JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Five years after joining Acosta Group, CORE has unveiled a new brand identity and website, reflecting the company’s evolution from a traditional food brokerage into a broader foodservice partner serving manufacturers, distributors and operators across restaurants, convenience stores and other away-from-home channels.
CORE is Acosta Group’s dedicated foodservice agency, helping clients grow across the away-from-home market through sales, culinary consulting, operator insights and technology. The rebrand reflects the company’s expanded capabilities, which now include AI-powered tools, an adult beverage division, deeper operator intelligence and a wider geographic footprint.
“We have grown with intention, expanding our solutions to meet the challenges our partners are facing and providing a one-stop shop for all of their needs,” said Travis King, president of CORE. “Our bold new name and look better reflects who we are today and leads us into the future.”
Founded in 1981 as an independent California food broker, CORE has significantly expanded since joining Acosta Group in 2021. The company has added San Francisco-based culinary consultancy The Culinary Edge, completed its Canadian footprint through a strategic acquisition, launched what it says is the industry’s first adult beverage division and expanded into new channels, including convenience retail. The company also said it has delivered year-over-year growth throughout that period.
“We identified the need to redefine our business to better meet and anticipate market demands,” King said. “Our ‘core’ philosophy has not changed. We work side-by-side with our partners to ensure success, but we’re bringing a much sharper, broader toolbox to the table.”
Among the company’s newest initiatives are AI models designed to help clients better understand consumer behavior, improve associate training and identify consumption trends. CORE also said its adult beverage business combines culinarians and mixologists to support operators with menu development, limited-time offers and merchandising strategies.
“This was a natural extension of the work we’ve done in the beverage channel for decades,” King said. “Now we can bring a team of culinarians and mixologists to operators, working independently or in tandem, consulting on menu development and LTOs and showcasing product usage across multiple dayparts and items to create new on-trend purchase drivers.”
CORE is also investing heavily in operator intelligence through The Culinary Edge’s twice-yearly Pulse Report, which tracks operator sentiment and consumer behavior. According to Graham Humphreys, president of The Culinary Edge, operators’ biggest challenge has shifted from labor and food costs to driving customer traffic as consumers become more selective about where and when they dine.
“Every occasion is an auction, and the future is about winning the occasion,” Humphreys said.
“This deep dive into operator and consumer mindsets allows us to bring valuable insights to our clients, charting trends and anticipating the course for the future,” King said. “It’s a great example of how CORE brings an informed, integrated and holistic approach to a complicated, ever-changing business.”
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