G.E.M. FOOD BROKERS JOINS A.J. LETIZIO SALES & MARKETING

A.J. Letizio Sales & Marketing, Inc. of Windham, NH announced today that the company has reached an agreement with G.E.M. Food Brokers, Inc. of Rochester, New York, to acquire their business. The G.E.M. organization has long been a respected leading foodservice sales agency in the Upstate New York and Northern Pennsylvania markets. Founders and co-owners Eric Gager and Andrew Mahoney agreed to the deal that transfers ownership of G.E.M. Food Brokers to A.J. Letizio effective June 1, 2021 and merges the two organizations.
In the combined organization, A.J. Letizio has named Kevin Crowley of Rochester New York to serve as Regional Director for Upstate New York. A.J. Letizio will be taking over the G.E.M. headquarters in Rochester but has plans in place for the construction of a new A.J. Letizio regional headquarter facility and training center in Rochester in late 2021.

Gager and Mahoney founded G.E.M. on November 1st, 1991, having each had a long history as foodservice professionals. The G.E.M. team will be merged with A.J. Letizio’s existing Upstate New York team to form the largest and most comprehensive foodservice team in the region. Both principals plan to stay on to ensure a smooth transition.

The teams at A.J. Letizio and G.E.M. share a common legacy of “family style” personalized service to their clients and customers. The Letizio family traces its century old origins in the food business to the family’s Italian market in Lawrence, MA in 1912. “This merger is a strategic step for both companies” said Al Letizio, Jr., Chief Executive Officer of A.J. Letizio. “The acquisition of G.E.M., a highly respected organization and a benchmark for the foodservice industry in Upstate New York and beyond, fits perfectly in our strategy to become the sales agency leader in the foodservice industry and a key partner for our customers and clients in the region. We are proud to include G.E.M., which has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with its foodservice industry partners for 30 years, in our portfolio. We are enthusiastic about the successful combination of our corporate cultures, the proven track record of our leadership team and the complementary nature of the A.J. Letizio and G.E.M. brands.”

“We are very pleased with the prospect of our companies coming together” said Eric Gager, President & General Manager of G.E.M. “Having completed thirty years of service to the industry, this is an important next step that positions G.E.M. and its team members to take advantage of what we think are significant growth opportunities in the North Eastern US foodservice markets today. We are excited to join forces with A.J. Letizio and feel that the combination of both brands will provide an unparalleled sales solution for our combined customers and clients”.
The merger accomplishes another key strategic objective for the Letizio organization in its 20-year strategic plan. The establishment of a new regional headquarters in Rochester New York, in addition to regional offices in New York City, Parlin New Jersey and its soon to open Philadelphia regional facility, supports A.J. Letizio’s new Foodservice Team and existing Retail Team throughout the Northeastern United States.

A.J. Letizio Sales & Marketing is a Super Regional Sales Agency in the Eastern United States that celebrates its 33rd year in operation in 2021. Headquartered in Windham New Hampshire, A.J. Letizio is Windham’s largest private employer. A.J. Letizio’s Retail and Consumer Packaged Goods Division provides service throughout the Eastern United States and its Foodservice & Disposable Goods Division operates in the Northeast United States.