Jordano's Inc.

What is today a multi-million dollar corporation with more than 550 employees began in 1915 with four brothers, a family loan, and a little grocery store in Santa Barbara, California. From the very start, its guiding principle has been that value and service are the cornerstones of a successful business. Peter, John, Dominic, and Frank Jordano—the sons of an Italian rancher—decided to start their own grocery business. At the time, there were already many grocery stores in Santa Barbara, and banks were skeptical about a loan for an additional one. But three uncles came up with $500 in capital. The brothers bought a horse and buggy for deliveries, stocked the shelves on credit, and opened their doors for business. Over the following years Jordano's grew tremendously, opening more stores and giving Santa Barbara its first chain of modern supermarkets. By the early 1970s, there were 18 Jordano's Markets throughout Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties. The company had also developed a healthy distributing business serving hotels and restaurants. A son of each of the four founding brothers joined the family business, including Peter C. Jordano, who leads the company today. In the 1970s, Jordano's went through a dramatic transformation. Seeing the growth of large national grocery store chains, Peter Jordano realized that his company would have to adjust to changing times. Deciding to focus on distributorships, Jordano's sold their grocery stores after more than 60 years in business. It was a difficult transition, but the company soon began a new period of growth. Within a few years, Jordano's had diversified into a food and beverage distribution conglomerate. Annual sales grew to more than $100 million. Between its two divisions, Jordano's Foodservice and Pacific Beverage Company, Jordano's, Inc. posts annual sales of more than $300 million, and employs more than 550 professionals in the foodservice and beverage distribution industries.