distributor of broadline grocery foodservice products, packaging, and paper

$300M Revenue

Company Overview

The Company was a $200 million distributor of foodservice items, packaging and janitorial supplies.

The Company operated out of 7 distribution facilities, including one in the Northeast.

The Company was a previously larger foodservice business being strategically exited over the past 3+ years in order to concentrate on packaging and janitorial and sanitation supplies.

Engagement Overview

Problems with the implementation of a new ERP system and poor accounting records led to significant under-reporting of losses and bad information.  The loss of a major customer and the inability to secure additional capital led to a liquidity crisis and the inability to purchase needed inventory from vendors, causing the  Company to wind-down operations.

FDP was initially engaged to sell non-strategic foodservice divisions.   FDP sold the Company’s East Coast division, at a premium to book value.

FDP’s detailed review of the system quickly identified the implementation and data irregularity issues:

–FDP created a tactical plan to correct the errors;

–FDP led the “clean-up” of financial records, resulting in the identification of over $3 million in previously unrecorded losses;

–Identified corrective measures for ERP implementation and accounting issues related to inventory costing and receipt errors, transfers between divisions and payables accounting; and

–Recruited a new CFO and worked hand-in-hand in correcting all of the implementation issues.

Met with the bank to discuss the status of the business and negotiated a bank supported wind-down plan:

–Sold two operating divisions as going concerns;

–Developed employee led inventory sales efforts, including sales force incentive plans; and

–Interviewed and assisted in the selection of the inventory liquidation consultant.

Results

Gained approval of the Board and bank to wind-down the operation out of court:

–Sold two divisions as “going concerns” during wind-down; and

–Consolidated divisional AR collections efforts at headquarters, resulting in better than anticipated realization.

Initiated Company led efforts that resulted in approximately $9 million of inventory sales at values near book, leaving only $3 million of inventory for the liquidation sale.

FDP News

Jan - 25

FDP Advises Northern Wholesale Supply

Fort Dearborn Partners ("FDP" or "Fort Dearborn") is pleased to announce that we served as the sole financial advisor and investment banker to Northern... Read More

Oct - 23

Max Bechtel and Austin Curtis join Fort Dearborn Partners

Please join us in welcoming the newest members of the Fort Dearborn Team, Max Bechtel and Austin Curtis.

Read More