CES buys Southeast Mechanical to expand Midwest foodservice offering

CES Family of Companies has acquired Southeast Mechanical, adding installation, service and repair capabilities in Southeast Minnesota to its food equipment and supplies business. The deal deepens CES’s push to become a one-stop provider for commercial kitchens across the region.

Why it matters: - The acquisition gives CES a broader foodservice platform in Southeast Minnesota, including Rochester. - Commercial kitchen customers can now buy equipment and supplies from Total Restaurant Supply and get installation, service and repair through Southeast Mechanical. - The combined offering is designed to reduce vendors and speed up equipment-lifecycle support for customers.

What happened: - CES Family of Companies acquired Southeast Mechanical, a foodservice equipment installation, service and repair company serving Southeast Minnesota. - The deal closed on July 24. - CES made the announcement to Southeast Mechanical employees at the company’s Chatfield headquarters. - Southeast Mechanical serves Southeast Minnesota, including Rochester, where CES’s Total Restaurant Supply is based.

The details: - Southeast Mechanical will keep operating under its own name. - Current customer relationships, contacts and account terms will remain unchanged. - Total Restaurant Supply now has direct access to Southeast Mechanical’s installation and service capabilities. - Southeast Mechanical customers can now source new equipment, parts and supplies through Total Restaurant Supply. - CES said the move fits its strategy to become the regional leader in food equipment, supplies and service. - Tyler Jeffrey, CEO of CES, said the combined businesses create equipment-lifecycle support from purchase to preventative maintenance to repair. - Jeffrey also said the pairing should mean faster service, fewer vendors and one team accountable for the whole job. - CES said the growing family of companies includes CES Nationwide, Dubick Fixture and Supply, March Equipment, McCormick Service, Ramar Supply, Total Restaurant Supply, United Fast Food and Beverage, Wilson Restaurant Supply, Windrock Enterprises, Bolton & Hay and Southeast Mechanical. - CES was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Chicago. - CES is a portfolio company of Cooper Management, LLC. - Cooper Management describes itself as the family office for the Cooper Family of Chicago and says it provides permanent capital to build businesses with management teams.

Between the lines: - The deal extends CES’s model of keeping local brands intact while adding shared back-office scale and cross-selling opportunities. - The acquisition links a regional equipment-and-supplies seller with a local service provider, which could make CES more competitive for full-service kitchen projects. - The emphasis on preserving Southeast Mechanical’s name suggests CES wants continuity for existing customers while broadening the commercial relationship.

What's next: - Southeast Mechanical will continue serving customers under its existing brand. - Total Restaurant Supply and Southeast Mechanical customers are expected to see expanded access to each other’s products and services. - CES signaled it will keep building its food equipment, supplies and service platform through its network of acquired brands. - More information is available from CES Family of Companies, Total Restaurant Supply and Southeast Mechanical.