What Curtze does

Curtze (legal entity C.A. Curtze Co. Inc.) is a privately held, family-owned broadline food service distributor founded in 1878 and headquartered in Erie, Pennsylvania. The company supplies independent food service operators — including restaurants, hotels, clubs, hospitals, and schools — across approximately eight to nine states in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Midwest United States (Pennsylvania, New York, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland). Operations are conducted through four distribution centers in Erie PA, Rochester NY, Bedford PA, and Cleveland OH, supported by approximately 425,000 square feet of warehousing, a fleet of 170 refrigerated trucks, and a catalog of more than 12,000 SKUs spanning fresh meats, fresh seafood, fresh produce, dairy, frozen and dry grocery, paper and disposables, cleaning chemicals, equipment and supplies, and a portfolio of exclusive proprietary brands (Powerhouse Brands, Aukra Premium Salmon, Nature's Market hydroponic produce, Angus Reserve Beef, Royal Club Coffee). The company operates through wholly-owned subsidiaries including JFS (Jacobstein Food Services, Rochester) and Northern Haserot (Cleveland) for regional market penetration.

Curtze's go-to-market is sales-led via more than 200 dedicated sales consultants, supplemented by the OrderPro proprietary ordering and inventory management platform (web plus iOS/Android mobile apps), annual Food Fare Expo food shows in Erie and Rochester, and a multi-channel social media presence. Revenue is generated primarily through wholesale transaction-based distribution of food and non-food products to independent operators under quote-based custom pricing negotiated through sales consultants, with manufacturer rebates and coupons layered on certain brands. The company leverages scale and sourcing through memberships in the UniPro Foodservice cooperative (850+ distribution locations, 800,000+ customers) and the Pro*Act produce buying group, and maintains active affiliations with major industry trade associations including IFDA, the National Restaurant Association, NAMI, and the American Culinary Federation. Six generations of the Curtze family have operated the business continuously since founding, and no external investors, private equity, or parent company ownership has been disclosed.

Name

Curtze

Legal name

C.A. Curtze Co. Inc.

Website

https://jfsfoods.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1878

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Curtze is a family-owned broadline food service distributor founded in 1878, supplying independent restaurants, hotels, clubs, hospitals, and schools across eight to nine US states from four distribution centers with a 12,000-SKU catalog and proprietary exclusive brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Service Distribution

NAICS

Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers (42446), Packaged Frozen Food Merchant Wholesalers (42442), Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers (42448)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional/Local Broadline Foodservice Distributors (AFAIAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Refrigerated Meat & Charcuterie Wholesale (AFAIAHAI), Broadline Foodservice Supplies Wholesale (AFAIALAA), Noncommercial/Institutional Broadline Distributors (K-12, Higher Ed, Healthcare, Government) (AFAIAAAC)

Keywords

• Food service distribution
• Broadline food distribution
• Restaurant supply wholesale
• Fresh meat seafood distribution
• Foodservice equipment supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Erie

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Food Service Distribution: Wholesale distribution of food service products including fresh meats, seafood, produce, frozen foods, dry goods, dairy, paper products, cleaning supplies, and equipment to independent food service operators

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Curtze is a full-line, broadline food service distributor supplying independent restaurants, hotels, clubs, hospitals, schools, and other food service operators with fresh meats, fresh seafood, fresh produce, frozen and dry grocery, dairy, paper and single-use products, cleaning chemicals, and foodservice equipment. It operates a center-of-the-plate program anchored by a federally inspected custom cutting meat facility and a custom-cut fresh seafood program, supported by exclusive proprietary house brands (Powerhouse Food Service Brands). Products are stocked across four distribution centers covering eight-to-nine states and delivered next-day via a refrigerated fleet of 170 trucks, with ordering available through 200+ sales consultants and the proprietary OrderPro platform.

Product overview

Curtze is a full line food service distributor operating as a broadline supplier with a center-of-the-plate program combining fresh portion control aged meat from a custom cutting federally inspected meat facility and a custom cut fresh seafood program. The portfolio includes Fresh Meats, North Shore Fresh Seafood, Market Source Fresh Produce (including Nature's Market hydroponic greens), AES Equipment & Supply (3,000+ items), Klear Guard Cleaning Solutions, Paper and Single Use products, and Powerhouse Food Service Brands (exclusive sub-brands including Country Kettle Soups, Le Pan Europa Breads, California Red, Baker Boy, Puff Batter, Beacon Hill Hors D'Oeuvres, Blazin' Red Hot Sauce, Natural Pak Dressings, Pasta San Marco, B-1 Wingers, Crunch Company Snacks, and Royal Club Coffee). The company also offers proprietary Aukra Premium Salmon. Technology offerings include OrderPro, an exclusive order entry and inventory management system available as web portal and mobile app. Supporting services include Demo Kitchen, Menu Design & Engineering, Rebate Tracking, Recipe Ideas (Culinary Connection), and Rave Reviews Magazine. Food shows (Food Fare) are held annually in Erie, PA and Rochester, NY. Curtze serves nine states from four distribution centers with approximately 425,000 square feet of warehousing space, 170 refrigerated trucks, over 12,000 products, and more than 200 sales consultants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Specialty Steak Service: Fresh beef, pork, veal, lamb, poultry and specialty offerings with aged beef and portion control steaks
• North Shore Fresh Seafood
• Market Source Fresh Produce
• AES Equipment & Supply
• Klear Guard Cleaning Solutions
• Paper and Single Use
• Powerhouse Food Service Brands
• Royal Club Coffee
• Aukra Premium Salmon
• Natures Market Produce
• Angus Reserve Beef

Products and services

• Fresh Meats (Specialty Steak Service)

Quantifiable outcome

• Next-day delivery across all markets

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UniPro FoodservicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLargest food service distribution cooperative in the United States with over 850 distribution locations serving 800,000+ customers. Curtze is a member, providing access to national brands, traditional label and specialty brand products, and shared knowledge and resources.
• International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA)coreOthersIFDA is a trade association working to help food service distributor members succeed across North America and internationally.
• North American Meat Institute (NAMI)minorOthersNational trade association representing companies that process 95% of red meat and 70% of turkey products in the US.
• National Restaurant AssociationminorOthersLargest food service trade association in the world, supporting nearly 500,000 restaurant businesses.
• American Culinary FederationminorOthersProfessional organization for chefs and cooks promoting the professional image of American chefs worldwide through education.
• Club Management Association of America (CMAA)minorOthersLargest professional association for managers of membership clubs with 6,800 members throughout the US and internationally.
• Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging AssociationminorOthersState trade association helping members with staffing, certifications, regulatory issues, and business solutions.
• New York State Restaurant AssociationminorOthersState association focused on growing restaurant business and shaping industry future through lobbying and advocacy.
• Ohio Restaurant AssociationminorOthersState association serving Ohio's restaurant, foodservice and hospitality industry since 1920.
• Pro*ActminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduce-focused buying group with over 50 members using collective power to procure highest quality produce at competitive prices.
• Erie Regional Chamber and Growth PartnershipminorOthersRegional business chamber including approximately 140 CEOs in the Erie area engaged in strategic community initiatives.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Shamrock Foods Company: Family-owned broadline foodservice distributor serving restaurants and institutional customers across the Southwest with comparable product categories including dairy and meat. Similar size and family-owned governance model.
• Gordon Food Service: Family-owned broadline foodservice distributor with multi-regional US and Canadian footprint, full-line product range, and similar consultative sales model. Operates as a comparable independent broadline serving restaurants, schools, and healthcare.
• Labatt Food Service: Family-owned broadline foodservice distributor with similar customer concentration in independent restaurants, schools, and healthcare. Operates in adjacent regional geographies with comparable broadline product mix.
• Ben E. Keith Foods: Privately-held regional broadline foodservice distributor serving independent restaurants across multiple states with center-of-the-plate meat expertise. Closely comparable regional broadline with similar product breadth and customer profile.
• Nicholas & Company: Regional broadline foodservice distributor serving independent operators with comparable product assortment including fresh meats, produce, and dry/frozen goods in an adjacent regional market.
• Cheney Brothers: Regional broadline foodservice distributor operating across the Southeast US with similar product breadth serving independent restaurants. Comparable privately-held regional broadline competitor.

Broad incumbents

• US Foods: Second-largest national broadline foodservice distributor with overlapping product categories and target customers. Major scale competitor with broader geographic reach than Curtze.
• Performance Food Group: National broadline foodservice distributor with comparable customer segments including independent restaurants. Wider portfolio and scale advantage create competitive pressure in overlapping markets.
• Sysco Corporation: Largest national broadline foodservice distributor in North America. Competes with Curtze across all categories but with vastly greater scale, broader private-label portfolio, and national procurement leverage.

Emerging players

• Restaurant Depot: Cash-and-carry foodservice warehouse club serving independent restaurants and small operators. Overlaps in customer base but uses a membership-based self-service model rather than direct distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/curtzeco
• Facebookfacebook.com/curtzeco
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/c-a-curtze
• Instagraminstagram.com/curtzeco

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 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 Curtze