What Kreiser Distributing Co. does

Kreiser Distributing Co. was a regional B2B distributor of specialty commercial foodservice equipment, serving foodservice operators across Ohio, western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Indiana, and Kentucky from offices in North Huntingdon (PA), Cleveland (OH), Sharonville/Cincinnati (OH), and Pittsburgh (PA). Its product portfolio spanned core cooking equipment (commercial fryers, combi ovens, conveyor ovens, two-sided grills, ventless fryers), frozen dessert equipment (soft serve, batch ice cream/custard, milkshake/smoothie, slushie machines), commercial ice and water solutions, and holding cabinets, complemented by OEM replacement parts distribution and field service/maintenance. The company served a broad set of end markets including full-service restaurants, convenience stores, catering, ice cream shops, quick-service restaurants, bars, grocery, healthcare, hospitality, schools/universities, and coffee shops.

As of May 6, 2024, Kappus Company acquired the assets and operations of Kreiser Distributing Company, and Kreiser ceased to operate as an independent entity, now functioning under the Kappus Company brand. Kappus Company, founded in 1948 and headquartered in Cleveland, OH, was the acquirer; under the combined structure, former Kreiser operations continue from North Huntingdon, PA, with the same sales team, pricing, and product lines preserved while customers gain access to a wider product portfolio and combined service capacity.

The business model is a traditional equipment distribution and aftermarket service model. Revenue is generated through one-time sales of commercial equipment and OEM replacement parts, plus professional services revenue from equipment service and maintenance, with a certified pre-owned equipment offering addressing budget-sensitive operators. The go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales via regional representatives rather than e-commerce, supported by a website with product and vertical-industry solution pages, social media presence, and an email newsletter. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Kreiser itself reports a headcount of 1-10 employees, while the combined Kappus organization operates across three strategically located offices in Cleveland, Sharonville (Cincinnati), and North Huntingdon (Pittsburgh) to cover the five-state Midwestern/Appalachian footprint.

Name

Kreiser Distributing Co.

Legal name

Kappus Company

Website

https://kreiserdist.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kreiser Distributing Co. is a regional B2B distributor of commercial foodservice equipment and OEM replacement parts serving restaurants, convenience stores, catering, healthcare, and hospitality operators across Ohio, western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Indiana, and Kentucky. Acquired by Kappus Company in May 2024, it now operates under the Kappus brand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Foodservice Equipment Distribution

NAICS

Refrigeration Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (423740), Refrigeration Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (42374)

SIC

Wholesale-Industrial Machinery & Equipment (5084)

akta.pro primary industry

Restaurant & Commercial Kitchen Equipment Wholesale (AFAIALAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Food Preparation Equipment & Smallwares Wholesale (AFAIALAK)

Keywords

• Commercial foodservice equipment
• Foodservice equipment distribution
• Commercial kitchen equipment
• OEM replacement parts
• Foodservice equipment service

Headquarters

HQ city

Huntingdon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Equipment Sales: Sale of commercial foodservice equipment including fryers, combi ovens, grills, soft serve machines, holding cabinets, and ice/water solutions to foodservice operators
2. Parts Sales: OEM replacement parts distribution for commercial foodservice equipment
3. Equipment Service: Service and maintenance of commercial foodservice equipment
4. Pre-Owned Equipment: Certified pre-owned equipment sales

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Kreiser Distributing Co., now operating as Kappus Company following its May 2024 acquisition, distributes commercial foodservice equipment, OEM replacement parts, and related service to foodservice operators across Ohio, western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Indiana, and Kentucky. The portfolio spans cooking equipment (fryers, combi ovens, grills, conveyor ovens, ventless fryers), frozen dessert equipment (soft serve, batch ice cream, milkshake, slushie machines), and ice/water solutions, supported by certified pre-owned equipment and field service/maintenance.

Product overview

Kreiser Distributing Co., now operating as Kappus Company following the May 6, 2024 acquisition, is a commercial foodservice equipment distributor offering a portfolio of physical equipment products across multiple categories. The product portfolio centers on core cooking and food preparation equipment (Commercial Fryers, Combi Ovens, Conveyor Ovens, Commercial Two-Sided Grills, Ventless Fryers), frozen dessert equipment (Soft Serve Ice Cream Equipment, Batch Ice Cream & Custard, Milkshake & Smoothie Machines, Slushie & Frozen Drinks), and beverage/ice solutions (Commercial Ice & Water Solutions, Holding Cabinets). Supporting offerings include OEM replacement parts, equipment service/maintenance, and certified pre-owned equipment. The company serves diverse foodservice industry segments including restaurants, bars, convenience stores, catering, grocery, healthcare, hospitality, ice cream shops, pizza shops, quick serve, and schools/universities across Ohio, western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Indiana, and Kentucky.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Commercial Fryers

Segments11 records

Ideal customer profiles2 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.

• Kappus CompanyflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerKappus Company acquired the assets and operations of Kreiser Distributing Company as of May 6, 2024. Kreiser is now operating as Kappus Company. As two successful individual companies, Kappus and Kreiser are positioned to be even stronger as a combined organization. Operations remain in North Huntingdon, PA with the same team, pricing, and products maintained.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• The Restaurant Store: Mid-Atlantic and Midwest cash-and-carry foodservice equipment retailer targeting independent restaurants — operates a different sales model but competes for the same independent-restaurant buyer in overlapping geographies.

Direct peers

• Clark Food Service Equipment: Midwest foodservice equipment distributor serving restaurants, schools, and healthcare with equipment, parts, and design services — overlapping regional footprint and customer segments with Kappus/Kreiser.
• Bargreen Ellingson: Pacific Northwest-based foodservice equipment and supplies distributor serving restaurants, hospitality, and institutional buyers — directly comparable business model with comparable product breadth and parts/service offering.
• Sam Tell Companies: Northeast/Mid-Atlantic foodservice equipment distributor serving restaurants, hotels, schools, and healthcare — closely comparable regional foodservice equipment and supplies distribution model.
• Central Restaurant Products: Indianapolis-based commercial foodservice equipment distributor serving restaurants, schools, and c-stores — overlapping geography (Indiana, Ohio) and product mix (fryers, soft serve, combi ovens, parts) with Kappus/Kreiser.
• Wasserstrom Company: Midwest-headquartered commercial foodservice equipment and supply distributor with restaurant, hospitality, and institutional customers — a direct regional competitor to Kappus/Kreiser with overlapping product categories and customer verticals.
• Boelter Companies: Regional foodservice equipment and supplies distributor serving restaurants, healthcare, and hospitality across the Midwest — directly comparable in product portfolio, customer mix, and regional distribution model.

Broad incumbents

• Edward Don & Company: One of the largest U.S. broadline foodservice equipment distributors with national reach across restaurants, hospitality, and institutions — a scaled incumbent operating in the same category with broader geographic and portfolio coverage.

Emerging players

• Webstaurant Store: Largest online foodservice equipment and supplies retailer in the U.S. — competes with traditional distributors on catalog breadth and pricing, representing a structural channel-disruption risk for regional players like Kappus/Kreiser.
• Tundra Restaurant Supply: Online-first foodservice equipment and supplies retailer with broad product catalog — a digitally-native competitor pressuring traditional regional distributors like Kreiser/Kappus on price transparency and reach.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Kappus.Company
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kreiser-distributing-co
• Instagraminstagram.com/kappusco

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 Kreiser Distributing Co.