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Getting Chili in the Midwest: Charlie & Barney's Chili plans to expand offering beyond Indiana
Date: 11/18/2008
CSP Daily NewsINDIANAPOLIS -- Midwesterners will no longer have to trek to Indiana to get their fix of Charlie & Barney's Chili. The company has entered a distribution agreement with HT Hackney, a high-volume convenience distributor that services more than 22,000 stores-in addition to currently distributing through Rosemont, Ill.-based U.S. Foodservice and Naperville, Ill.-based Eby-Brown.
"Charlie & Barney's will soon be offered in other states that these companies deliver to including Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois and Tennessee,€VbCrLf according to Bill Church, the company president.
The company also recently expanded to include convenience stores and other less traditional locations, such as bowling centers and travel plazas. It has opened 27 locations in the past year, bringing the total outlets offering Charlie & Barney's Chili to 45 locations.
Charlie & Barney's first location opened in 1977 in downtown Indianapolis. The company has since put together a variety of foodservice programs that work in both traditional foodservice outlets and nontraditional locations, according to the company's website. These include Crystal Flash, McClure Oil, Hoosier Pete Marathons and Village Pantry stores throughout Indiana.
The Indianapolis-based company also offers an investment-free foodservice option that allows clients to stock their refrigerated shelves with Charlie & Barney's microwavable portions and sell it in a pure retail situation.
