Harbor Foods
we look for other companies that share that common set of values . So far , it has worked . The MTC Distributing acquisition in California was a great example of that . The owner is third generation , and the company is over 100 years old , like Harbor . The owner did everything he could to make that business a great place for his team to work . He wanted to find a buyer for the business that would ensure his people were taken care of , and that would support the local community ,” she says .
“ He was willing to help finance the acquisition and gave us a discount . We don ’ t want to buy a company to just grab its customer base . It needs to be the right fit for our Harbor Family ,” Justin adds .
“ One of the aspects that has made us so successful through the transition ,” says Monica , “ is we have such a strong foundation with key employees who have been loyal and helped build the business . We have seen them grow and their business knowledge change . They ’ ve contributed to a strong foundation , and brought in exceptional talent with different skill sets , backgrounds and cultures , which can sometimes be hard to maintain . This has been a beautiful blend of a strong foundation , and new experiences to set the future .”
Growth partnerships
On that note , the future looks promising for Harbor Foods , with potential to continue to grow . “ We are looking at expanding our distribution operation , which will involve automation in the future . Additionally , we are considering the customers we should serve and how most efficiently to do so . I think our network is going to be a critical element over the next five years as it will continue to support the growth that we want to achieve . We ’ ll need to figure out how to be most efficient as well . We believe transportation will also be a challenge , so we are going to be building out our capabilities in that area and looking at re-distribution for some of our suppliers ,” concludes Monica . Above all , Harbor Foods will continue to support other local food producers and distributors in extended geographies , ensuring that it partners with local specialists to help them grow as well . ■
www . harborfoods . com
44