Let's go Metz

While Tampa economic development officials chase a starry corporate headquarters — GE is one target — the Gulf Coast region has a shot at a quieter triumph.

That company, Metz Culinary Management, doesn't have a globally recognizable name. But in the foodservice industry, especially in colleges and medical facilities, Metz is a big player.
With a concentration of business on the east coast, Metz has about $200 million in annual sales and more than 6,000 employees. It's a top 20 foodservice firm in the country, according to rankings from trade publication Food Management.

Metz is based in rural northeast Pennsylvania, in a town, Dallas, that's about 125 miles from both Philadelphia and New York. That's where executive chairman John Metz founded the business in 1994, in his second go in the industry. Although Metz, a Pittsburgh native who started his career in the 1960s washing dishes at a family-style restaurant, has roots and connections in Pennsylvania, he says it's not likely a forever home. The corporate office has about 75 employees; most of the payroll is dispersed on the sites of clients.