CES Family of Companies lands on Inc. 5000 after 261% growth

CES Family of Companies was named to Inc. magazine’s 2026 Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing private companies, ranking No. 1,353. The Chicago-based food equipment supplier said the honor reflects its acquisition-led expansion across 11 brands serving Midwest grocery, convenience and restaurant operators.

Why it matters: - The Inc. 5000 spot gives CES national visibility as one of America’s fastest-growing private companies. - The ranking underscores how acquisition-led expansion is reshaping the food equipment, supplies and service market in the Midwest. - CES said the recognition reflects growth across its portfolio, which now spans 11 brands.

What happened: - CES Family of Companies was named to the 2026 Inc. 5000 list. - The Chicago-based company ranked No. 1,353 on the list. - CES posted three-year revenue growth of 261% between 2022 and 2025. - The company said the growth came during a period of sustained expansion through acquisitions.

The details: - CES now includes CES Nationwide, Dubick Fixture and Supply, March Equipment, McCormick Service, Ramar Supply, Total Restaurant Supply, United Fast Food and Beverage, Wilson Restaurant Supply, Windrock Enterprises, Bolton & Hay and Southeast Mechanical. - The portfolio serves grocery, convenience and restaurant operators throughout the Midwest. - Tyler Jeffrey, CEO of CES, said the company’s growth came from finding independent businesses, bringing them into a larger platform and giving them more resources to serve customers. - CES said each brand continues to operate under its own name and keep serving existing customers directly. - Shared resources in equipment, supplies and service now support the full CES portfolio. - CES was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Chicago. - CES is a portfolio company of Cooper Management, LLC. - The company’s website is cesfamilyofcompanies.com. - Inc. ranked companies in the 2026 list by percentage revenue growth from 2022 to 2025. - This year’s Inc. 5000 honorees generated a cumulative $385 billion in revenue in 2025.

Between the lines: - CES is using a roll-up strategy: buy respected regional operators, keep local brands intact and layer in centralized support. - That model can preserve customer relationships while adding scale, which may help CES compete against larger distributors and service providers. - The Inc. 5000 recognition also signals investor and market confidence in the company’s consolidation approach.

What's next: - CES is likely to continue integrating acquisitions while keeping brand identities local. - The company’s growth path will depend on whether it can sustain expansion without diluting the service model that helped it scale. - Inc. will continue highlighting privately held companies that post strong growth over its annual ranking cycle.

The bottom line: - CES turned a regional acquisition strategy into national recognition, and the Inc. 5000 spot validates the scale of that growth.