Dairy King

What Dairy King does

Dairy King Milk Farms – Food Service (doing business as Dairy King) is a family-owned broad-line food service distributor founded in 1959 and headquartered in Bell, California. The company operates from a 70,000 square foot state-of-the-art distribution facility that holds a 'Superior' HACCP rating and delivers across Southern California from Palm Springs to Santa Barbara and Bakersfield to San Diego, with stated expansion plans to the north.

Dairy King distributes a comprehensive product catalog organized across seafood, meat and poultry, produce, dairy, dry goods, nutritional supplements, disposables, equipment and smallwares, and medical supplies. The company also markets a disaster meal program of freeze-dried meals with a 25-30 year shelf life targeted at institutional and government facilities for emergency preparedness compliance. Its primary customers are healthcare providers (major hospital chains, acute and long-term care facilities), schools and universities, government and institutional facilities, and to a lesser extent restaurants and hotels.

The business model is a direct B2B distribution model with three notable technical and operational differentiators: a proprietary fleet of dual-temperature compartment trucks that consolidate frozen, refrigerated, and dry goods into a single delivery; a proprietary online ordering platform (orders.dairyberries.com) that provides real-time inventory visibility, pricing, and buyer trend analysis; and value-added driver-level order stocking. Revenue is generated primarily through product sales with delivery, supplemented by upfront sales of disaster meal kits. Pricing is quote-based; orders are taken via phone (800-900-MILK) or the online portal, and the company supplements customer engagement with weekly published market reports.

Name

Dairy King

Legal name

Dairy King Milk Farms – Food Service

Website

https://dairyberries.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Dairy King is a family-owned broad-line food service distributor founded in 1959, based in Bell, California, serving healthcare facilities, schools, government institutions, and hospitality operators across Southern California with dairy, produce, meat, medical supplies, and disaster meal products.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Service Distribution

NAICS

Dairy Product (except Dried or Canned) Merchant Wholesalers (424430), Dairy Product Manufacturing (3115)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020), Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140)

akta.pro primary industry

Dairy & Refrigerated Foods Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ice Cream & Frozen Dairy Wholesale (AFAIAEAF), Fluid Milk & Cream Wholesale (AFAIAEAA), Dairy-Based Beverage Wholesale (Milk Drinks, Yogurt Drinks) (AFAIAGAG)

Keywords

• Food service distribution
• Broad-line distribution
• Institutional food supply
• Healthcare nutrition supply
• Disaster meal program

Headquarters

HQ city

Bell

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Food Service Product Distribution: Dairy King generates revenue through the distribution and delivery of a broad range of food service products including dairy, produce, meat, poultry, seafood, dry goods, bakery, beverages, nutritional supplements, and disposables to healthcare, school, and institutional customers. Revenue is derived from product sales with delivery service.
2. Medical Supplies Distribution: Sale and distribution of medical supplies and equipment including beds, mattresses, wheelchairs, lifts, medical gowns, face masks, gloves, wound care supplies, and linen products to healthcare facilities including hospitals, acute care, and long-term care facilities.
3. Disaster Meal Program: Cost-effective disaster preparedness meal program providing freeze-dried meals with 25-30 year shelf life. The program offers 3-5 day meal plans (3 meals/day) compliant with Department of Health requirements, sold to facilities for emergency preparedness.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Dairy King is a broad-line food service distributor that manufactures, sources, and distributes dairy, produce, meat/poultry, seafood, dry goods, nutritional supplements, disposables, equipment/smallwares, and medical supplies to institutional customers across Southern California. The company serves hospitals, long-term care facilities, schools, government institutions, restaurants, and hotels via its own dual-temperature fleet and a proprietary online ordering platform, and also offers a disaster meal preparedness program.

Product overview

Dairy King is a family owned and operated broad-line food service distributor founded in 1959. The company offers a comprehensive product portfolio organized into distinct categories: Seafood, Meat & Poultry, Produce, Dairy, Dry Goods, Nutritional Supplements, Disposables, Equipment and Smallwares, and Medical Supplies. The company also provides a Disaster Relief meal program and an Online Ordering System for customer ordering and inventory management. Dairy King operates from a 70,000 square foot state-of-the-art operations and distribution facility in Bell, California, serving healthcare facilities, schools, universities, government institutions, restaurants, and hospitality businesses across Southern California from Palm Springs to Santa Barbara and from Bakersfield to San Diego.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Seafood Fresh seafood products including shellfish, smoked fish and roes, salmon, trout, arctic char, sea bass, whitefish, flatfish, mackerel, monkfish, tuna, game and exotic fish, prepared food, scampi and light bites, distributed to institutional foodservice customers.
• Meat & Poultry Meat and poultry products including beef, veal, pork, lamb, poultry, turkey, wild game, venison, sausage, cured meats, smoked meats, processed meats, and glace, distributed to institutional foodservice customers.
• Produce Fresh produce including apples, asparagus, avocados, basil, beans, beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chili peppers, citrus fruits, melons, mushrooms, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, and leafy greens, distributed to institutional foodservice customers.
• Dairy Dairy products including milk, butter, margarine, cottage cheese, sour cream, yogurt, eggs, cheese, juice, and desserts, distributed to institutional foodservice customers.
• Dry Goods Dry goods including spices, flavorings, cereals, coffee, pasta, beans, corn, flour, sugar, cornmeal, rolled oats, baking powder, whole grains, cookies, crackers, barley, rice, and bread crumbs, distributed to institutional foodservice customers.
• Nutritional Supplements Nutritional supplements including food thickeners, vitamins, minerals, herbal supplements, omega-3 fatty acids, and specialty supplements for healthcare facilities.
• Disposables Disposable products including aluminum pans, cups, lids, containers, paper towels, napkins, foam food bowls, party supplies, food truck supplies, catering supplies, bar supplies, coffee shop supplies, restaurant supplies, and janitorial supplies.
• Equipment and Smallwares Kitchen equipment and smallwares including ranges, ovens, grills, deep-fryers, coolers, freezers, tableware, kitchen utensils, utility carts, cutting boards, baking tools, cookware, food storage containers, knives, pots, pans, catering aides, bakery aides, and aprons.
• Medical Supplies Medical supplies for healthcare facilities including beds, mattresses, wheelchairs, lifts, chairs, nightstands, bedside cabinets, medical gowns, face masks, gloves, wound care supplies, bandages, dressings, gauze, briefs, diapers, wipes, and underpads.
• Disaster Meal Program Disaster meal program providing 3-5 day meal plans (3 meals per day) compliant with Department of Health requirements, featuring freeze-dried meals with real protein and a 25-30 year shelf life for facility emergency preparedness.
• Online Ordering System Proprietary online ordering platform providing real-time inventory visibility, pricing, and buyer trend analysis for customers to place and manage institutional food service orders.

Quantifiable outcome

• Dual-temperature truck delivery reduces ordering and receiving complexity by consolidating multiple vendor orders into a single delivery
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Alta DenacoreOthersAlta Dena is a farmer-owned brand of Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), a cooperative supplying dairy products. Since 1945, Alta Dena has been nourishing families in Southern California with wholesome dairy products. It is featured as a sponsor of the month on Dairy King's website, indicating a close supply relationship.
• Bevolution GroupcoreOthersBevolution Group is among the nation's most diverse and creative foodservice beverage providers, with national sales and service coverage. Featured as a sponsor of the month, the company provides customized beverage strategies and product solutions to Dairy King.
• The J.R. Simplot CompanycoreOthersThe J.R. Simplot Company is one of the largest privately held food and agribusiness companies in the nation, pioneering innovations in plant nutrition and food processing. Featured as a sponsor of the month on Dairy King's website.
• Dole FoodsminorOthersDole Foods is listed as a partner/vendor of Dairy King, supplying produce and food products.
• YoplaitminorOthersYoplait is listed as a partner/vendor of Dairy King, supplying yogurt and dairy products.
• IBPminorOthersIBP is listed as a partner/vendor of Dairy King, supplying meat products.
• Hebrew NationalminorOthersHebrew National is listed as a partner/vendor of Dairy King, supplying kosher meat products.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Performance Food Group: Large multi-segment food distributor with a Vistar division focused on broad-line and institutional customers. Comparable as a broad-line incumbent serving healthcare and institutional accounts at scale.
• MBM (McLane Foodservice): Regional broad-line food service distributor serving national chain restaurants and institutional customers. Comparable to Dairy King as a broad-line competitor operating with a regional distribution model.
• US Foods Holding Corp: National broad-line food service distributor with significant healthcare and hospitality exposure. Comparable as a major-scale incumbent in the same broad-line food service distribution category.
• KeHE Distributors: Specialty and natural products broad-line distributor serving grocery, foodservice, and institutional channels. Comparable as an established distributor with healthcare and institutional exposure, though with a different product mix orientation.
• Sysco Corporation: Largest broad-line food service distributor in North America with national footprint and deep healthcare and institutional segment offerings. Represents the large-scale incumbent against which regional broad-line distributors like Dairy King compete.

Direct peers

• Gordon Food Service: Family-owned broad-line food service distributor with a large footprint across the U.S. and Canada, serving healthcare, education, and hospitality. Comparable to Dairy King in private family ownership, broad-line distribution, and institutional verticals.
• Shamrock Foods Company: Family-owned broad-line food service distributor with roots in dairy and produce, strong focus on healthcare, education, and institutional customers. Highly comparable to Dairy King in family-owned heritage, healthcare specialization, and broad-line distribution model.
• Nicholas & Company: Family-owned broad-line food service distributor in the Intermountain West with institutional and healthcare focus. Comparable to Dairy King in ownership structure, broad-line portfolio, and vertical specialization.
• Labatt Food Service: Regional broad-line food service distributor headquartered in Texas with strong K-12 school and healthcare segment focus. Directly comparable to Dairy King in customer vertical mix and broad-line distribution approach.
• Ben E. Keith Foods: Regional broad-line food service distributor serving the Southwest and other geographies with healthcare, school, and institutional customers. Comparable regional broad-line model with similar vertical focus to Dairy King.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Dairy King