Continental, Michigan’s largest food management company, has acquired Ann Arbor-based Northern Vending Co. As part of the acquisition, the entire Northern Vending staff will join the Continental team.
“We have a substantial opportunity to enhance service for these clients with innovative technologies, and fresh offerings, which will in turn grow our other service lines,” Steve LaPorte, president of Continental’s refreshment services group, said in a statement. “The upside of this deal has made an immediate impact by boosting the density of our business in the western part of our market.”
This is the sixth strategic acquisition made by Continental in nearly two years, as the Troy-based company works toward achieving its long-term growth and expansion objectives. Continental’s goal is to enrich the customer experience across its entire portfolio of services with other innovations and new technologies. Continental is a portfolio company of New Heritage Capital, a Boston-based private equity firm that partners with growing, middle market, founder-owned businesses.
Continental provides a wide range of custom dining, refreshment and event services for more than 1,000 clients including small and medium-sized businesses, blue-chip corporations, colleges, universities, business and industrial sites, and hospitals and medical centers. The company’s custom-tailored services range from on-site corporate cafés, grab-and-go micro markets and traditional vending, to off-premise catering and event services.