It all started with a dream and a red station wagon.

After working for Prairie Farms for 11 years, Robert Tracy (RT) wanted to give customers access to affordable products and help food industry suppliers increase their sales. It was a bit of a far-fetched dream; he and his wife, Dorothy, had very little money to start the company—and they had eight young children at home to support.

Despite the odds, the determined couple started Associated Dairy Products Company (now Dot Foods) out of the back of their family's station wagon. Little did they know that their humble business would transform the food industry.

The advantages of RT's business model became apparent to customers and suppliers alike: The customer placed one order, took one delivery, and processed one invoice—all from our company. Suppliers benefited by being able to provide better service to their existing customers and gaining new customers they couldn't previously serve.

RT and Dorothy didn't set out to create a new business model in food distribution, but that's exactly what they did. Today's food redistribution industry is a direct evolution of their dream, and our small family business has evolved alongside it to become the largest food industry redistributor in North America.