“Feeding Myrtle Beach since 1967”
Two local family-owned businesses become one
JUNE 2024, MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - In the coastal Carolinas, independent foodservice distributors are few and far between, with the bulk of the market share being controlled by large corporations like US Foods, Sysco and Performance Foodservice. But two small family-owned companies have beaten the odds and thrived in the Grand Strand area - Beach Meats and Da Vinci Foods. In early June 2024, the two companies became one, when Da Vinci Foods acquired Beach Meats. “This is a competitive industry,” says Anthony Cifelli Jr., owner of Da Vinci Foods. “Since COVID, it has only become more aggressive. After we lost my father Tony Sr. in 2022, rumors spread that we would sell out to a corporate distributor, but we had no such intentions. Jan didn’t want her family’s company to do that either. It gradually became clear that the best move was to pool our resources, strengths and experience by merging the two businesses. We’re sending a clear message that we remain an independent, family-owned company - and we’re here to stay.” Jan King, general manager of Beach Meats, has been instrumental in this changeover process. “Jan is such a huge part of the identity of Beach Meats,” says Tarryn Cifelli, Anthony’s wife and business partner. “She and her family have been in this industry since her childhood, just like Anthony and his family! We’re eager to learn all we can from Jan’s decades of experience, and we greatly appreciate her support.” Jan, Ronnie and the rest of the team at the Beach Meats division will stay on with the new owners, and continue to provide the same great products and service that have earned the company its long-held reputation in the greater Grand Strand area*. Anthony explains: “We plan to keep selling the products Beach Meats is famous for, as well as exciting new offerings from our Da Vinci product line. This is going to be a great opportunity for both companies’ employees and customers.” “We are passionate about Beach Meats’ legacy of providing delicious and affordable foods to the area’s restaurants and local families, especially those on a limited income,” Tarryn adds. “In fact, we’re planning a partnership with a regional food bank, to ensure we’re helping the community more than ever. Beach Meats has been feeding Myrtle Beach since 1967, and that’s not changing at all!” For more information about Da Vinci Foods and Beach Meats, visit www.myrtlebeachfoodservice.com, call or text 84-FOOD-FOOD (843-663-3663) ***** Da Vinci Foods is a full-line distributor in the wholesale foodservice industry, sourcing most of their products from the NY tri-state area. They primarily cater to the needs of Italian and Greek restaurants, pizzerias, delicatessens, bagel shops, bakeries and coffee shops. Their delivery area is strongest in the greater Myrtle Beach Grand Strand area, with new routes reaching as far South as Charleston, SC. They also care for the Eastern half of NC, with service from Calabash and Wilmington up to Morehead City, and reaching inland as far as Raleigh and Greensboro. Beach Meats is a USDA-certified meat packing plant, focused primarily on processing beef and sourcing other high-quality meats and meat products at affordable prices. They also carry a line of foodservice supplies, serving the needs of Southern cuisine, Jamaican restaurants and classic American eateries. Their delivery routes are currently focused on the greater Myrtle Beach area, as well as a heavy emphasis on their conveniently located warehouse on Hwy 501, which is open 6 days a week for pickups by wholesale and retail customers.
*Jan has taken retirement since the writing of this article, but she still helps out occasionally as a consultant. Ronnie also intends to take a well-earned retirement in the near future.