Five Star Food Service announces the acquisition of the Canteen franchise, Southern Vending, Inc., a full-line vending and micro market operator in southwest Tennessee - expanding Five Star’s presence in this region.
Brian and Lorri Blattler founded Adamsville-based Southern Vending in 2000 having since steadily grown their presence as a breaktime solutions provider for southwest Tennessee’s largest employers. The relationship between the two companies matured due in part to their membership as Canteen franchises as well as mutual service on the state’s industry association [TAMA] board. These shared experiences helped foster a seamless transition as Five Star prepares to integrate Southern’s operations into its own.
"Our acquisition of Southern Vending is an important milestone for our company," said Mark Stephanos, executive vice president at Five Star Food Service. "As we expand further, we are eager to extend our commitment to innovation, quality, and exceptional service to the western Tennessee region. We are confident that this strategic decision will be beneficial for both our newly acquired customers as well as new customers we earn, as we bring our exciting convenience services and fresh dining options to these communities."
Five Star recently acquired Franks Vending, another Canteen franchise, which bordered Southern’s service footprint immediately to the east - making this acquisition a clear next step in the company’s growth plan, said officials.