Robert F. Cooper, owner and CEO of Burlington Foodservice Company, Colchester, Vermont, and Mario Bonacorsi, President of Bonacorsi & Sons, Inc, Barre, Vermont, announced the signing of a Letter of Intent for Burlington Foodservice Company to acquire the stock of Bonacorsi and Sons, Inc.Burlington Foodservice Company, a Vermont based company, is the largest, independent, broadline foodservice distribution company in Northern New England with projected sales in 2002 of $47 million. Bonacorsi & Sons anticipates sales of $8.5 million in 2002. With this acquisition, Burlington Foodservice Company is projecting sales of $61 million for 2003.In March of 2002, Bob Cooper became CEO and announced the hiring of Chris Kurek as President of Burlington Foodservice Company. Mr. Kurek has a wide background in all areas of foodservice distribution, including sales and marketing, procurement, and operations. Mario Bonacorsi will remain with Burlington Foodservice Company as Regional Vice President of Sales in Central Vermont.The Bonacorsi family purchased the wholesale grocery business from the Santarini family in March of 1973, and changed the corporate name in 1978 to Bonacorsi & Sons, Inc. Bonacorsi has expanded its product line and geographic territory covering most of Vermont and parts of New Hampshire focusing on the foodservice distribution business. Currently, Bonacorsi has over 600 customers and 24 experienced employees. The company has developed a reputation over the years for friendly and professional service to its loyal customers.This merger of assets will continue to increase Burlington Foodservice Company’s productivity and produce additional benefits to their customers as the best of both organizations are combined. These benefits will include increasing their product lines as well as more frequent deliveries to their customers. The additional purchasing power will enable them to lower product costs while continuing to enhance their long term relationships with their suppliers.Burlington Foodservice Company’s focus is selling more to existing customers and securing new customers as well. New customers represent the life blood of any growing foodservice distribution company and are essential for financial stability and long term security.Burlington Foodservice Company, with its 120 employees, services over 2500 customers throughout Vermont, Western New Hampshire, Northeast New York and Northern Massachusetts. With approximately 5000 items, 2/3’s of their sales volume is with independent restaurants. There is also a strong emphasis on schools and universities, healthcare facilities, deli’s and convenience stores, summer and winter resorts, and government facilities.Both Burlington Foodservice Company and Bonacorsi are shareholder members of Unipro Foodservice Inc, a $20 billion foodservice distribution cooperative consisting of 350 independent distributors nationwide. Bob Cooper is a board member of Unipro. The affiliation provides Burlington Foodservice Company with “Global Sourcing” and “Local Service”.Bob Cooper feels confident that Burlington Foodservice Company is positioned to grow and become one of the nation’s top 50 independent distribution companies in the foodservice industry over the next 5 years, a benchmark for all broadline foodservice distributors. He feels this merger will be an excellent alternative choice for the independent commercial foodservice establishment as this locally operated company positions itself to compete on any level.