Singer by the Numbers

A Company Overview

Singer offers the power of over a century of experience combined with highly personalized service delivered nationwide. We differentiate ourselves from other foodservice equipment and supply dealers with exemplary customer service delivered by 500+ employees to more than 5,000 customers annually. This commitment to our relationships has propelled Singer into the top five largest equipment and supply dealers in the United States. Singer remains a privately owned and operated distributor in our third generation of family leadership.

Singer delivers unparalleled foodservice solutions to businesses of all sizes. Our Contract Design and Build teams have completed projects in all 50 states and 5 foreign countries. 18 market-specific teams offer personalized, end-to-end solutions. Services include comprehensive commercial kitchen design, interior design, construction, equipment, planning, consulting and installation. These are customized to best serve industry sector-specific needs and remain true to the customer’s concept.

Singer is the single-source equipment and supplies solution for restaurants and hotels, education, healthcare, corporate dining, government, supermarkets, and more. Singer Supply-Fulfillment Account Managers are responsive, knowledgeable and friendly. They remain current with the latest products and industry trends and use that knowledge to bring you innovative solutions. The entire Singer Equipment Company family prides itself on long-term partnerships with both customers and vendors.

Singer company headquarters are in Elverson, Pennsylvania, where a 180,000 square foot office and distribution center serves customers throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. Eight more Singer offices are located throughout the Northeast and Florida, expanding the reach of Singer’s distribution, logistics, and installations services. A combined multimillion-dollar inventory portfolio is housed across four distribution centers, amounting to over 400,000 square feet of warehousing and staging capabilities. Singer stocks over 12,000 unique items available for immediate delivery. Each day, over 50 private company trucks depart our distribution centers to provide delivery to major customers in PA, NJ, NY, DE and MD.

Humble Beginnings: From Neighborhood Paper Route to 15-foot Wide Storefront in Reading, Pennsylvania

Frederick Singer was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, in 1900. His father passed away suddenly when he was only 13 years old. The second youngest of five sons, he dropped out of school in the 8th grade to help support his family. His first job was delivering groceries in his wagon in the neighborhood. Next, he had a newspaper route in the city of Reading and later became a supervisor of several paper routes. Part of the job was to open new subscribers to the newspaper and he noticed the popularity of a promotion offering china to people who signed up for new subscriptions. In 1918, at the age of 18, he decided to open a small business selling china, glassware and gift items for the home. Thus Singer Crockery Company was born. Five years later he decided to expand into restaurant ware, and supplies soon followed. His younger brother Sam and older brother Ben then joined him.

From a small store in Reading, Fred traveled throughout eastern Pennsylvania, calling on restaurants, bars and hotels. Fred was a joyful and friendly person who built deep and loyal relationships with his customers as he steadily grew his business, expanding his product offering into equipment, foodservice disposables and janitorial products. 

A Family Business is Born

Frederick had two sons, Henry and Bernie. Both regularly helped their father by working at Singer on the weekends and during the summers. Henry, like so many members of the “Greatest Generation,” graduated from high school and immediately was drafted into the Army. After 15 weeks of Infantry basic training, he was soon at the front in France fighting in the European theater during World War II. After serving in the Army of Occupation, Henry returned to the US and went to Colgate University on the GI bill, the first person in his family to graduate high school and college. Anxious to catch up and short on GI funds, he accelerated his studies to graduate in three years, Phi Beta Kappa. In 1950, on the day Henry graduated, he rejoined his father in the business. Bernie joined a few years later after completing his military service.

Visionary Leadership

Henry soon became President of the company. Under his leadership the company added a kitchen design and installation department, expanded the sales force and extended the company’s geographic coverage. Henry participated broadly in the foodservice industry, helping to found IFED, the first foodservice equipment buying group, and Supply America, a consortium to sell national chains. He also served as President of the Foodservice Equipment Dealers Association (FEDA). In 1987, Singer was named Dealer of the Year by Foodservice Equipment & Supplies (FE&S), and in 2003 Henry was the very first inductee into FE&S’s Hall of Fame.

Going National

In 1993, Henry’s son Fred joined the company, taking Singer into its third generation of family leadership. Fred was a graduate of Yale University. He worked at the Boston Consulting Group prior to joining his father at Singer. Under Fred’s leadership the company continued its growth, adding more regional contract offices and building a dynamic division servicing the needs of chain restaurants. In 2011 Singer acquired the assets of M Tucker Co, the largest dealer in New York, giving the company a leading market share in the vibrant greater New York market.

Singer Today

Singer now provides kitchen design and installation services all across North America, completing projects throughout the country as well as Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean. Singer also provides daily deliveries of foodservice supplies from the greater New York area through Washington DC. In 2017 sales reached $325 million, making Singer the sixth largest foodservice equipment and supplies dealer in the United States.

Customer Focused: Ready to Serve Your for the Next 100 Years

Throughout a century of serving customers, Singer has remained focused on its core values—being the most responsive, knowledgeable and friendly supplier to the foodservice industry. Singer continues to be recognized for our commitment to our customers and our industry. Singer has won numerous tabletop design awards, was chosen by end users to receive the Customer Choice Dealer Award for superior customer service, and was selected as a two-time winner of the prestigious Foodservice Equipment & Supplies Dealer of the Year award. We look forward to more growth ahead as we continue to develop partnerships with local, national and international accounts, providing solutions for our customers’ challenges.

A Message from Frederick Singer, President, CEO & Third-Generation Family Owner