Caito Foods Service Acquired in $217M Deal

Caito Foods was founded in 1965.

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Indianapolis-based Caito Foods Service is being acquired by SpartanNash in Michigan in a $217 million transaction. Caito supplies fresh fruit and vegetables to grocery retailers and food service distributors in 22 states. The deal, which also includes Caito’s logistics affiliate Blue Ribbon Transport, is expected to close early next year.

Caito is currently wrapping up construction on its $32 million Fresh Kitchen project in Indianapolis. The facility will process, cook and package fresh foods and complete meals, and is expected to be up and running in the first quarter of 2017.

SpartanNash Chief Executive Officer Dennis Edison calls Caito "a premier distributor with best-in-class food processing facilities," and says its service area is "complementary to our current distribution footprint." Caito’s senior leadership team, including President Robert Kirch and Blue Ribbon Transport President David Frizzell, will join SpartanNash as part of the transaction. They will continue to oversee Caito’s operations, which will remain based in Indianapolis.

Kirch says the acquisition will allow Caito "to expand and enhance our combined ability to deliver high-quality fresh products efficiently to a greater number of customers across the country."

SpartanNash distributes grocery products in 47 states as well as Europe, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Bahrain and Egypt.