Food company acquires firm

Food company acquires firm

Photo via alliance-foods.com

A food company in the region has acquired an out-of-state brokerage firm for producers of food products.

Coldwater-based Alliance Foods said this week it acquired Chicago-based Proactive Sales & Marketing, or PSM.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“We are very excited to add a first-class company with a long tradition of excellence to Alliance’s broker business platform,” said Sal Stazzone, president and CEO, Alliance Foods. “PSM’s long-standing presence and deep customer relationships are key factors of consideration when Alliance selects companies for acquisition.

“Together, our two companies have more than 200 years of presence and experience in the food broker business, serving manufacturer vendors and retail customers.”

Stephen Diebold, president and CEO of PSM, called the acquisition a “win-win” for both companies.

“We’re looking forward to bringing valuable new sales opportunities to our manufacturer vendors through Alliance’s strong retail relationships, as well as offering Alliance’s broad product portfolio to our retail customers,” Diebold said.

The acquisition of PSM aligns with Alliance’s strategic plan for “continued expansion of its broker business,” according to Alliance.

Alliance currently sells to retailers across the U.S. through its national sales and marketing business unit, which the company said will benefit from PSM’s presence and relationships in Chicago, Milwaukee and other markets.

Alliance Foods

Founded in 1925, Alliance Foods is a provider of non-food consumer product sales, packaging and supply chain services to consumer packaged goods manufacturers.

Through its national food broker business unit, the company offers more than 150 manufacturers access to a myriad of retail customers via channels: retail and wholesale grocery, mass, c-stores, club, drug, home improvement, sporting/outdoors and farm and fleet stores.

In addition, Alliance offers integrated services for packaging, supply chain, brand development and “go-to-market” strategic planning.

The company has offices in Coldwater, St. Louis and Naperville, Illinois.

Alliance is a 100 percent employee-owned company.

Proactive Sales & Marketing

Founded in 1906, PSM is an independent retail broker for producers of food products.

It serves Chicago and Milwaukee and has customers throughout the upper Midwest.

PSM works with worldwide food manufacturers in the following categories of retail grocery: dry grocery, frozen foods, dairy, deli, meat and produce.