During a recent episode of “Just Three Questions!”, Chris Wendling, owner and president of A.F. Wendling’s Foodservice, and WV Secretary of State Kris Warner discuss ways businesses such as restaurants, cafes, coffee shops and food trucks can learn from the A.F. Wendling experience.

A.F. Wendling’s Foodservice is the state’s largest independent family-owned broadline foodservice distributor. The company was founded in 1913 in the Kanawha Valley. It relocated to Buckhannon in 1969 and has expanded to serve nine states, 9,000 different products including fresh meats, seafood, and non-foods used in the restaurant industry.

Wendling said, “Give your customers more than what you’re selling. I think that’s our secret sauce, as we call it. There’s a lot of people that can sell food, but we want to give the service along with it. We have a motto here, “We’re here to feed your success.” That’s our goal, is the more successful we can make our customers, the more successful we become.”

Recently, the WV Secretary of State’s Office joined Upshur County Development Authority in presenting A.F. Wendling’s Foodservice the WV Centurion Chamber of Commerce Award. Membership in the Chamber is limited to those West Virginia businesses that have been in continual operation for more than 100 years.

Wendling said, “We’re very proud of our history. I never had a chance to meet my grandfather, but just proud of the opportunity that he did for my dad and what my dad did for me to give me the opportunity to expand the company again.”

“I’m proud to recognize A.F. Wendling’s Foodservice for their 112 years of success. Family-owned businesses such as theirs have been driving the economy of West Virginia for generations. We look forward to their continued success,” said Secretary Warner.

The interview with Wendling and other recorded episodes of “Just Three Questions!” can be found on the WVSOS YouTube channel.