Gourmet Distributor Expands With Wisconsin Warehouse

Gourmet Foods International (GFI), an Atlanta-based distributor of specialty foods, plans to open a distribution center later this year in the Business Park of Kenosha, Wis., according to the Kenosha News.

The company has completed a $2.6 million transaction to expand Gourmet Foods’ distribution network into the Milwaukee, Chicago and Minneapolis markets. Company officials have not disclosed details of the transaction.

The company opened a warehouse in Denver in 2011 and recently has been serving its Minnesota and Iowa customers through its southwest regional distribution center in Conroe, Texas, near Houston. It also has warehouses in Florida, New Jersey and New York.

An Illinois-based real estate brokerage, Podolsky Circle CORFAC International, assisted in the property search and negotiations on a 35,216-square-foot industrial building. GFI is expected to open its Kenosha distribution center by the end of the year after converting the warehouse into a food-grade facility. The company is expected to employ 50 people within two to three years.

“Gourmet Foods International has known for some time they eventually wanted a presence in Wisconsin, the cheese capital of the U.S.,” said Adam J. Tarantur, a principal with the brokerage firm. “When this property became available, we felt it was the perfect opportunity for GFI to acquire a modern asset that allows them to put down roots right away while also giving them significant future expansion capabilities.”

Established in 1967, GFI distributes cheeses, cured meats and specialty food items throughout the United States. It is a supplier to restaurants, caterers, country clubs, hotels, resorts, independent markets and convention centers.