What Bell & Sons does

Bell & Sons Inc. is a Michigan-based food service and equipment distributor operating a hybrid retail and e-commerce model from a single headquarters location at 26514 W. Seven Mile Rd in Redford. The legal entity is a privately held Michigan corporation with no disclosed ownership, funding history, or leadership team. The company functions as a traditional reseller of third-party branded commercial foodservice products, carrying catalog lines from manufacturers including WINCO (D.W.L. Industries), Carlisle FoodService Products, and Cambro — with 759+ WINCO SKUs alone indicating a deep catalog across multiple categories. The tagline "Michigan's food service and equipment supplier" frames the company as a regional incumbent with national shipping reach.

The product portfolio spans ten categories: disposables, smallwares, table top, food and beverage, storage and transportation, furniture, plumbing, janitorial supplies, commercial cooking and food preparation equipment, and refrigeration. Pricing is transactional and unit-based with no tiered or subscription structure; the site also operates Close Out Sale and Clearance sections indicating active inventory clearance. Distribution is handled through four channels: the company's own ecommerce.bellandsons.com storefront (with account registration, manufacturer filtering, advanced search, and buy-online-pickup-in-store), USPS-based domestic shipping throughout the United States, free local delivery within Michigan for orders meeting a threshold, and in-store pickup at the Redford location open five days a week with phone-based customer support Monday–Friday 8:30AM–5:00PM.

Customer segments include restaurants and food service establishments (primary), cannabis businesses, and commercial kitchens and institutional facilities. The gtm_motion is primarily self-serve for smaller customers with phone-based support for larger orders. The company holds membership in NAFED (National American Food Equipment Distributors), giving it access to industry-wide B2B distribution channels. No revenue, headcount, certifications, patents, regulatory actions, M&A activity, or leadership changes are disclosed in the available data.

Name

Bell & Sons

Legal name

Bell & Sons Inc.

Website

https://bellandsons.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Bell & Sons Inc. is a Michigan-based foodservice equipment and supplies distributor that resells branded products from manufacturers including WINCO, Carlisle, and Cambro to restaurants, cannabis businesses, and commercial kitchens via e-commerce, USPS shipping, local delivery, and a Redford retail storefront.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Service Equipment Distribution

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141), Wholesale-Professional & Commercial Equipment & Supplies (5040)

akta.pro primary industry

Broadline Foodservice Supplies Wholesale (AFAIALAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Restaurant & Foodservice Supply Cash-and-Carry (Chef Stores) (CRAHAMAD)

Keywords

• Commercial food service equipment
• Restaurant supplies distribution
• Kitchen smallwares
• Food service disposables
• Commercial refrigeration equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Redford

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

Revenue model

1. Food Service Equipment Sales: Sale of commercial food service equipment including cooking equipment, refrigeration, plumbing fixtures, and furniture for restaurants and food service establishments.
2. Smallwares and Supplies Sales: Sale of consumable food service items including disposables, kitchen utensils, table top items, and janitorial supplies. One-time transaction-based purchases.
3. Shipping and Delivery Services: Domestic shipping throughout the United States using USPS, with free local delivery available for orders meeting threshold requirements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Bell & Sons is a Michigan-based food service equipment and supplies distributor that sells commercial kitchen equipment, smallwares, disposables, janitorial supplies, refrigeration, plumbing, furniture, and storage/transportation products to restaurants and food service establishments. The company operates a physical retail location in Redford, MI and an e-commerce storefront, offering both in-store pickup and domestic shipping via USPS. The product catalog spans hundreds of items across multiple categories, sourced from major brands such as WINCO, Carlisle, and Cambro.

Product overview

Bell & Sons is a Michigan-based food service and equipment supplier operating as an e-commerce platform. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of food service products organized into multiple categories: Disposables (take-out containers, cups, cutlery), Smallwares (kitchen tools, cookware, food storage), Table Top (dinnerware, drinkware, silverware), Food & Beverage products, Storage & Transportation equipment (shelving, carts), Furniture, Plumbing supplies, Janitorial/Cleaning products, Equipment (cooking, food prep, ice machines), and Refrigeration (reach-in units, walk-ins, prep tables). The company serves restaurants and food service businesses, primarily offering third-party branded products from manufacturers like WINCO, Carlisle, and Cambro.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Disposables Disposable products for food service operations including take-out containers, cups, lids, gloves, paper products, straws, bags, holiday decorations, and related consumables. Targeted at restaurants and food service establishments.
• Smallwares Kitchen tools and supplies including cutlery, utensils, food prep items, thermometers, measuring cups, cutting boards, food storage containers, cookware, pizza tools, bar supplies, and bus tubs for commercial kitchen operations.
• Table Top Dining essentials including silverware, plateware (china, ramekins, melamine), service items, and drinkware (plastic, glassware, china) for restaurant dining operations.
• Food & Beverage Food and beverage products including beverages, condiments, garnishes, and food items for food service operations.
• Storage & Transportation Storage and transport equipment including carts and shelving units for food service operations, sourced from brands like CARLISLE and CAMBRO.
• Furniture Restaurant furniture including booster seats, high chairs, table bases, and furniture accessories such as WINCO-branded items.
• Plumbing Food service plumbing and accessories including sinks, faucets, parts, and gas equipment for commercial kitchen installation.
• Janitorial Cleaning and sanitation supplies including chemicals, cleaners, soap, sanitizer, cleaning tools, trash cans, liners, restroom supplies, and floor mats for maintaining food service environments.
• Equipment Commercial food service equipment including cooking equipment (ranges, ovens, fryers, grills, toasters, broilers, microwaves), food preparation equipment, hot holding/warming equipment, work tables, ice machines, and beverage equipment.
• Refrigeration Refrigeration equipment including reach-in refrigerators and freezers, merchandisers, refrigerated prep tables (sandwich/salad, pizza), bar refrigeration, undercounter units, chef bases, and walk-in coolers and freezers.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• WINCO (D.W.L. Industries)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWINCO is a major brand supplier carried by Bell & Sons. Bell & Sons resells WINCO products including wire shelving, utility carts, furniture items (high chairs, booster seats), and kitchen equipment. Over 759 WINCO products are available through the Bell & Sons platform.
• CARLISLE FoodService ProductsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBell & Sons carries CARLISLE products including bus carts and utility carts. CARLISLE is a manufacturer of commercial foodservice products.
• CAMBROminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBell & Sons carries CAMBRO products including shelving and storage solutions. CAMBRO manufactures foodservice storage and transport equipment.
• NAFEDcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBell & Sons is listed in the NAFED (National American Food Equipment Distributors) catalog, indicating membership in this industry trade organization. NAFED connects food equipment distributors with buyers.
• USPSminorOthersUnited States Postal Service is used as the carrier for domestic shipping of products to customers throughout the United States.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Boelter Companies: Foodservice equipment and supplies distributor serving restaurants, hospitality, and institutional customers across the Midwest and beyond. Comparable vertical focus and product breadth to Bell & Sons, including smallwares, tabletop, and equipment.
• WebstaurantStore: Largest online foodservice equipment and supplies retailer in the US, offering deep catalogs across equipment, smallwares, disposables, and tabletop. Directly competes with Bell & Sons in the same product categories and target customer base (restaurants and food service operators) via e-commerce.
• Tundra Restaurant Supply: Online foodservice equipment and supplies retailer specializing in restaurant equipment, smallwares, and tabletop with nationwide shipping. Closely comparable to Bell & Sons in catalog breadth and ecommerce-led distribution to restaurants.
• Wasserstrom Company: Long-standing foodservice equipment and supplies distributor serving restaurants and chains. Comparable product mix and customer base to Bell & Sons, with both digital and relationship-driven sales channels.
• KaTom Restaurant Supply: Online-focused restaurant equipment and supply retailer with extensive catalog of cooking equipment, refrigeration, smallwares, and tabletop. Comparable to Bell & Sons in product mix and direct-to-restaurant go-to-market, with similar B2B customer base.
• Restaurant Depot: Cash-and-carry foodservice warehouse club serving restaurants and food businesses with broad assortment across equipment, supplies, and consumables. Bell & Sons' brick-and-mortar + online hybrid model overlaps with Restaurant Depot's trade-focused physical and digital presence.

Regional players

• Ace Mart Restaurant Supply: Regional restaurant supply company with physical stores and e-commerce serving foodservice operators. Comparable product catalog and customer mix to Bell & Sons, with multi-state presence but regional rather than national scale.

Emerging players

• Howard McCray (HMR): Foodservice equipment manufacturer and supplier focused on display refrigeration, merchandisers, and related equipment. Partial overlap with Bell & Sons' refrigeration and equipment categories, serving similar restaurant and retail customers.

Broad incumbents

• US Foods: Major broadline foodservice distributor competing with Sysco across restaurants and institutional buyers. While primarily food-focused, supplies related foodservice equipment and supplies to the same customer base as Bell & Sons.
• Sysco Corporation: Largest broadline foodservice distributor in North America, supplying restaurants, hotels, and institutions with food and related supplies. Overlaps with Bell & Sons in serving restaurants with equipment and supplies, but operates at vastly greater scale with private logistics.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

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 Bell & Sons