment dealer and design-build company that sells, procures, designs, installs, and services commercial kitchen equipment for restaurants, schools, hospitals, country clubs, government, and other foodservice operators. Offerings span culinary design (via GLCD using 3D Revit modeling), equipment sales from every major manufacturer, bid and spec, project management, installation, warehousing and logistics, smallwares (via Kessenich's), furniture and tabletop, and equipment financing through Ascentium Capital.

Product overview

Great Lakes Hotel Supply operates as a unified foodservice equipment dealer and commercial kitchen design-build company. The core offering combines award-winning culinary design services (utilizing Autodesk Revit 3D modeling) with complete equipment procurement, project management, installation, and post-project warranty support. The portfolio is organized across five regional divisions (Great Lakes Hotel Supply, East, Denver, Southeast, Southwest) plus specialized product lines including Great Lakes X Vollrath co-branded equipment and Kessenich's smallwares. Services span the full project lifecycle from bid & spec through warehousing, delivery, and white-glove opening packages, complemented by financing options through Ascentium Capital.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Great Lakes X Vollrath: Partnership brand offering premium Vollrath kitchen supplies and equipment including induction ranges, heated holding, and stainless steel cookware.
• Great Lakes Culinary Design (GLCD)
• Kessenich's

Products and services

• Culinary Design (Great Lakes Culinary Design / GLCD)
• Foodservice Equipment Sales & Procurement Procurement and sale of commercial foodservice equipment including refrigeration, cooking equipment, ventilation hoods, warewashing systems, induction ranges, heated holding, and stainless steel cookware, sourced from every major manufacturer. Available as a single equipment order or as part of a full kitchen project for restaurants, schools, hospitals, country clubs, government, and other operators.
• Bid & Spec Preparation of detailed bids, rough-in drawings, and individual equipment specifications for commercial kitchen projects. Provided to general contractors, foodservice consultants, and institutional buyers.
• Project Management End-to-end project management for commercial kitchen builds, coordinating trades, schedules, equipment delivery, and installation phases from day one through opening.
• Installation Installation of commercial kitchen equipment using vetted, local installer partners with decades of experience, covering HVAC, refrigeration, large equipment, millwork, and equipment hookup.
• Service & Warranty (Concierge Warranty) Post-installation concierge warranty service and white-glove opening-day support, ensuring equipment and furniture issues are resolved for foodservice operators.
• Warehousing & Logistics National warehousing with large in-stock inventory, staging, and timed delivery of equipment components to align with construction project phases.
• Smallwares (Kessenich's) Supply of restaurant smallwares including prep tools, cookware, utensils, storage, and serving solutions through the Kessenich's division, leveraging national network purchasing power for better pricing and broader selection.
• Furniture & Tabletop
• Test Kitchen Access to in-house and partner test kitchens for customers to test equipment and develop menus before purchasing or opening.
• Education & Institutional Supplies Specialized supply of food prep, transport, warming, serving, and beverage systems for K-12 schools and other institutional foodservice facilities, including Filter First compliance solutions for Michigan schools.
• Equipment Financing (Ascentium Capital partnership) Flexible equipment financing facilitated through Ascentium Capital (a division of Regions Bank), including a 100% financing program that bundles shipping, tax, and other expenses so customers can avoid out-of-pocket costs.
• Great Lakes X Vollrath (Co-branded Equipment Line) Co-branded product line featuring premium Vollrath commercial kitchen equipment and supplies, including induction ranges, heated holding, stainless steel cookware, and prep smallwares, marketed via a dedicated Great Lakes X Vollrath landing page.

Named customers12 records

Segments15 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• VollrathcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-marketing partnership for Vollrath commercial kitchen equipment including induction ranges, heated holding, stainless steel cookware, and prep smallwares. Great Lakes X Vollrath landing page promotes premium Vollrath equipment with equipment needs survey for custom quotes.
• Kessenich'scoreTechnology or IntegrationKessenich's division provides access to wider selection of smallwares, better pricing, and purchasing power of a national network while maintaining personalized service. Serves as primary smallwares supplier division for prep tools, cookware, utensils, storage, and serving solutions.
• ChampionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Champion (dishroom equipment manufacturer) for hospital dishroom overhauls including ventless dishwashers and rack machines. Partnership delivering improved airflow, reduced heat, enhanced workflow, and cleaner layouts.
• Bi-LineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Bi-Line for conveyor systems in hospital dishroom projects, working with Great Lakes Hotel Supply and Champion to deliver efficient dishroom solutions.
• Zink FoodserviceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZink Foodservice partnership for hospital kitchen projects, coordinating equipment overhaul with Great Lakes, Champion, and Bi-Line for improved efficiency.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Boelter Companies: Foodservice equipment and supplies distributor providing design, procurement, and installation for restaurants, healthcare, education, and hospitality. Comparable multi-vertical dealer model with national reach.
• Central Restaurant Products: Indiana-based foodservice equipment and supplies distributor with design, installation, and smallwares offerings. Comparable full-service dealer serving restaurants, schools, and institutions in the Midwest.
• TriMark: One of the largest U.S. foodservice equipment dealers with design, distribution, and installation services to restaurants, hospitality, healthcare, and institutional customers. Closest direct competitor in scale, breadth, and project-based deal model.
• Singer Equipment: Family-owned foodservice equipment dealer and design-build firm serving Mid-Atlantic restaurants, hospitality, and institutions. Highly comparable business model with design services, equipment distribution, and project management.

Broad incumbents

• Clark Associates / The Restaurant Store parent: Parent of Webstaurant Store and The Restaurant Store; one of the largest privately held foodservice distribution platforms. Represents the digital-first, scale-incumbent model that traditional dealers like GLHS must compete against.
• Edward Don & Company: Largest U.S. foodservice equipment and supplies distributor with national distribution centers, broad catalog, and commercial kitchen design. Sets the benchmark for the foodservice dealer model at scale.

Regional players

• Hotel & Restaurant Supply: Regional foodservice equipment distributor serving Southeast U.S. hotels and restaurants with equipment, design, and installation. Overlaps with Great Lakes' hospitality customer base and Southeast division geography.
• Bargreen Ellingson: Pacific Northwest foodservice equipment and supplies distributor with design-build and project management services. Comparable dealer model focused on a specific U.S. region with similar customer verticals.

Emerging players

• The Restaurant Store: Restaurant equipment and supplies retailer targeting independent and small chain operators via warehouse showrooms. Adjacent competitor for smaller-ticket foodservice equipment buyers that GLHS also serves.
• Webstaurant Store: Largest online foodservice equipment and supplies retailer in the U.S. Competes on small-ticket equipment, smallwares, and supplies; a growing threat to traditional dealer-led procurement for non-project purchases.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/glculinary

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries7 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 Great Lakes Hotel Supply