Investments Blog

2017 revenue: $302 million

+2%

Strong dairy markets early in the year were one factor that helped The International Cos. increase its revenue in 2017.

Two firms are under the International Cos. umbrella. They are International Food Products, a distributor and manufacturer of food ingredients to the beverage, food manufacturing and food service industries. International Ingredient Corp. manufactures recycled food byproducts for the feed and pet food industry.

The volume of dairy products relying…

Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto’s two newest restaurants are now open in the Alohilani Resort, marking a return to Oahu for the celebrity chef.

“The Alohilani Resort is the only property in the world where I have two of my restaurants, Morimoto Asia which opened in February and Momosan which opened on May 8,” Morimoto told Pacific Business News. “So, these restaurants are very special to me.”

Morimoto Asia opened in the former 24 Hour Fitness space on the second floor of the hotel—which…

Since opening its first Arizona location in Tempe last year, the fast-casual Middle Eastern and Mediterranean restaurant has opened three more around the Valley and plans to open locations in Chandler and Avondale by the end of 2018.

A new restaurant is coming to the Locust Point space where Wine Market Bistro used to be.

Ludlow Market, Bar and Bottle Shop is slated to open in June at 921 E. Fort Ave. and will offer dinner service as well as a bar and bottle shop, restauranteur Chris Spann announced Wednesday.

Spann, who formerly owned Wine Market, said the new concept is more than a rebranding of the bistro, which closed in mid-March after 13 1/2 years in the southern Baltimore neighborhood. The restaurant's front bar and…

2017 revenue: $7 billion

+6%

Dot Foods increased revenue by 6 percent in 2017, and the food distribution company, which is headquartered in Mt. Sterling, Illinois, also expanded its St. Louis presence.

The company, which had $7 billion in 2017 revenue, has its corporate sales office in Chesterfield and leased space in Cortex last year for its digital and technology team. Dot plans to expand its local digital and technology team “significantly” in the Cortex space, according to company spokeswoman…

Ala Moana Center’s Lanai food court has announced Seoul Mix 2.0 as its 12th and final tenant.

The Asian fusion eatery specializing in Korean street food will open this fall, marking full occupancy for the dining center, which first opened in October.

Seoul Mix 2.0, which will have lunch and dinner menu items including kimchi fried rice, bibimbap and burritos, will join Agave & Vine, Ahi & Vegetable, BRUG, Da Spot, HiTEA Café, Mahaloha Burger, Musubi Cafe Iyasume, Sobaya, Teppanyaki Farmer,…

2017 revenue: $2.7 billion

FLAT

Schnuck Markets reported flat revenue in 2017, as the company faced increased competition from both brick-and-mortar and online sources.

Schnucks did beat Sam’s Club and Dierbergs in offering grocery delivery service in St. Louis, launching “Schnucks Delivers” in February 2017 through a partnership with Silicon Valley-based Instacart.

Schnuck Markets in March 2017 reached a five-year contract extension with about 102 Teamsters Local 688 workers at its…

2017 revenue: $3.1 billion

+17.4%

A merger with Iowa-based Swiss Valley Farms, which reported $325 million in annual revenue prior to the sale, helped revenue at Prairie Farms Dairy grow to $3.1 billion despite another year of depressed milk prices.

At its St. Louis butter plant, the dairy installed new production and packaging lines that became operational in November. Prairie Farms is projecting butter to be a growth category and that the company will be able to add private label co-packing…

Vince Espino, president of Union Mak Corp., told Pacific Business News that he’s looking to open new IHOP and Applebee’s restaurants on Oahu and on Maui.

2017 revenue: $685 million

-2%

Downward pressure on prices for Gilster-Mary Lee products led to a drop in revenue in 2017.

“It was a very competitive situation for some of the items we produce,” said Donald Welge, chairman, CEO and president of the Chester, Illinois-based private label manufacturer of dry grocery products. “We had to lower prices in order to hold business.”

The company, owned by the Welge family, an employee profit sharing plan and local investors, hopes to gain back…