COMMERCIAL KITCHEN SERVICES
Commercial Kitchen Services is a family-owned, St. Louis-based independent service company providing on-site repair, preventative maintenance, and parts for commercial kitchen and foodservice equipment across Missouri, Kansas, and Southern Illinois.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersSt Louis, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What COMMERCIAL KITCHEN SERVICES does
Commercial Kitchen Services, Inc. is a privately held, family-owned commercial kitchen equipment service company founded in 1990 and headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. The company provides on-site service, repair, preventative maintenance, and parts supply for commercial cooking, refrigeration, dishwashing, and ventilation equipment used by restaurant operators and other foodservice businesses. Its customer base spans Missouri, Kansas, and Southern Illinois, served through four physical service centers in St. Louis, Jefferson City, Springfield MO, and Lenexa KS.
The business operates a direct, sales-led go-to-market model with field service technicians dispatched from a centralized operation. Revenue is generated through professional service work (repairs, installations, emergency calls), hardware parts sales (the company claims the largest parts inventory in the region), recurring preventative maintenance contracts on a monthly flat-rate subscription basis, and authorized distribution of Electro Freeze soft-serve, frozen beverage, and ice cream equipment in the Greater St. Louis and Mid-Missouri markets. Pricing is largely quote-based, with maintenance programs structured as monthly flat-rate engagements.
The company's competitive positioning rests on its 35-year operating history, factory-trained technical workforce with an average of more than ten years of experience, large regional parts inventory, and CFESA (Commercial Food Equipment Service Association) membership. It self-identifies as Missouri's largest independent commercial kitchen equipment service company. The business is funded entirely through internal operations with no disclosed institutional investors, acquisitions, or material leadership changes on record.
COMMERCIAL KITCHEN SERVICES firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- COMMERCIAL KITCHEN SERVICES
- Legal name
- Commercial Kitchen Services Inc.
- Website
- https://cks-stl.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Commercial Kitchen Services is a family-owned, St. Louis-based independent service company providing on-site repair, preventative maintenance, and parts for commercial kitchen and foodservice equipment across Missouri, Kansas, and Southern Illinois.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
COMMERCIAL KITCHEN SERVICES industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial Kitchen Equipment Services
- NAICS
- Refrigeration Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (423740)
- SIC
- Refrigeration & Service Industry Machinery (3580)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Ice Machine Installation, Cleaning & Repair (HSAOAJAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Restaurant & Commercial Kitchen Equipment Wholesale (AFAIALAB)
Keywords
Where COMMERCIAL KITCHEN SERVICES is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- St Louis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
COMMERCIAL KITCHEN SERVICES business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Equipment Service and Repair: On-site repair and service of commercial kitchen equipment by factory-trained technicians. Includes emergency repairs, scheduled maintenance, and new equipment installation.
- Parts Sales: Sale of OEM and replacement parts for commercial kitchen equipment. Operates with the largest parts inventory in the region for fast availability.
- Electro Freeze Equipment Sales: Authorized distributor of Electro Freeze soft-serve ice cream machines, frozen drink machines, and related equipment. Includes sales, maintenance, and parts for Electro Freeze products.
- Preventative Maintenance Programs: Recurring maintenance contracts including monthly flat-rate programs, quarterly tune-ups, and customized evaluation plans to extend equipment life and prevent breakdowns.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Custom maintenance programs tailored to business needs |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
COMMERCIAL KITCHEN SERVICES product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Commercial Kitchen Services provides on-site repair, preventative maintenance, installation, and parts supply for commercial kitchen equipment including cooking, refrigeration, dishwashing, and ventilation equipment for restaurants and commercial kitchen operators. As an authorized Electro Freeze distributor, the company also sells, services, and maintains frozen dessert and beverage equipment such as soft-serve ice cream machines, frozen cocktail machines, milkshake machines, slush machines, and gelato batch freezers across Missouri, Kansas, and Southern Illinois.
Product overview
Commercial Kitchen Services is a regional service provider offering commercial kitchen equipment maintenance, repair, and parts distribution. Their core offering consists of preventative maintenance programs, expert repair services, and an extensive parts inventory. As an authorized Electro Freeze distributor, they also sell, service, and maintain a comprehensive line of frozen dessert and beverage equipment including soft serve ice cream machines, frozen cocktail machines, milkshake machines, slush machines, gelato/batch freezers, and multi-flavor systems. Services are available across multiple Missouri and Kansas locations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Electro Freeze: Authorized distributor of Electro Freeze equipment including soft serve ice cream machines, frozen drink machines, slush machines, milkshake machines, gelato machines, and related parts and maintenance services in the Greater St. Louis Area and Mid-Missouri region.
Products and services
- Commercial Kitchen Maintenance Services Preventative maintenance programs including monthly flat-rate programs, quarterly tune-ups, and customized evaluations to extend equipment lifespan, reduce downtime, and optimize energy efficiency for commercial kitchen operators.
- Commercial Kitchen Service and Repair Expert repair, maintenance, and installation services for commercial kitchen equipment including emergency repairs, preventative maintenance, and new equipment installation performed by factory-trained technicians.
- Commercial Kitchen Equipment Parts Sale of OEM and replacement parts for commercial kitchen equipment including cooking, refrigeration, dishwashing, and ventilation equipment, along with disposable kitchen supplies, supported by the largest parts inventory in the region.
- Electro Freeze Equipment Sales Authorized distributor of Electro Freeze soft-serve, frozen beverage, and ice cream machines including frozen cocktail machines, soft serve ice cream makers, milkshake machines, slush machines, gelato machines, and multi-flavor systems in the Greater St. Louis Area and Mid-Missouri.
- Electro Freeze Maintenance Services Preventative maintenance programs for Electro Freeze equipment with factory-trained technician services and 24/7 support.
- Electro Freeze Parts Large inventory warehouse of Electro Freeze replacement parts with factory trained technicians for installation and quick repairs.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduced equipment downtime through fast response times and large parts inventory
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use COMMERCIAL KITCHEN SERVICES
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
COMMERCIAL KITCHEN SERVICES technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
COMMERCIAL KITCHEN SERVICES partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Electro FreezecoreAuthorized distributor of Electro Freeze soft-serve ice cream machines, frozen drink machines, slush machines, milkshake mixers, gelato machines, and related equipment in the Greater St. Louis Area and Mid-Missouri. Provides sales, maintenance, service, and parts for Electro Freeze products. Operates a showroom for hands-on equipment demonstrations.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
COMMERCIAL KITCHEN SERVICES competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Welbilt (Ali Group): Owner of foodservice equipment brands (Convotherm, Manitowoc Ice, Frymaster, Merrychef) and a large installed base that CKS services. Direct manufacturer-service capabilities make it both a partner and a competitor for regional independent service organizations.
- Middleby Corporation: Global commercial-kitchen equipment manufacturer whose brands (Vulcan, Garland, Blodgett, etc.) CKS services under warranty. Represents both a customer (warranty dispatch flow) and a competitive threat via direct factory-service networks.
- Hoshizaki America: Major manufacturer and servicer of commercial ice machines, refrigeration, and beverage equipment. Comparable to CKS in the refrigeration and ice-machine service side of the business, but operates nationally as an OEM with its own factory-direct service network rather than as an independent regional service provider.
- True Manufacturing: US manufacturer of commercial refrigeration and foodservice equipment. Comparable in the commercial refrigeration service category, but as an OEM with factory-direct service rather than an independent service operator like CKS.
Direct peers
- Edward Don & Company: One of the largest US foodservice equipment distributors, combining equipment supply, parts, and service for restaurants and institutions. Comparable to CKS in the equipment and parts distribution layer with broader geographic reach.
- Central Restaurant Products: National commercial-kitchen equipment and supplies retailer/distributor with equipment, parts, and service offerings — comparable mix to CKS's parts sales and equipment distribution business, but operating at national rather than regional scale.
- Boelter Companies: Regional commercial-kitchen equipment distributor and service provider in the Midwest with similar combination of equipment sales, parts, design, and field-service offerings — directly comparable business model to CKS in overlapping territory.
- Wasserstrom Company: Foodservice equipment and supplies distributor with service capabilities serving restaurants across multiple US regions. Overlaps with CKS in commercial-kitchen equipment sales, parts, and service to restaurant operators.
Emerging players
- Restaurant Depot: Membership-based restaurant supply warehouse club serving independent foodservice operators. Partial overlap with CKS on parts/supplies supply side, but with a different (cash-and-carry retail) business model and no on-site service.
Others
- CFESA (Commercial Food Equipment Service Association): Industry association of independent commercial food equipment service agents and dealers in North America. CKS displays the CFESA logo on its site, signaling peer-set membership; many CFESA members operate as direct competitors or comparable regional service providers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
COMMERCIAL KITCHEN SERVICES social profiles
Digital presenceCOMMERCIAL KITCHEN SERVICES financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
COMMERCIAL KITCHEN SERVICES leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
COMMERCIAL KITCHEN SERVICES funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
COMMERCIAL KITCHEN SERVICES M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about COMMERCIAL KITCHEN SERVICES
What does COMMERCIAL KITCHEN SERVICES do?
Commercial Kitchen Services provides on-site repair, preventative maintenance, installation, and parts supply for commercial kitchen equipment including cooking, refrigeration, dishwashing, and ventilation equipment for restaurants and commercial kitchen operators. As an authorized Electro Freeze distributor, the company also sells, services, and maintains frozen dessert and beverage equipment such as soft-serve ice cream machines, frozen cocktail machines, milkshake machines, slush machines, and gelato batch freezers across Missouri, Kansas, and Southern Illinois.
Is COMMERCIAL KITCHEN SERVICES a public or private company?
COMMERCIAL KITCHEN SERVICES is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was COMMERCIAL KITCHEN SERVICES founded?
COMMERCIAL KITCHEN SERVICES was founded in 1990. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is COMMERCIAL KITCHEN SERVICES based?
COMMERCIAL KITCHEN SERVICES is headquartered in St Louis, United States, in the North America region.
How does COMMERCIAL KITCHEN SERVICES make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Equipment Service and Repair is the primary driver. The others are parts Sales, electro Freeze Equipment Sales and preventative Maintenance Programs.
Who are COMMERCIAL KITCHEN SERVICES's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Welbilt (Ali Group), Middleby Corporation, Hoshizaki America and True Manufacturing. Direct peers are Edward Don & Company, Central Restaurant Products, Boelter Companies and Wasserstrom Company. Restaurant Depot is listed as an emerging player. CFESA (Commercial Food Equipment Service Association) is listed as an others.
Does COMMERCIAL KITCHEN SERVICES have an API?
No public API is recorded for COMMERCIAL KITCHEN SERVICES.
What industry is COMMERCIAL KITCHEN SERVICES in?
COMMERCIAL KITCHEN SERVICES's product category is Commercial Kitchen Equipment Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSAOAJAH, Ice Machine Installation, Cleaning & Repair, with a secondary code of AFAIALAB, Restaurant & Commercial Kitchen Equipment Wholesale. Its NAICS code is 423740 and its SIC code is 3580.