Prima Distribution

What Prima Distribution does

Prima Distribution is a privately held, Omaha, Nebraska-based wholesale distributor of concession equipment and consumable supplies, founded in 2000 and serving the Midwest market across Nebraska, Iowa, portions of South Dakota, and the greater St. Louis region. The company operates as a stocking distributor for Gold Medal Products and maintains a comprehensive product portfolio spanning ten categories — beverages, candy, concession foods, frozen foods, popping and topping oils, popcorn, paper and plastic disposables, smallwares, Gold Medal equipment, and facility maintenance supplies — positioning it as a one-stop concession supplier for theatres, popcorn specialty retailers, and stadium/event concession-stand operators.

The business is built around a regional, fulfillment-driven model: customers can order via phone, an account-based web portal (prima.fbportal.io), or direct contact; goods are then fulfilled through customer pickup at the Omaha warehouse, company delivery, UPS shipping, or Spee Dee regional delivery. Equipment sales (popcorn poppers, cotton candy machines, popcorn carts) are one-time purchases, while consumable concession supplies — popcorn, oils, candy, frozen foods, paper goods, and smallwares — generate recurring transactional revenue across the customer base.

Prima monetizes through wholesale margins on distributed equipment and consumables, with pricing held privately behind customer login. The company does not disclose pricing publicly, has no disclosed headcount, no outside funding, and no parent-company affiliation; it is staffed by food-service professionals averaging 25+ years of industry experience, underscoring a relationship-driven, consultative sales motion rather than a technology- or marketing-led growth approach. Its 27-year operating history and self-description as the Midwest's largest distributor of concession foods and equipment indicate durable regional incumbency in a fragmented niche.

Name

Prima Distribution

Legal name

Prima Distribution

Website

https://primadistribution.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Prima Distribution is a privately held Omaha, NE-based wholesale distributor of concession equipment and consumable supplies, stocking Gold Medal Products and serving Midwest theatres, popcorn shops, and stadium concession operators across Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, and greater St. Louis.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Concession Equipment and Supplies Distribution

NAICS

Other Grocery and Related Products Merchant Wholesalers (42449), Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers (424450), Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (424)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141)

akta.pro primary industry

Foodservice / Restaurant Supply Distribution Centers (TLALAEAJ)

Keywords

• Concession equipment distribution
• Popcorn supplies wholesale
• Theatre concession foods
• Food service distribution
• Concession supplies Midwest

Headquarters

HQ city

Omaha

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Concession Equipment Distribution: Distributes concession equipment including popcorn machines, cotton candy machines, and related supplies as a Gold Medal Products stocking distributor. Equipment sales are one-time purchase transactions.
2. Concession Supplies Distribution: Distributes consumable supplies including beverages, candy, concession foods, frozen items, oils, popcorn, paper goods, and smallwares. These are recurring consumable purchases by customers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Prima Distribution is a wholesale distributor of concession equipment and supplies, stocking Gold Medal Products popcorn poppers, cotton candy machines, and popcorn carts along with a comprehensive catalog of beverages, candy, concession foods, frozen foods, popping and topping oils, popcorn (10+ raw varieties), paper and plastic disposables, smallwares, and facility maintenance and sanitation supplies. The company serves theatre operators, popcorn shops, and concession stand operators across Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, and the greater St. Louis region via company delivery, customer pickup, UPS shipping, Spee Dee delivery, and a web-based customer ordering portal.

Product overview

Prima Distribution is a wholesale concession equipment and supplies distributor offering a comprehensive product portfolio across ten categories: Beverages, Candy, Concession Foods, Frozen Foods, Oils, Popcorn, Paper & Plastic Disposables, Smallwares, Equipment, and Facility Maintenance & Sanitation. As a stocking distributor for Gold Medal Products, they specialize in popcorn supplies (carrying 10+ raw popcorn varieties) and concession foods (nachos, pretzels, hot dogs, cotton candy, sno kones, frozen items). Their equipment offerings include Gold Medal popcorn poppers and cotton candy machines ranging from small counter units to stadium-sized machines. The company also provides distribution services with delivery options via UPS or Spee Dee delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Beverages Wide selection of beverages including Coca-Cola, Dr Pepper, Sprite, diet drinks, energy drinks, water, slush bases, Hi-C Fruit Punch, Minute Maid Lemonade, Mello Yello, Sno Kone syrups, and Fanta for concession stands and theatres.
• Candy Extensive candy inventory featuring M&M's, Hershey's products, Reese's, Starburst, Skittles, Sour Patch Kids, Hot Tamales, Twizzlers, Airheads, Whoppers, Butterfinger, and theatre-boxed candy for concession stands.
• Concession Foods Core concession food supplies including cotton candy cones, flossugar, Flossine, nacho chips and cheese, pretzels, sunflower seeds, caramel apple dip, dipping cups, condiment packets, funnel cake mix, and waffle cone mix.
• Frozen Foods Frozen concession items including Eisenberg and Johnsonville all-beef hot dogs, frozen pizzas, mini churro bites, soft pretzel bites, breaded chicken strips, pre-grilled hamburgers, battered cheese nuggets, mini corn dog nuggets, brownie bites, and F'Real frozen shakes.
• Oils (Popping and Topping) Popping and topping oils including coconut oil, corn oil, canola fry oil, sunflower oil, buttery topping, and classic blend popping oils in various packaging sizes from bag-in-box to pails.
• Popcorn Comprehensive popcorn supplies including Morrison Farms and Orville Redenbacher raw popcorn, Jolly Time all-in-one kits, caramel glaze, Flavacol salt, cheese paste, kettle corn mixes, popcorn boxes in multiple sizes, and over 10 different varieties of raw popcorn.
• Paper and Plastic Disposables Disposable servingware including plastic cups, paper cups, lids, napkins, trays, popcorn tubs and bags, hot dog and clamshell containers, portion cups, straws, and eco-friendly compostable options.
• Smallwares Operational equipment including popcorn scoops, ice scoops, syrup pumps, squeeze bottles, triggers, and dispensers for efficient concession stand operations.
• Equipment Gold Medal Products concession equipment including popcorn poppers (6-60 oz capacities), Gold Medal Breeze EZ Clean cotton candy machines, Econo 14 poppers, 32 oz Pop-O-Gold counter poppers, popcorn carts, and bag-in-box oil pump heaters, ranging from small counter units to stadium-sized machines.
• Facility Maintenance and Sanitation Facility supplies including Xpressnap napkin dispensers, germicidal cleaners, vinyl gloves, paper towels, toilet tissue, urinal screens, brooms, dust pans, and sanitation products for concession operation facilities.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Gold Medal ProductscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrima Distribution is a stocking distributor for Gold Medal Products, offering their cotton candy machines, popcorn machines, and popcorn carts. Gold Medal Products is a major manufacturer of concession equipment.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• US Foods: Top-tier broadline foodservice distributor offering consumables and equipment to restaurants, theatres, and concession operators nationwide. Overlaps with Prima's product lines (candy, beverages, paper, frozen foods) but competes only as part of a much larger broadline portfolio.
• Performance Food Group: Large foodservice and convenience distributor (parent of Vistar) operating broadline and specialty channels serving theatres, vending, and concession accounts. Comparable to Prima in concession supply through Vistar and in broadline foodservice through its other segments.
• Dot Foods: Largest foodservice redistributor in North America, supplying grocery, frozen, dairy, candy, and concession-relevant items to foodservice distributors and operators. Comparable to Prima as a wholesale channel for consumables but operating one tier upstream via redistribution.
• Sysco Corporation: Largest US broadline foodservice distributor carrying candy, beverages, paper goods, and equipment relevant to concession operators. A broad incumbent comparable to Prima's foodservice distribution model but operating at national scale and across all foodservice verticals, not specialized in concession.

Regional players

• Labatt Food Service: Regional broadline foodservice distributor serving the Southwest with center-store, frozen, beverage, and equipment categories that overlap with Prima's portfolio. Comparable distributor model but serving a different geographic region.
• Shamrock Foods Company: Regional broadline foodservice distributor based in the Southwest with overlapping product categories (candy, beverages, paper, frozen, equipment). Comparable distributor model to Prima but serving a different geography with broader product coverage.
• Ben E. Keith Foods: Regional broadline foodservice distributor serving the South-central US with center-store, frozen, beverage, and equipment categories that overlap with Prima's portfolio. Comparable foodservice distribution model but different regional footprint.

Direct peers

• Vistar (a PFG company): Foodservice distributor focused specifically on vending, theater, concession, and hospitality channels. Highly comparable to Prima because it sells candy, snacks, beverages, and supplies into the same theatre/concession customer verticals nationwide.
• C. Cretors & Company: Historic popcorn equipment manufacturer that also supplies popcorn ingredients, oils, and concession supplies. Directly comparable to Prima as a popcorn-and-concession equipment/supply specialist serving theatres, stadiums, and popcorn retailers.
• Gold Medal Products Co. Major manufacturer of concession equipment (popcorn poppers, cotton candy machines, carts) that also sells consumables and supplies direct. Comparable to Prima because it operates in the same theatre/concession channel with overlapping product categories, and is Prima's key equipment supplier.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/primadist
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/prima-distribution

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 Prima Distribution