VALET GOURMET, an industry leading restaurant marketing and delivery company in Asheville, has combined its current Asheville and Tennessee operations with another industry leader, TAKEOUT CENTRAL, located in Chapel Hill, NC. When fully integrated, Valet Gourmet and Takeout Central will operate in seven major markets across North Carolina and Tennessee.
The company will serve over 325 strategic restaurant partners by incorporating advanced technologies and a network of 220 independent delivery professionals to extend the restaurant partners’ marketing efforts and facilitate over 225,000 annual deliveries of their cuisine to both residential and corporate customers.
Parker Spears remains in Asheville as Partner and Company Manager; he previously served as Valet Gourmet’s Director of Operations. Kenan Hopkins, Valet Gourmet’s founder and past President, will continue as a key advisor to the organization. Mr. Hopkins says, “I am thrilled to see Valet Gourmet taken to the next level under the leadership of Parker Spears and the Takeout Central management team. Our employees are central to the business and I could think of no better team to lead them and the company into the future.”
All Asheville employees will remain employed by the combined company. Mr. Spears says of the transaction, “Under Kenan’s leadership and strong vision over the past 12 years, Valet Gourmet has become a true success story here in Asheville, and it is a privilege to be a part of this team. On many, many levels, the teams at Takeout Central and Valet Gourmet are a perfect fit, and together we will do great things for our customers, employees, restaurant partners, and independent delivery professionals!”
Valet Gourmet was founded by Mr. Hopkins in 2003 and has earlier expanded its operations into the Knoxville, TN market area. Takeout Central, also with 10+ years of industry experience, has successfully incorporated technology to expand the traditional model of the restaurant marketing and delivery service provider.