May 16, 2024
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Performance Foodservice-Chicago opens culinary event center in Montgomery

By Shaw Local News Network
Jeff Zoephel, Village Administrator (VOM); Mark Wolf, Director of Public Works (VOM), Tom Betsinger, Trustee (VOM), Justin VanVooren, Director of Finance (VOM), Steve Jungermann, Trustee (VOM), Charlene Coulombe, Executive Director (MEDC), Sonya Abt, Director of Community Development (VOM), Patrick Vanderhoff, Vice President- Sales (PFS), Matt Brolley, Village President (VOM), Matt Bauman, Trustee (VOM), Doug Marecek, Trustee (VOM), Ted Behen, President (PFS), Theresa Sperling, Trustee (VOM), Suzette Murray, President (MEDC), Lori Piest, Vice President-HR (PFS), Dan Gier, Trustee (VOM), Paul Kakkanathu, Vice President- Finance (PFS), Brian Keith, Executive Vice President (PFS), Andrew Haverkate, Vice President – Procurement (PFS). Not pictured: Michele Darby, Director of Marketing (PFS), Kristina Nemetz, Communications Manager (VOM), Bob Miller, Vice President – Operations (PFG), and Board Member (MEDC). (Photo provided)

Among those at Performance Foodservice-Chicago Culinary Event Center's grand opening April 11 were, from left: Jeff Zoephel, Village Administrator (VOM); Mark Wolf, Director of Public Works (VOM), Tom Betsinger, Trustee (VOM), Justin VanVooren, Director of Finance (VOM), Steve Jungermann, Trustee (VOM), Charlene Coulombe, Executive Director (MEDC), Sonya Abt, Director of Community Development (VOM), Patrick Vanderhoff, Vice President- Sales (PFS), Matt Brolley, Village President (VOM), Matt Bauman, Trustee (VOM), Doug Marecek, Trustee (VOM), Ted Behen, President (PFS), Theresa Sperling, Trustee (VOM), Suzette Murray, President (MEDC), Lori Piest, Vice President-HR (PFS), Dan Gier, Trustee (VOM), Paul Kakkanathu, Vice President- Finance (PFS), Brian Keith, Executive Vice President (PFS), Andrew Haverkate, Vice President – Procurement (PFS). (Photo provided)

The Montgomery Village Board and Montgomery Economic Development Corporation officially welcomed the Performance Foodservice-Chicago Culinary Event Center to the village with a ribbon-cutting and tour April 11.

Located at 919 S. Lake Street the facility is the company’s training center, test kitchen and meeting center. The new building is adjacent to the firm’s Baseline Road warehouse and distribution center.

The Culinary Event Center building features 7,400 squre feet of flexible meeting space, an 1,800 square foot test kitchen, conference room and office space.

The Performance Foodservice (PFS) is a division of Performance Food Group (PFG). The Performance Food Group website message, “building relationships delivering success,” supports the core purpose of its mission—servicing customers from fine dining establishments to family restaurants, schools, health care facilities, childcare centers, hotels, and concessionaires.

The facility is not open to the public for retail purchases. Still, it serves as a regional training and culinary center to support customers in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan.

In addition, the team provides customer care and assistance with menu planning, food cost analysis and other innovative services and tools to help their customers exceed their business goals.

PFG acquired Fox River Foods (established in 1956) in December 2012, expanding its operation to Montgomery. In 2019 the group purchased Montgomery-based Eby Brown, the largest candy and convenience distributor in the United States, located within the Village limits near the PFS properties.

Delivering more than 150,000 food and related products to customers across the United States, PFG represents a variety of brands for both fresh, prepared, dry, refrigerated, and frozen food products, service ware, equipment, beverages, and more. In addition to name brands, Performance Foodservice has more than 50 exclusive brands, including Peak© (fresh produce), Braveheart© (Black Angus Beef), Roma© (Italian products), Bacio© (Italian pizza cheese), and First Mark© (non-food essentials).