Atlantic Food Distributors Story

Steve and Joanne Manolakis.

Atlantic Food Distributors, originally known as Atlantic Fish, was founded in 1960, when before dawn each day owner Steve Manolakis traveled from Canton to Cleveland to purchase fresh fish for his retail store. Failure was not an option, so hard work was the order of the day. After a quick cleanup, it was out the door to sell his extra inventory to the local restaurants.

It quickly became apparent that there was a need for more than fish and seafood at the local markets and dining establishments. His business grew, with service and quality as key imperatives. Atlantic Food Distributors continued this growth over the years, making strategic acquisitions of foodservice companies to allow it to offer the range of products it does today.

Now, over 60 years later, Atlantic Food Distributors is independently owned and operated by second-generation family member, Stan Manolakis. With more than 12,000 line items encompassing all foodservice categories, quality and service are still the order of the day, but with the added dimension of technology to further provide the best possible buying experience for our customers.

We have a strong management team and dedicated staff in place and we welcome the opportunity to partner with you. With Atlantic Food Distributors, it is always “Quality You Expect…Service You Deserve!”

Our Mission

Our family serves the needs of your family’s business with ease, openness, and loyalty.


Our Vision

We aspire to conduct our business and care for our employees in a God-honoring manner.