Restaurant equipment supplier to create 100 new jobs
KODAK, Tenn. – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, the Department of Economic and Community Development and KaTom Restaurant Supply, Inc. officials announced today that the restaurant equipment supplier will expand in Sevier County. KaTom will invest approximately $3 million and create 100 new jobs during the next five years in Kodak.
“Over the past thirty years, KaTom Restaurant Supply has grown into one of the nation’s largest restaurant equipment suppliers,” Haslam said. “Such a growth story shows why Tennessee is the place to start and grow a business. The continued success of our entrepreneurs is vital to creating jobs in Tennessee and I’d like to thank KaTom Restaurant Supply for bringing us another step closer to our goal of making Tennessee the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs.”
“We strive to make Tennessee a welcoming place for businesses to thrive and grow. About three of every four job commitments TNECD received last year came from our existing businesses,” TNECD Chief Operating Officer Ted Townsend said. “It’s terrific news when a Tennessee company like KaTom Restaurant Supply benefits from our state’s strong workforce, central location and business-friendly environment. We’d like to thank KaTom Restaurant Supply for its continued commitment to Tennessee and Sevier County.”
Founded in 1987, KaTom Restaurant Supply works with more than 700 vendors, offering customers access to hundreds of thousands of essential pieces of foodservice equipment and supplies.
“In 30 years, we’ve gone from selling to our friends out of our garage to supplying foodservice operations all over the world,” KaTom Founder, President, and CEO Patricia Bible said. “In those early days, we never imagined 100 people being part of this, to say nothing of doubling that number with a single project. We will be equipped to offer even more items for same-day pickup to our neighbors in East Tennessee and next-day delivery to much of the country, while continuing to provide the personalized customer service that has been the hallmark of KaTom since the start.”
From 2008 to 2015, KaTom Restaurant Supply was recognized as one of the fastest-growing companies in the U.S. on the Inc. 500|5000 list. In 2015, KaTom Restaurant Supply ranked No. 42 on Inc.’s list of the 50 fastest-growing, woman-led companies in the country.
In 2012, KaTom moved to a 20-acre campus and 100,000-square-foot headquarters in Kodak.
As part of its new expansion, KaTom Restaurant Supply will add 10,000 square feet to its existing presence in Sevier County, where the company’s operations include headquarters, warehouse and distribution as well as call center functions. The additional space will accommodate additional hires in all three areas.
Local officials and the Tennessee Valley Authority praised KaTom Restaurant Supply for its decision to expand in Sevier County.
“KaTom Restaurant Supply has provided outstanding, well-paying jobs for the people in our community for many years,” Allen Newton, executive director of the Sevier County Economic Development Council, said. “We are so pleased that it is expanding and will be providing 100 new jobs for our citizens. KaTom Restaurant Supply has been highly successful because of its management team led by Patricia Bible and all of their dedicated employees. We are proud that KaTom Restaurant Supply is located in Sevier County.”
“TVA and Sevier County Electric System congratulate KaTom Restaurant Supply on its plans to invest and expand operations, creating new job opportunities in Kodak,” TVA Senior Vice President of Economic Development John Bradley said. “We are pleased to partner with the Sevier County Economic Development Council and Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development to help existing employers like KaTom Restaurant Supply continue to add quality jobs for the Sevier County community.”
Kodak and Sevier County are represented by Sen. Doug Overbey (R – Maryville), Sen. Steve Southerland (R – Morristown), Rep. Dale Carr (R – Sevierville) and Rep. Andrew Farmer (R – Sevierville) in the Tennessee General Assembly.
About the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development
The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development’s mission is to develop strategies that help make Tennessee the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs. To grow and strengthen Team Tennessee, the department seeks to attract new corporate investment in Tennessee and works with Tennessee companies to facilitate expansion and economic growth. Tennessee is the only three-time winner of “State of the Year” for economic development by Business Facilities magazine. Find us on the web: TNECD.com. Follow us on Twitter: @TNECD. Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/TNECD.
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