Company History
Guckenheimer begins with the story of the Ritchies developing their Company, in 1963. To finance the continuation of his medical education, Stew and Jeanie Ritchie resolved to do “Whatever It Takes” — They began selling sandwiches and other lunch items from a lab cart in the courtyard of the Stanford Medical School. Students, faculty members and staff devoured the previously unavailable savory food, enjoyed the dedicated service, and were delighted by the Ritchies’ unusual responsiveness to their preferences and suggestions.
In 1969, after completing his medical curriculum and surgical training, Dr. C. Stewart Ritchie III and his wife, Jeanie, incorporated their sandwich/lunch business under the Guckenheimer name. The early support of their clients, coupled with high expectations, created the commitment to exceptional quality that continues in the Guckenheimer of the twenty-first century.
Early on, the Ritchies recognized that the “American love affair” with food was no adolescent crush. Over the past four decades, they watched it blossom into a true romance and a major subculture of our society. What does it mean for Guckenheimer? A lot! It means that Guckenheimer’s audience has become more sophisticated, its’ expectations higher, its’ demands greater. That means managing change. What has not changed is the philosophy that has guided Guckenheimer in managing change successfully: “Whatever It Takes”.
Today, Guckenheimer has grown to become the 4th largest provider of foodservice to Corporate America. We specialize in partnering with corporations that share our passion for excellence.
We operate nationally as a decentralized organization with six (6) regional offices that provide support to each of the 29 states that we currently serve.