March 19, 2024
Bay Food Brokerage’s 30th Anniversary Coming to a Close
April 1, 2023, marked the official 30th anniversary of the founding of Bay Food Brokerage. Since then, our team celebrated this milestone often and with enthusiasm!
As the end of March 2024 approaches – and the end of our anniversary year – we’re taking a look back at the festivities that marked this exciting occasion.
Commemorative Logo
What’s a business anniversary without a commemorative logo? Our 30th anniversary logo combined our standard logo with fanfare about our three decades in business.
We placed this special logo on our website, social media, print advertising, client holiday gifts and nearly everywhere we’d typically use our standard logo.
Cruising into 30 Years
We kicked off our 30th anniversary year on the high seas with a Sales Incentive Trip!
From March 31 through April 2, 2023, we took a Caribbean cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas to Nassau and CocoCay. Our team enjoyed our time together on the ship and at the ports of call.
During our celebratory party, Chris Chatterton shared an emotional speech about what it was like growing up a part of the Bay Food Brokerage family and watching his mom (Bay Food Founder, President and CEO) Cammie Chatterton grow the company from the ground up. And, we heard from several customers and manufacturers, who sent in video messages to share with Cammie, congratulating her on the milestone.
“I was incredibly thankful to hear from so many people I’ve worked with throughout the years and got emotional hearing the messages from customers who have become friends,” Cammie said.
Cammie’s Most Memorable Bay Food Moments Video Series
Cammie Chatterton founded Bay Food Brokerage in 1993. In honor of the company’s 30th anniversary, we challenged Cammie to whittle down three decades of stories, experiences and adventures to her top five most-memorable Bay Food moments.
In this five-part video series, Cammie talks about starting the company, taking full ownership, her son Chris joining, their expansion and more.
Monthly Team Events
“Our team is so important to us – we’re like family,” Cammie said. “In fact, there’s no way we’d have gotten to where we are today without all of their hard work and dedication to Bay Food and our clients.”
In honor of our team, Bay Food hosted a monthly anniversary celebration event for our staff, on or close to the 30th day of each month. Activities included:
- Charcuterie Showdown at the office
- Halloween-themed chili cook-off (in costume)
- Volunteering at Feeding Tampa Bay’s Trinity Cafe
- Candle-Making Ladies’ Night Out
- Bowling night
- “Selling into the Sunset” painting night at the office
- Attending Busch Gardens with 24 children who live at A Kid’s Place
- Epic year-end company meeting and party
- School supply drive benefiting Metropolitan Ministries
- Volunteering at Metropolitan Ministries’ Holiday Tent in November and December
- Staff holiday party at Cammie and Jim Chatterton’s home
Blog Posts
We also wrote a few blog posts in theme with the 30th anniversary over the course of the year. In case you missed them:
Growing Up with Bay Food Brokerage: An Interview with Chris Chatterton
30 Years of Giving Back: A Spotlight on 10 Charities We’ve Proudly Supported
Testimonial: Jennie-O Turkey Store (our first and longest-tenured client)
Bay Food Brokerage Celebrates 30 Years in Business
New Website
Last year, we also completed the launch of a new company website that better reflects our company culture and personality. Our Core Values are Client Satisfaction, Hard Work, Family and Giving Back, and we think our new website highlights those well.
We replaced stock photos of strangers with pictures of our valued team members. In addition, website visitors can get a better feel for who we are, what we do and what sets us apart as a retail food broker serving the Southeast.
On to the Next 30 Years
As we conclude our 30th anniversary year with a final team event later this month, we’re excited to look ahead to the next 30 years. When Cammie retires, Chris will be ready to take the torch and carry Bay Food into a bright future.
“I still find it hard to believe that the small dream that I had 30 years ago has grown into such a dynamic, successful company!” Cammie said. “I couldn’t be more thankful for and proud of the Bay Food family of employees, customers and manufacturers who have supported us along the way. It truly has taken a village to be the company we are today. I look forward to my last couple of years working full-time before becoming a consultant to Bay Food and seeing the next generation grow the company to even greater heights.”
If you’re looking for a retail food broker serving the Southeast that boasts consistency and longevity, contact us today to learn more.