Source:  Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE.COM, 4/18/11

Rosemont, Ill.-based foodservice distributor giant U.S. Foodservice announced it has purchased Ritter Food Service, a division of The Pennfield Corporation.

Ritter, based in Mount Joy, Pa., is a specialty distributor of poultry, meats and seafood, including the Pennfield Farms brand. Ritter serves more than 1,000 customers which include local retailers and restaurants in Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey.

Ritter's operations will become part of the U.S. Foodservice Allentown, Pa., division.
"This acquisition gives our customers access to Ritter's broad selection of high-quality poultry, beef, pork, fresh and frozen seafood,” said Jeff Baldasano, division president, U.S. Foodservice-Allentown. “As important, Ritter customers now have access to more than 40,000 national brand products and U.S. Foodservice's own high-quality private label items, along with other food-related items."

U.S. Foodservice distributes more than 350,000 national brand products and its own private label items, ranging from meats to produce to frozen foods. The company has 25,000 employees in more than 60 U.S. locations.

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