S.E. Rykoff - S.E. Rykoff & Co. Purchase John Sexton & Co.

S.E. Rykoff & Co. Purchase John Sexton & Co.

Roger W. Coleman approached Beatrice Foods with an offer to purchase John Sexton & Co. in 1982. Beatrice had purchase Sexton in 1968 for $37.5 million and had operated it as an independent company. In 1982, Sexton had revenue of $380 million with net income of $12 million compared to Rykoff's $346 million with net income of $4.5 million. Coleman saw an opportunity to gain an outstanding brand name, extensive product line, national distribution network, manufacturing division and a highly regarded sales force at a very attractive price. S.E. Rykoff & Co. bought John Sexton & Co. in 1983 $84 million from Beatrice Foods. At the time, it was the largest food service acquisition. Coleman realized that the S.E. Rykoff & Co. Brand was only known on the west coast where the Sexton Brand was known nationwide by institutional food customers. John Sexton & Co. had been distributing nationwide since 1897 and was well known as providing quality foods, reliable service and privately manufactured food items. Coleman convinced the S.E. Rykoff & Co. board of directors to rename the company Rykoff-Sexton. By 1986, Rykoff-Sexton took fourth place among foodservice distributors with $800 million in sales.