Golden State Foods started in 1947 as a small meat company to supply products to LA area restaurants and hotels. GSF got its break in the 1950s when it teamed up with McDonald's

McDonald's

McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...

 Corp to provide the giant fast food company with ingredients. Golden State Foods is a leading US foodservice firm that is a primary supplier for McDonald's restaurants with products including beef patties, Big Mac sauce (which it helped formulate), buns, ketchup, and mayonnaise. It distributes goods to more than 20,000 quick-service eateries from 20 distribution centers. In addition, the company runs the GSF Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that supports local charities focused on helping needy children and families. Founded in 1947 by the late William Moore, Golden State Foods is controlled by Wetterau Associates, an investment group led by Golden State's CEO Mark Wetterau.

The company developed the Big Mac sauce for McDonald's in the late 1960s—a move that propelled it into a liquid products sector that creates and packages a variety of condiments, syrups, toppings, sauces, dressings and more. GSF pioneered the one-stop-shopping concept that forms the basis for McDonald's highly touted distribution system. GSF's standards in food safety, through Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) program, addresses such things as proper product formulation, pH control, cooking time and temperature and other quality and safety standards”. Further, GSF helped launch McDonald's in the international market, which currently spans more than 120 countries

In 2000, Golden State Foods launched a new division, Chef Gold, to produce liquid products such as ketchup

Ketchup

Ketchup is a sweet-and-tangy condiment typically made from tomatoes, vinegar, sugar or high-fructose corn syrup and an assortment of...

 and mustard

Mustard (condiment)

Mustard is a condiment made from the seeds of a mustard plant...

 and cooked meat products. That same year, GSF formed Centralized Leasing Company (CLC), a subsidiary that provides leasing services to GSF. In 2002, the company expanded its one-stop-shopping concept by forming Signature Services, which offers customized services such as store painting, lot striping, power washing and landscaping to its one-stop-shopping services. GSF has teamed with The Arthur Wells Group in St. Louis to form CFM Logistics to help clients more efficiently manage their freight distribution needs; and GSF established Strategic Sourcing Alliance (SSA) to help customers manage their purchasing and supply chain needs nationwide.

McDonald's relationship

GSF remains one of the largest full-line service providers to McDonald's, its largest supplier of liquid products, its second largest distributor and its third largest beef supplier in the U.S.

Through a joint venture with Salinas, Calif.-based Taylor Fresh Foods Inc., GSF is also the largest U.S. produce supplier for McDonald's.

Meat Products

For more than 50 years, GSF’s Meat Products division has produced beef patties to the QSR industry. Producing more than 600,000 hamburger patties each hour (or 200 million pounds of patties annually), the company manufactures various other meat products such as cooked beef, taco meat, chili and burrito fillings from its food processing facility in Conyers, Georgia.

Liquid Products

In the QSR and casual dining industry since the 1960s, GSF’s Liquid Products division produces more than 17 million cases (about 400 million pounds) of liquid products annually. The company manufactures various condiments, sauces, dressings, syrups, jams/jellies and toppings with a variety of quantity and packaging options. Its three food processing facilities are located internationally in: City of Industry, California; Conyers, Georgia; Cairo, Egypt.

Baked goods

Golden State Foods originally entered the baked goods business by forming a joint venture with Bryan, Tex.-based Mid South Bakery, distributing to customers in the Southeast. Currently, GSF operates a bakery plant in Cairo, Egypt. Supplying more than 180 regional stores, GSF bakery products include varying types of rolls and buns, including elongated buns, a mini roll, McDonald's Big Mac and Quarter Pounder.

Produce

In partnership with Taylor Fresh Foods, the largest supplier of produce to the food service industry. Taylor’s annual output exceeds 800 million pounds of produce from plants in seven states including Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Texas, and Tennessee. GSF also runs a processing plant in Sydney, Australia, as well as one in Perth, Australia.

Distribution

GSF’s Distribution Services Group has been delivering stuff for QSR leaders for more than 40 years. Both GSF Distribution and Quality Custom Distribution Services are custom distributors. Located throughout the US and abroad, GSF’s 21 distribution centers are located in:

GSF	QCD
City of Industry, California	Apopka, Florida
Garner, North Carolina	City of Industry-QCD, California
Lexington, South Carolina	Henderson, Nevada
Lemont, Illinois	Medley, Florida
Phoenix, Arizona	Portland-QCD, Oregon
Portland, Oregon	Pineville, North Carolina
Rochester, New York	San Antonio, Texas
Sumner, Washington	Spokane, Washington
Waipahu, Hawaii	Suffolk, Virginia
Whitewater, Wisconsin	Sumner, Washington
Cairo, Egypt	Tampa, Florida

GSF Foundation

Golden State Foods established the GSF Foundation for Kids. This national, non-profit organization was established to help children and families in need in the areas where GSF associates live and work through personal involvement and contributions. The GSF Foundation partners with local and national charities nominated by GSF employees, benefiting a variety of organizations and individuals throughout the country. Some have included: Big Brothers Big Sisters, Children’s Arthritis Foundation, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Orangewood Children’s Foundation, Special Olympics, and the Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Foundation Mission Statement ~ The GSF Foundation’s mission is to improve the quality of life of children and families in the areas where GSF associates live and work through personal involvement and contributions.

GSF Today: McDonald's and More

Today, GSF has expanded its services to more than 50 customers throughout the world. Still, GSF is one of the biggest full-line service provider to McDonald's, including liquid products, and its third largest beef supplier in the U.S. GSF's Australian group, supplies produce to KFC

KFC

KFC, founded and also known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, is a chain of fast food restaurants based in Louisville, Kentucky, in the United States. KFC has been a brand and operating segment, termed a concept of Yum! Brands since 1997 when that company was spun off from PepsiCo as Tricon Global...

, Taco Bell

Taco Bell

Taco Bell is an American chain of fast-food restaurants based in Irvine, California. A subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., which serves American-adapted Mexican food. Taco Bell serves tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, other specialty items, and a variety of "Value Menu" items...

, Pizza Hut

Pizza Hut

Pizza Hut is an American restaurant chain and international franchise that offers different styles of pizza along with side dishes including pasta, buffalo wings, breadsticks, and garlic bread....

and Milford. GSF also owns The Egypt Group, which provides processing and distribution services to the Middle East.

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