Five Star Breaktime Solutions acquires Jordan Distributing
Five Star Breaktime Solutions has acquired Jordan Distributing Co. Inc., a Chattanooga-based vending and micro markets operator.
Jordan Distributing was founded by industry veteran Hugh Jordan, who purchased Tom’s Distributorship in Knoxville, Tenn., in 1992. Jordan, who joined the vending industry in 1972, built his vending operation in that city before expanding into Chattanooga and the surrounding communities.
More recently, Jordan Distributing has been managed by Bart Jordan, Hugh’s son, and has operated as a two-route vending and micro market service provider in the Knoxville region.
Five Star’s acquisition extends the legacy of Tom’s Distributorship, the Knoxville vending business founded in 1937. According to Five Star Breaktime Solutions, Tom’s Distributorship was among the first companies to introduce glass-front snack machines into workplaces in 1956. This innovation helped shape the modern vending industry.
The transaction does not include employees, facilities or ownership transitioning as part of the deal, Five Star said in a statement. The company plans to integrate the acquired routes into its existing Chattanooga operations to maintain uninterrupted service and streamline the transition for customers. The acquisition is expected to strengthen Five Star’s presence in the Chattanooga region and support its growth across southeast Tennessee and northern Georgia.
Why operators should care
- Route consolidation in a regional market can affect local competition, account retention, service expectations and recruiting, especially when routes are folded into a larger operator’s existing branch network.
- For independent operators in the region, it reinforces the need to maintain strong account relationships, pricing discipline and service metrics.
About the Author
Linda Becker
Editor-in-Chief
Linda Becker is editor-in-chief of Automatic Merchandiser and VendingMarketWatch.com. She has more than 20 years of experience in B2B publishing, writing, editing and producing content for magazines, websites, webinars, podcasts, newsletters and eBooks, primarily for manufacturing and process engineering audiences. Since joining Automatic Merchandiser and VendingMarketWatch.com, Linda has developed a new appreciation for the convenience services industry and the essential role it plays. She is dedicated to serving readers by covering the latest news in the vending, office coffee service and micro market industry. She can be reached at 262-203-9924 or [email protected].