2024 Hall of Fame Inductee: Gary Chandler, Chandler Food Sales

For Gary Chandler, the specialty food industry has always been very much a family business.

After getting a degree in economics, Chandler in 1973 joined Chandler Food Sales, a food brokerage that was launched by his father, Lindy Chandler, in 1966. The company originally focused on cookies and crackers, but it became a specialty food brokerage in 1978 after acquiring another existing company.

“When he bought a specialty food broker, I thought, ‘What in the world? That's the craziest thing I've ever heard.’” said Gary Chandler. “But we transitioned into specialty food, and we’ve been doing that ever since.”

The family-owned company, which has existed continuously in some form since 1932, is now owned by Gary Chandler’s own son and nephews, as he prepares to retire this year.

Lindy Chandler was named into the SFA Hall of Fame in 2016, recognizing the company’s pioneering efforts in the specialty food industry, a tradition Gary Chandler has perpetuated through his commitment to emerging brands and companies.

The company has contributed to the success of hundreds of specialty food brands, especially in the shelf-stable, natural, and organic space, as well as to the success of the retailers with which the company works.

For Chandler, the family-like nature of the business also extends to the relationships built with the companies he helped grow through the years.

“Even though it’s become a huge industry, you still kind of know everybody,” he said. “Even if a company fires us, we strive to continue being friends of theirs, and we don't burn any bridges.”

The company’s focus on a limited number of specialty food brands has been one of keys to its success, Chandler said.

“The big food brokers would carry 150 different lines, but we keep our portfolio down to about 35, and try to make those the number one in their category,” he said.

Some of the brands that Chandler Food Sales represents have been on its roster since he joined more than 50 years ago.

“What I enjoy the most about the job is no two days are alike,” said Chandler. “Every day presents its own set of problems, or a new set of goals or things to do.”