Sysco Corporation recently announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Waugh Foods, Inc., a leading Illinois broadline distributor with approximately $40 million in annual sales.

Waugh Foods Inc., headquartered in East Peoria, Ill. has been in business for 70 years. Joseph A. Waugh, Sr. founded Waugh Frozen Food Company in 1948, and in 1966, after additions to the company’s product lines, the name was changed to Waugh Foods, Inc. Today, the company provides a wide variety of products to customers throughout Central Illinois.

“Waugh Foods has a long, rich history in the Central Illinois area, which includes strong relationships with local independent operators,” said Greg Bertrand, executive vice president, U.S. foodservice operations. “We are excited to welcome Waugh into the Sysco family and believe this acquisition is a perfect complement to our existing local and regional presence.”

After the acquisition, Waugh Foods executives will continue to manage the business, including president Rick Look, vice-president of purchasing Tim Waugh and sales executive Joe Waugh Jr.

Waugh Foods will join Sysco’s growing distribution network, which includes 330 distribution facilities worldwide that serve more than 600,000 customer locations and employ more than 67,000.