Our Company
GFS British Columbia History |
« Back to Our History |
Neptune Food Service began as Neptune Food Suppliers in 1965. Neptune was a small butcher shop at 65 Lonsdale Avenue in North Vancouver. The name Neptune was chosen due to its close links with the sea, as tugboats and other fishing craft were the major customers. As products were added to meet the tugboats needs, the Neptune family realized there was also a requirement for this service in the restaurant industry. The company began providing restaurants, hotels, and food agencies with the "One Stop Shop" concept, which has continued to be the cornerstone of business over the years.
As the company grew, so did the warehouse location. The first was in 1970 to a warehouse on Lynn Avenue in North Vancouver. In 1976, the operation moved to a larger facility on Marine Way in Burnaby, and in 1983 it moved to yet a larger facility in Richmond. Neptune's last move was in May 1995 when the company moved into the current facility in Annacis Island.
Over the years, Neptune Food Service has grown from a handful of employees to over 700 people servicing our customers. In 1996, Neptune became a division of SERCA Foodservice Inc. In 2002, SERCA was sold to a broad North American Foodservice distributor, who is a main competitor in the BC marketplace. Neptune (then known as Pacific SERCA) was not part of the transaction because of the Competition Board ruling, Neptune was very fortunate to be able to join forces with Gordon Food Service.
The sale of Neptune to GFS created tremendous opportunity for Neptune. Coast-to-coast service is a great opportunity for regional and national customers who are expanding east. Continued emphasis on quality and service, as well as a significant growth in the foodservice industry in the last decade, has helped to make Neptune one of the largest food distributors in British Columbia. Changes have occurred in the business, but the mission has remained steadfast over the years. Neptune has been the leader in the food distribution business in BC for over 25 years, and it is committed to its leadership position long into the future.
In 2009, to strengthen our corporate image and present a cohesive message to our customers across Canada, we changed our name to Gordon Food Service.
View history on...
