Five Star Food Service announced the acquisition of Refreshment Solutions, a Canteen franchise based in Louisiana covering New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Biloxi. This acquisition solidifies the company’s plan to create a continuous operational geography from Pensacola, Florida, to Lake Charles, Louisiana.
“When we extend outside of our existing footprint, we do so deliberately with an intent on creating operational density,” Richard Kennedy, president and CEO, said in the announcement. “We have achieved that in Louisiana with two of our most recent acquisitions. The addition of the teams from M&M and Refreshment Solutions gives us a very solid footing in the state around which we can further grow. It also puts us well over 3,000 micro markets, which is a milestone we have had an eye on for the past year.”
Mark Stephanos, executive vice president of retail operations at Five Star, added in the announcement, “Five Star is excited to further expand our retail operations within Louisiana and Mississippi. We are proud to welcome the Refreshment Solutions team to the Five Star family and look forward to introducing our unique and innovative retail programs into these new territories.”
Refreshment Solutions is the largest vending and micro market company in New Orleans and Baton Rouge with over 80 employees founded in 1989 by their CEO Marcus Whitener.
Five Star Food Service, headquartered in Chattanooga, TN, is a premier away-from-home food and beverage retail solutions provider for employers and other commercial, institutional, and educational locations. Five Star is an industry leader in micro markets, full-line vending, pantry, coffee and water services, full-service dining, catering, fresh food production, coffee roasting, secured delivery, and sustainable products serving nine states including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, and Tennessee. Founded in 1993, Five Star has grown to one of the largest privately held convenience services operators in the United States and is the largest franchise of Canteen, a Compass Group company.
