CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Whetstone Distribution (“Whetstone” or “the Company”), a platform of exceptional regional food distributors, today announced the acquisition of Anmar Foods (“Anmar”), a top Chicago-based meat purveyor.
Founded in 1994 and led by Michael Casper and Robert Martinelli, Anmar offers high-quality beef, turkey, chicken, and a variety of other center of plate proteins including pork, lamb, sausages, and other smoked products. Anmar is a full-service meat distributor and processor in the Chicago metro area. This add-on increases Whetstone’s platform diversity through product capabilities, channel penetration, geographic density, and customer base.
“Our mission is to provide the best protein for chefs to work with,” said Casper. “Partnering with Whetstone will help Anmar to reach its full potential and to continue exceeding customers’ expectations with high-quality ingredients for years to come.”
Whetstone’s partnership with Anmar further strengthens its Chicago presence, building on recent acquisitions of Fulton Market and Pritzlaff Wholesale Meats and an established distributor network that includes Moesle Meats and Queen Foods. Backed by Shore Capital Partners, Whetstone provides the tools, support and strategy needed to create long-term, transformational growth for its regional food distributors.
“Partnering with Anmar Foods marks another exciting step in Whetstone’s strategic expansion,” said Don McIntyre, CEO of Whetstone. “Anmar’s extensive network and dedication to the culinary professionals it serves will allow us to provide unrivaled service and variety to customers. We’re confident this partnership will not only strengthen our growing footprint but also bring even greater value to the market.”
“We’re proud to support Whetstone’s continued growth with the acquisition of Anmar Foods,” said Jeff Smart, Principal at Shore Capital Partners. “Anmar’s long-standing presence and consistent delivery of exceptional products make it an ideal addition to Whetstone’s portfolio. We’re excited to build on the momentum following the acquisitions of Fulton Market and Pritzlaff Wholesale Meats, and welcome Anmar into the Whetstone family.”
To learn more, please visit www.whetstonedistribution.com or email info@whetstonedist.com.
About Whetstone Distribution
Whetstone Distribution is a platform of exceptional regional food distributors, delivering sharp service and a wide range of products to independent grocers and restaurants across the Midwest. For more information, please visit: www.whetstonedistribution.com.
About Anmar Foods
Anmar Foods is a leading meat purveyor based in Chicago. Anmar offers high-quality beef, poultry, pork, lamb, veal, wild game, and a variety of sausages, bacon, hams, and other smoked products. For more information, please visit: www.anmarfoods.com.
About Shore Capital Partners
Shore Capital, a Chicago-based private equity firm with offices in Nashville, is an investor in lower middle market companies in the Healthcare, Food and Beverage, Business Services, Industrial, and Real Estate industries. Shore’s strategy is to support management partners to grow faster with less risk through access to capital, world-class board and operational resources, and unmatched networking, development, and shared learnings across the portfolio. From 2020-2024, Shore received recognition from Inc Magazine as a 5x Top Founder Friendly Investor and by Pitchbook Research for being the global leader in Private Equity total deal volume from 2019-2023. Shore targets investments in proven, successful private companies with superior management teams, stable cash flow, and significant potential to grow through industry consolidation and organic growth to generate value for shareholders. Shore has $9.1 billion of assets under management and in additional investment platforms to which it provides business and operational consulting services. For more information on these awards and investment platforms, please visit: www.shorecp.com.
