A stalwart gone

Greater Baton Rouge Business Report, The, Jul 20, 2004 by Verma, Mukul

Imperial Food Supply, a multimillion dollar Baton Rouge company that distributed food across the region, is liquidating its business. Company owner Michael DiVincenti could not be reached for comment, but two top employees of Imperial say the firm is being closed, partly a victim of the sale of Piccadilly Cafeterias.

When Piccadilly Cafeterias switched hands last year, it also switched suppliers from Imperial Foods to Colorado Box Beef, which delivers everything from blue Jell-O to standing rib roasts. Each restaurant gets two deliveries a week that provide everything needed to operate.

DiVincenti last year acknowledged the loss of the Piccadilly account was a blow, but declined to discuss the direction of his business at the time. Now the company comptroller says the business is liquidating but declined to give reasons beyond losing Piccadilly's business.

Imperial was one of the biggest private companies in Baton Rouge. Started in 1975, its revenues hovered around $100 million, and the business employed 120 people in the area last year. The firm was ranked No. 23 last year on the Top 100 list.