Sexton Foods - John Sexton & Co. National Expansion

John Sexton & Co. National Expansion

In 1928, at the age of 70, John Sexton stepped down as president of Sexton Quality Foods but remained the chairman. John Sexton asked his sons, Thomas, Franklin and Sherman who should lead the company. All agreed that Sherman was the best choice. Sherman became president of the company in 1928. Franklin remained the treasurer and Thomas remained vice president of merchandising. In 1930, at the age of 71, John Sexton died while on vacation in Los Angeles. After his death, the ownership of the company was divided between John Sexton’s wife Annie Louise (33%) and their children Thomas (13.3%), Franklin (13.3%), Sherman (13.3%), Helen (13.3%) and Ethel (13.3%).

By late 1931, the John Sexton & Co. leadership was as follows, Annie Louise (Bartleman) Sexton, Chairman, Sherman J. Sexton, President (Sales & Advertising), Harold R. White, Vice President (Canned & Dried Foods), Franklin Sexton, Secretary (Tea & Coffee) and Edmund A. Egan, Treasurer (Maintenance & Operation). In 1933, Sexton Foods opened the first distribution center outside Chicago by renting a warehouse in Brooklyn and buying a delivery fleet of 5 Diamond T trucks dedicated to the New York Market. The New York sales office was then supported by a regional distribution network that could provide next day delivery. That same year, the first Sexton professional salesmen training school was established. Henry A. Marten, husband of Ethel, led the Sexton Salesman School.

Sexton Quality Foods expanded their print advertising to the restaurant, college, hospital and food service trade publications in order to directly reach their customers. In addition, Sexton Quality Foods had a sales booth at all major trade conference for hospital administrators, college dietitians and restaurant associations. Sexton also published the first Sexton Cook Book in 1937. There were two other subsequent Sexton Cook Books published in 1941 and 1950. These cook book compiled large quantity recipes that the Sexton Customers had developed. In addition, Sexton Quality Foods routinely published pamphlets with menu ideas, food suggestions and business hints. Sexton Quality also publish annual hard cover diaries that featured customers’ large quantity recipes.

In January 1941, Sexton expanded by opening a branch warehouse and truck fleet in Dallas, TX at 1917 N. Houston Street. The Dallas branch would receive railcars of groceries from suppliers, canners and the Sexton Quality Foods Manufacturing Divisions. In 1941, Sexton introduced a line of frozen fruits and vegetables. The frozen food line was discontinued in mid-1942 due to the United States entering World War II and the need for Sexton to focus on providing groceries to the war effort. In August 1943, John Sexton & Co purchased the J. C. Stewart Company, an institutional wholesaler, coffee roaster and spice blender located in Pittsburgh, PA. Stewart Company had annual sales of $2 million had extensive coffee roasting facilities and was a leading processor marschino cherries and spices. Sexton relocated all coffee and spice blending operations to Pittsburgh. Investment banking firm of Floyd D. Cerf Company of Chicago represented Sexton in the transaction. By 1943, Sexton had the ability to supply, manufacture and distribute large amounts of institutional groceries from Sexton warehouses in Chicago, Brooklyn, Dallas and Pittsburgh.

In 1946, Sexton purchased a six story 110,000-square-foot (10,000 m2) building from stationary supplier Deeps, Inc. The building was located at 32-04 Northern Boulevard, Long Island City, NY and was originally constructed for Standard Radiator Co. As World War II ended, the third generation returned from war service and began working for the company. During this time, there were three sons, two son-laws, many cousins and over 25 grandsons working for Sexton Quality Foods. By 1949, John Sexton & Co. was operating branch warehouses in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Long Island City, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Territories served by a Sexton salesmen, but too remote from a Sexton branch warehouse, received rail shipments directly from Chicago. The majority of the Sexton manufacturing was still done at the Chicago facility. However, the chemical manufacturing plant had moved to Philadelphia. The Coffee roasting and spice blending operations had moved to Pittsburgh. In 1950, Sexton Quality Foods leased a 130,000-square-foot (12,000 m2) warehouse in San Francisco, CA to support the established west coast sales force and to expand into California, Oregon and Washington.

On December 29, 1951, John Sexton’s widow, Annie Louise Sexton, 90 years of age, chairman of John Sexton & Company died in Miami Beach. At the time of her death, she had 5 children, 25 grandchildren and 62 great-grandchildren. She is buried next to her husband at Calvary Cemetery in Evanston, IL.

In January 1953, Sexton purchased the Columbia Conserve Company, a food manufacturer located in Indianapolis, IN. The Sunshine Kitchens relocated to the newly purchased facility. However, Indianapolis grocery orders were still shipped from Chicago. The reason was that each night, up to 6 Sexton trucks from the Indianapolis facility would deliver Sexton manufactured products to the Chicago warehouse and return with the next day's Indianapolis orders. In October 1953, five grandsons were elected to the board of directors: John S. Marten of Indianapolis, Alfred Egan of Dallas, John P. Sexton of Philadelphia, Thomas W. Sexton of Chicago and William C. Sexton of Chicago. Franklin Sexton, Thomas G. Sexton, Edmund Egan remained as board members. At the close of 1953, Harold R. White, Vice President (Canned & Dried Foods) retired after 50 years with the company. Harold was the leading authority on canned and dried foods in the wholesale grocery industry and oversaw Sexton's food quality standards and laboratory. Ora Chidester was elected Vice President (Canned & Dried Foods). Matthew Theis, Vice President (Manufacturing) retired after 50 years with the company. Harry Gaugham was elected Vice President (Manufacturing). Franklin Sexton retired as secretary of the company after 47 years of service, but remained a board member. Stanley Wojteczko, company controller was elected secretary of company.

In early 1955, Sexton announced plans to sell the Illinois and Orleans building and construct a new 175,000-square-foot (16,300 m2) warehouse on 7 acres (28,000 m2) at 47th Street and Kilbourne Avenue on the south side. The new warehouse would house the distribution and sales office for Chicago. All food manufacturing was relocated to Indianapolis and the existing Indianapolis plant was enlarged The John Sexton & Co. building on the corner of Illinois and Orleans was converted to condominiums in the mid-1990s. The terra cotta JS & Co logos in the brickwork as are still visible.

During the 1950s, Sexton Quality Foods experienced rapid growth as the nation began to dine out more and food service customers demanded quality and consistent products and timely deliveries. By 1958, at the company's 75th anniversary, Sexton had a coast-to-coast distribution network with warehouses, sales operations and truck fleets located in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and San Francisco to service over 50,000 customers.