NAPERVILLE, Ill. (June 08, 2017) — Kings Food Markets and Balducci’s Food Lover’s Market selected KeHE Distributors as a specialty distributor for natural & organic, specialty, and private label items. The agreement is effective immediately. The transition is scheduled to be complete this summer.

“Across the KeHE community, we are energized to put our compelling service, pricing and promotions model to work for Kings and Balducci’s,” said Brandon Barnholt, president and CEO, KeHE. “We are honored to be a part of their distribution network and to help achieve their future growth plans.”

An upscale gourmet food market, Kings is recognized as a pioneer within the specialty food industry. Kings began in 1936 with the humble purpose of finding the freshest available produce, and today Kings provides a unique shopping experience paired with the highest quality foods. Its founders identified the best local farmers and established long-lasting relationships that have grown. Today, it has 25 stores in New Jersey, New York and Connecticut that sell local, national and international specialty food products. Specialty food retailer Balducci’s was started in Brooklyn in 1916 by “Pop” Balducci and has grown to become a gourmet powerhouse, specializing in hand-selected meats and cheeses, restaurant-quality prepared foods, and fresh baked goods with 10 store locations in Maryland, Virginia, New York and Connecticut. Both companies were acquired by KB Holding, Inc. in 2016.

“By choosing KeHE, we have selected a specialty supplier that shares our collective passion for food, which continues to be the enduring foundation of our success,” said Judith Spires, Chairman and CEO, Kings and Balducci’s. “This partnership will continue to grow our business while enhancing our ability to deliver an expertly curated selection of offerings to the communities we serve.”

About KeHE

KeHE Distributors, LLC (KeHE) provides Natural & Organic, Specialty and Fresh products to natural food stores, chain grocery stores, independent grocery stores and other specialty product retailers throughout North America. KeHE is the trusted B Corp Certified and employee-owned company with over 4,500 CareholdersTM in the U.S. and Canada. For more about KeHE, visit KeHE.com.