S.E. Rykoff - Early History and Establishment of S.E. Rykoff & Co.

Early History and Establishment of S.E. Rykoff & Co.

The Harry & Ida Rykoff Family moved from Sioux City, Iowa to Los Angeles in 1910. The family opened a small grocery store near Union Station in downtown Los Angeles. They had nine children. In 1919, their son Saul returned from military service in World War I and rejoined his parents’ grocery store. Saul realized that selling food by the wagon load to large users was better business than selling to individuals. Saul proposed that the family focus on wholesaling. The company, S.E. Rykoff & Co. is named after Saul with the slogan, “Home of the Gallon Goods” which referred to the foodservice industry #10 can size. Saul focused on distributing to restaurants and other institutional customers of canned goods and dry groceries in and around Los Angeles. S.E. Rykoff & Co. was incorporated in 1950. Saul E. Rykoff died April 26, 1967 and was survived by his wife Saragrace and three children Thomas, Stephen and Ruth Coleman.