DETROIT, MI – Detroit’s Atlas Wholesale Food, a third-generation, Greek “family-owned and operated broad-line food distributor, has acquired a new warehouse located at 35500 Central City Parkway in Westland,” DBusiness reported, adding that the “terms of the deal were not disclosed.”

“This 65,000-square-foot facility, previously owned by U.S. Ice and Home City Ice, is a milestone in Atlas’ 74-year history, marking the company’s first physical expansion,” DBusiness reported, noting that “the addition of the warehouse will allow Atlas to meet the growing demands of its existing clientele, who are experiencing growth, and to serve new customers throughout the region.”

“For more than seven decades, Atlas has been a partner for restaurants, institutions, schools, universities, government agencies, catering companies, nursing homes, casinos, and food service establishments throughout southeast Michigan and northeast Ohio,” DBusiness reported.

“We have grown 146 percent over the past seven years and needed to expand our capacity to enhance support for our valued long-time customers, as well as grow our market share,” John Kohl, CEO of Atlas Wholesale Food, told DBusiness. “The new warehouse, with state-of-the-art cold chain technology, enables us to serve the evolving needs of food service businesses in the region, particularly some of our key accounts who are experiencing exponential success as they expand across multiple states.”

“Atlas’ growth recently earned a ‘50 Companies to Watch’ award by Michigan Celebrates Small Businesses and ‘Distributor of the Year’ award by Golbon, North America’s Premier Foodservice Marketing Group,” DBusiness reported, adding that “to celebrate the opening of the second location, Atlas Wholesale Food hosted the Atlas Food Show October 4 at Eastern Market in Detroit.”

“Open to current customers and partners as well as prospective customers, the Atlas Food Show included an array of high-quality food products, including gourmet ingredients, meats, seafood, and more; the opportunity to meet the Atlas team members; networking opportunities with vendors, brokers, and fellow industry professionals; and exclusive promotions, discounts, and special offers,” DBuisness reported, noting that “Kohl was selected as part of the 2021 Class of DBusiness’ 30 in Their Thirties.”

According to the company’s website, in the early 1900s, Greek immigrant Athas P. Kotsis owned a grocery store, Athens Grocery, in Detroit’s Greektown area. He eventually sold Athens Grocery and established Atlas Importing Company in 1939 in the Eastern Market area of Detroit. Kotsis’ sons eventually joined in the business and in 1969 the name of the company was changed and incorporated as Atlas Wholesale Food Company. The third generation of the family now runs the business, including John Kohl, a grandson of the founder Athas Kotsis.