CHEF'STORE

US Foods CHEF'STORE is an American warehouse grocery and foodservice-supply chain serving restaurants, caterers, institutional kitchens, small businesses, and household shoppers. The chain operates cash-and-carry-style stores designed to provide access to food, beverages, kitchen consumables, and related operating supplies without requiring customers to use a traditional full-service distributor. Its assortment combines products used in commercial food preparation with everyday grocery merchandise, allowing professional customers to purchase both core ingredients and operating necessities in a single visit. The business traces its roots to United Grocers Cash&Carry, which opened its first store in Oregon City, Oregon, in 1955. The cash-and-carry format was intended to serve foodservice operators and other customers who wanted warehouse-style pricing and immediate possession of goods rather than delivery from a conventional wholesaler. Over time, the operation expanded in the Pacific Northwest and developed through several ownership and naming changes. In 1998, Smart & Final acquired the business, which then operated under the Cash&Carry Smart Foodservice name. In 2018, the chain announced another identity change, adopting Smart Foodservice Warehouse Stores. The next major turning point came in March 2020, when US Foods agreed to acquire Smart Foodservice Warehouse Stores from Apollo Global Management for $970 million. The transaction brought a regional warehouse-store network into the portfolio of one of the United States' large foodservice distributors. The acquisition gave US Foods a physical cash-and-carry channel alongside its traditional distribution operations and expanded its direct relationship with smaller foodservice customers and independent operators. The acquired chain continued operating through the transition before being renamed US Foods CHEF'STORE in March 2021. CHEF'STORE stores are concentrated in western and selected southern and eastern states. At the end of February 2023, the chain operated 88 stores: one in Arizona, 17 in California, six in Idaho, three in Montana, two in Nevada, two in North Carolina, one in Oklahoma, 21 in Oregon, four in South Carolina, one in Texas, two in Utah, one in Virginia, and 27 in Washington. This footprint makes the brand primarily regional rather than nationwide, with particular historical strength in the Pacific Northwest and on the West Coast. The brand's positioning is practical and value-oriented. Its warehouse format emphasizes bulk packs, commercial-size ingredients, restaurant supplies, and products that can be purchased for immediate use. Customers may include independent restaurants, food trucks, caterers, schools, churches, nonprofit organizations, and other small-scale operators, as well as consumers seeking larger pack sizes. The connection with US Foods also places CHEF'STORE within a broader foodservice ecosystem, although the stores function as a retail and cash-and-carry channel rather than simply as a conventional delivery-distribution service. Leadership changes have accompanied the brand's development under US Foods. Irfan Badibanga became company president in June 2022, succeeding Derek Jones. In July 2025, Erin Walton was named president, succeeding Badibanga. CHEF'STORE remains an active US Foods business and continues to operate under its current name, with its identity centered on accessible warehouse shopping for professional and high-volume food buyers.

CHEF'STORE developed from a regional cash-and-carry grocery operation established by United Grocers in 1955. The original business opened a store in Oregon City, Oregon, and was known as United Grocers Cash&Carry. Its operating model differed from conventional grocery retail by combining warehouse-style merchandising with immediate customer pickup. This format was particularly suited to restaurants, caterers, institutions, and other foodservice operators that needed commercial quantities of ingredients and supplies but did not always require scheduled delivery. The business expanded over subsequent decades and later became associated with Smart & Final. In 1998, Smart & Final acquired the operation, which adopted the Cash&Carry Smart Foodservice name. The chain retained its cash-and-carry orientation while broadening its role as a source of food, beverages, and foodservice operating products. In 2018, the business announced a further rebranding to Smart Foodservice Warehouse Stores, reflecting its warehouse retail format and its focus on professional and high-volume customers. In March 2020, US Foods agreed to purchase Smart Foodservice Warehouse Stores from Apollo Global Management for $970 million. The acquisition was strategically significant because it added a physical warehouse-store channel to US Foods' broader foodservice distribution platform. Instead of relying solely on delivered wholesale orders, US Foods gained a network through which customers could shop directly and take products with them. The transaction also connected the acquired regional chain with US Foods' national foodservice infrastructure. US Foods subsequently rebranded all Smart Foodservice Warehouse Stores as US Foods CHEF'STORE in March 2021. The new identity linked the stores more directly to the US Foods corporate brand while preserving the CHEF'STORE name as the customer-facing retail concept. The chain's stores remain concentrated in western states, especially Oregon, Washington, and California, with additional locations in the Mountain West, South, and selected other markets. The network comprised 88 stores at the end of February 2023. The modern CHEF'STORE format serves independent restaurants, caterers, food trucks, schools, nonprofit organizations, small businesses, and consumers purchasing in larger quantities. Its assortment includes food ingredients, fresh and frozen products, beverages, disposables, cleaning products, and other supplies used in commercial kitchens. The brand's value proposition is based on convenience, bulk availability, and warehouse-style purchasing rather than premium specialty retail positioning. Management changes have marked its period under US Foods. Irfan Badibanga became president in June 2022 after Derek Jones. In July 2025, Erin Walton succeeded Badibanga as president. CHEF'STORE continues as an active US Foods retail and cash-and-carry business, with a regional store footprint and a role complementary to US Foods' broader distribution operations.

1. 2025Erin Walton becomes president

   Erin Walton was named president, succeeding Irfan Badibanga.

   Source
2. 2023Store network reaches 88 locations

   The chain operated 88 stores at the end of February 2023 across 13 U.S. states.

   Source
3. 2022Irfan Badibanga becomes president

   Irfan Badibanga was named president, succeeding Derek Jones.

   Source
4. 2021US Foods CHEF'STORE launches

   The Smart Foodservice Warehouse Stores network was rebranded as US Foods CHEF'STORE.

   Source
5. 2020US Foods announces acquisition

   US Foods agreed to buy Smart Foodservice Warehouse Stores from Apollo Global Management for $970 million.

   Source
6. 2018Rebrand to Smart Foodservice Warehouse Stores

   Cash&Carry Smart Foodservice announced a new identity emphasizing its warehouse-store format.

   Source
7. 1998Acquisition by Smart & Final

   Smart & Final acquired the business, which became known as Cash&Carry Smart Foodservice.

   Source
8. 1955United Grocers establishes Cash&Carry

   United Grocers established the cash-and-carry business with a store in Oregon City, Oregon.

   Source

A regional, warehouse-style cash-and-carry retailer providing commercial-size groceries, food ingredients, beverages, and operating supplies to foodservice businesses and other high-volume shoppers.

• Fresh and frozen foodFood ingredients

  CHEF'STORE stores carry fresh and frozen ingredients used by restaurants, caterers, institutions, and high-volume household shoppers. The range includes commercial-size food products and staples intended for immediate pickup rather than scheduled distributor delivery.

• Dry groceries and pantry ingredientsGrocery

  The chain offers shelf-stable groceries and pantry products in pack sizes suited to professional kitchens and bulk shoppers. These products support routine food preparation and complement the fresh, frozen, dairy, meat, and produce assortment.

• Foodservice suppliesRestaurant supplies

  Foodservice supplies include disposable packaging, serving items, kitchen consumables, cleaning products, and other operating necessities. The category allows restaurant and catering customers to combine food purchasing with procurement of day-to-day business supplies.

• BeveragesBeverages

  Beverage products form part of the warehouse grocery assortment and are sold in quantities appropriate for foodservice operations, events, and other high-volume users.

• 2021Rebrand the store network as US Foods CHEF'STOREStrategy

  Following the acquisition, US Foods aligned the acquired warehouse-store operation with its corporate brand.

  What changed. All Smart Foodservice Warehouse Stores were rebranded as US Foods CHEF'STORE.

  Aftermath. The chain continued operating as a cash-and-carry retail channel under the US Foods umbrella.

  Source
• 2020Acquire Smart Foodservice Warehouse StoresM&A

  US Foods sought to add the regional cash-and-carry warehouse-store network to its foodservice distribution platform.

  What changed. US Foods agreed to acquire Smart Foodservice Warehouse Stores from Apollo Global Management for $970 million.

  Aftermath. The acquisition was followed by the conversion of the stores to the US Foods CHEF'STORE identity in 2021.

  Acquisition price. $970 million (March 2020)

  Source

• 2025Erin Walton appointed president

  CHEF'STORE named Erin Walton as president, succeeding Irfan Badibanga.

  Leadership change
  Source
• 2022Irfan Badibanga appointed president

  CHEF'STORE appointed Irfan Badibanga as president, succeeding Derek Jones.

  Leadership change
  Source
• 2021Smart Foodservice stores are rebranded as US Foods CHEF'STORE

  US Foods completed the rebranding of the former Smart Foodservice Warehouse Stores network under the CHEF'STORE name.

  Other
  Source
• 2020US Foods agrees to acquire Smart Foodservice Warehouse Stores

  US Foods agreed to acquire the Smart Foodservice Warehouse Stores business from Apollo Global Management for $970 million, bringing the regional cash-and-carry chain into the US Foods group.

  M&A
  Source

1. US Foods CHEF'STORE
2. CHEF'STORE official website