Reinhart Foodservice agrees to buy AGAR Supply Co. of Taunton

By Chris Reidy, Globe Staff

AGAR Supply Co., a Taunton-based company that boasts that it is the largest independent food-service supply distribution in New England, has agreed to be acquired by Reinhart Foodservice LLC of Illinois, Reinhart announced Friday.

The sale is expected to close later this month. No financial details of the transaction were disclosed in Reinhart’s press release.

In a statement, AGAR chief executive Karen Bressler said: “It makes sense for both customers and employees for AGAR to combine with a larger business such as Reinhart to ensure we stay aggressive in the marketplace and access the wide range of products, services, technology, people, and brands to help customers compete and succeed. I look forward to being part of this dynamic leadership and am thrilled to continue to be part of the excellent group of loyal employees and look forward to working with the Reinhart group.”

The release noted that Reinhart operates 27 distribution centers across the US and that AGAR serves 5,000 grocery and restaurant customers in New England.

AGAR is a third-generation family business with 420 employees, a company spokesman said. No layoffs are planned, he added.

Chris Reidy can be reached at reidy@globe.com.