GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. – Gordon Food Service entered into a definitive agreement to acquire North York, Ontario-based Macgregors Meat & Seafood Ltd., a leading Canadian supplier to foodservice, retail, and private label customers. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval under the Competition Act (Canada) and other customary closing conditions; additional details were not disclosed.

Gordon Food Service expects the acquisition to diversify and expand its customer offerings through new food categories and new retailers. Macgregors will operate as a specialty company of Gordon Food Service upon completion of the transaction.

“We are excited to welcome Macgregors employees and its brands to the Gordon Food Service family,” said Rich Wolowski, president and chief executive officer of Gordon Food Service. “Macgregors is among the most respected in the marketplace and like Gordon Food Service, Macgregors operates with a people-focused culture. We expect our cultural similarities will make for a smooth transition for both our customers and employees.”

Macgregors is one of Canada’s longest standing independent family-owned food purveyors with operations that include state-of-the-art dedicated raw and cooked facilities, new office and innovation center space, and an adjacent store open to the public. Macgregors brand partnerships include Certified Angus Beef, 44th Street, Niman Ranch and Jail Island Salmon.

Macgregors Meat & Seafood Ltd. spans seven generations of continual family ownership, with roots dating back to 1834 in Toronto’s historic St. Lawrence Market. The company currently is in its third generation of the Macgregor family ownership (since 1949).

“As our family contemplated Macgregors’ future strategic direction in the Canadian foodservice and retail landscape, we identified key important factors in selling the business,” said Duncan Macgregor Jr., president and general manager. “This included shared values, vision, passion for the business, and seamless opportunity for our staff. We’ve come to respect and admire the similarities with the Gordon family and anticipate an exciting future as part of the Gordon Food Service group of specialty companies.”

Gordon Food Service has been in business for 125 years. The company serves foodservice operators in the Midwest, Northeast, Southeast, and Southwest regions of the United States and coast-to-coast in Canada. The company also operates more than 170 Gordon Food Service Store locations in the United States.