Moresco Distributing of Petaluma sold to Imperial Dade, a fast-growing food service, janitorial supply company
An East Coast-based national food service packaging and janitorial supply distributor has expanded its Northern California reach with the acquisition of Moresco Distributing Company of Petaluma.
The deal for Moresco, a 27-year-old distributor of food service packaging in Northern and Southern California as well as the Reno, Nevada, area, is the 36th for Jersey City, New Jersey-based Imperial Dade in the past decade and a half. Terms for the transaction, announced this week, weren’t disclosed.
Ron Moresco launched Moresco in 1995 and focused it on independent grocers, food processors, general manufacturers, specialty retail food service operators and wineries. Key grocery market customers listed on the firm’s website are Andy’s, Good Earth, Nugget, Oliver’s, Sonoma and Woodlands.
Moresco specializes in carrying biodegradable and compostable cups, plates, utensils, takeout containers and other disposable products. But the company also stocks wine carriers and shippers for vintner clients as well as hygiene supplies such as gloves and face masks for food processors.
Food service packaging suppliers saw a boom from for takeout containers and grocery bags in the early months of the coronavirus pandemic, as restaurants shifted sales under public health orders and stores banned reusable bags, according to the Food Packaging Institute. While the trend toward takeout food is expected to persist past the pandemic, and is skewing toward higher-income consumers, local governments have been reversing bag bans, the trade group noted.
A decade ago, Moresco’s growth in California and surrounding states prompted the company to start expanding its Petaluma real estate footprint, the Business Journal reported. After a succession of leases of local warehouses, the company purchased the 124,000-square-foot distribution facility at 1450 Technology Lane in 2015.
Imperial Dade started in 1935. The company operates a network of distribution centers with over 1,000 fleet vehicles delivering to over 65,000 customers in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. California operating companies beside Moresco are American Paper and Plastics, The Paper Company, P&R Paper, Area Distributors, P&R Paper
The firm started growing rapidly through acquisition and organically after CEO Robert Tillis and President Jason Tillis came to the company in 2007.
“Like Imperial Dade, Moresco has a deeply rooted family culture and high standard for customer service, making the business a great addition to our family,” said Robert Tillis in the announcement.
“We are excited to grow our presence across the West Coast and look forward to partnering with Ron and the Moresco team to capitalize on the many growth opportunities that we see ahead for the business,” said Jason Tillis in the news release.
Audax Private Equity invested in Imperial Dade in 2016, and Bain Capital Private Equity acquired a majority stake in June 2019.
Jeff Quackenbush covers wine, construction and real estate. Before the Business Journal, he wrote for Bay City News Service in San Francisco. He has a degree from Walla Walla University. Reach him at jquackenbush@busjrnl.com or 707-521-4256.
