Company History
A History Of Willow Run Foods
Willow Run Foods is the Northeast and Mid - Atlantic's premier fast food systems distributor. Serving customers in 14 states, we provide one-stop-shopping for our chain restaurant operators while focusing on building customer relationships and providing service that is second to none.
1949
Start of Willow Run Foods
Willow Run Foods was founded in 1949 as a small retail door-to-door egg route delivered by Robert T. Hanley on his way to Triple Cities College. This egg route soon developed into a wholesale egg business selling to neighborhood grocery stores and restaurants. The original name, Willow Run Farms, came from Willow Point, a local landmark jutting out into the Susquehanna River.
1955
Another Egg Company
In 1955, the company bought the Warren Wixen Egg Company in HorseHeads, New York and began to increase its marketing area.
1961
A New Name
In, 1961, Willow Run Farms changed its name to Willow Run Foods and started selling frozen and dry foods to hospitals, restaurants and institutional customers.
1975
More Growth
With the purchase of Homaid Brands, Inc. in 1971, Willow Run Foods grew and provided our customers with specialty meat products.
July 1989
Beginnings of ESOP
On July 1, 1989, Willow Run Foods became an ESOP, employee stock ownership plan, company. This allows employees to share in the growth and prosperity of the company because the employees receive shares of company stock and the value of the stock is determined by the success of the company.
1991
Becoming Specialized
In 1991, Willow Run Foods sold the street portion of its business to Weis Markets. This allowed the company to specialize in servicing fast food, multi-unit accounts.
1997
Additional Growth
In 1997, sales increased 40% requiring additional warehouse space. Willow Run Foods bought the former Grossman's Building in Vestal adding 19,000 sq. feet of dry warehouse space and leased 4,100 sq. feet of freezer space.
1999
Brand New Facility
Controlled and continued growth is the goal at Willow Run Foods. Expansion has been nearly continual since 1949. In 1999, Willow Run Foods Moved its operations from three locations in Vestal, NY to a new state-of-the-art, 150,000 sq. foot facility in Kirkwood, NY.
2001
Making Our Facility Larger
Growth continued in 2001 with the addition of freezer, cooler and office space and again in 2002 with the addition on the dry warehouse.
2003
Our Truck Expansion
In 2003, the company added a 20,000 gallon fuel tank, put a canopy over the fuel island and put an addition on the Truck Garage enabling the company to lease space to Ryder.
June 2003
Fully Employee Owned
In June 2003, Willow Run purchased Bob Hanley's remaining stock making the company 100% employee owned. At this time, the company also transitioned to a Federal S-Corp identification allowing the company to reap the tax benefits associated with this change.
September 12, 2013
Willow Run Foods Inc. Announces Alternative Transportation Project
Investment in 15 Compressed Natural Gas-Powered Heavy Duty Trucks
October 24, 2013
Willow Launches CNG Vehicles
Willow Run Foods Inc., a Broome County food distribution company that delivers throughout the Northeast, is initiating an alternative transportation project at its state-of-the-art facility in Kirkwood that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The alternative transportation project, which is receiving $1 million from New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), includes 15 heavy duty compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks, leased from Ryder System, Inc. (Ryder).
2014
Now and Beyond
Willow Run prides itself on the quality of its service and the spirit of its employees. The success and further growth of Willow Run Foods is dependent upon the effort, team,work and dedication of its employees. Through employee ownership, employees reap this success through annual allocations and ever-growing stock price.
