Five Star Food Service acquires vending business from Biloxi’s Corso Inc.

Five Star Food Service, a franchise of Canteen, a Compass Group company, announced the acquisition of vending routes from F.P. Corso Inc., an independent wholesale convenience store distributor and full-line vending operator based in Biloxi, Mississippi. The acquisition grows the company’s base of business in the Mississippi Gulf Coast region.

“Corso Inc. has had decades of success building a quality business serving the needs of the convenience store and vending customers in the region,” Richard Kennedy, Five Star’s president and CEO, said in the announcement. “We are excited for the opportunity to bring aboard their vending business and continue to grow our base in Mississippi.”

Corso Inc. has been family owned and operated since its founding nearly a century ago in 1924 by Frank P. Corso Sr. The company was originally a wholesale distributor of cigars, tobacco, candy, castor oil and other popular products. In 1952, Corso added full-line vending to his convenience store distribution operation. Today, the company is owned and operated by his daughter Liz Corso Joachim and her children. The company is expected to continue to operate out of its current location in Biloxi as Corso Inc. primarily as a wholesale distributor for convenience retailers.

“The addition of the new vending routes from Corso presents a tremendous growth opportunity for us,” Greg McCall, chief revenue officer for Five Star, added in the announcement. “We anticipate a high potential for growth through optimization and conversion. Also, with more route trucks on the road and customer stops, we will increase brand our awareness and recognition, which we are excited about.”

Five Star Food Service, headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee, is a premier away-from-home food and beverage retail solutions provider for employers and other commercial, institutional and educational locations. Five Star is an industry leader in micro markets, full-line vending, pantry, coffee and water services, full-service dining, catering, fresh food production, senior meal delivery, and secured delivery serving customers in 10 states including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, and Tennessee. Founded in 1993, Five Star has grown to one of the largest privately held convenience services operators in the U.S.