RIDGEFIELD, Conn., April 7, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. (Nasdaq:CHEF), a premier distributor of specialty food products in the United States, today announced that it has completed the previously announced acquisition of Del Monte Capitol Meat Co. and its affiliated companies ("Del Monte") for an initial purchase price of $185.1 million, including the initial net working capital adjustment. John DeBenedetti, former president and chief executive officer of Del Monte, has been appointed executive vice president of protein and is expected to be appointed to the Company's Board of Directors later this year.

"We are extremely excited to complete this acquisition and welcome Del Monte's very experienced management team and a group of dedicated associates to the Chefs' Warehouse family," said Chris Pappas, chairman and chief executive officer of The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. "The combination of Del Monte, Allen Brothers, and Michael's brings us closer to achieving our goal of being a national specialty ‎protein supplier."

The funding of the acquisition consisted of the following:

• $123.9 million in cash, which was funded with borrowings under the Company's revolving credit facility and the issuance of $25.0 million in additional senior secured notes to entities affiliated with The Prudential Insurance Company of America that bear interest at 5.80% per annum due in October, 2020;
• 1.1 million shares of the Company's common stock (valued at $22.00 per share); and
• $36.7 million in convertible subordinated notes issued to entities affiliated with Del Monte with a six-year maturity bearing interest at 2.50% with a conversion price of $29.70 per share.

In addition, the Company has agreed to pay additional contingent consideration of up to $24.5 million upon the successful achievement of Adjusted EBITDA targets for the Del Monte entities and improvements in certain operating metrics for the Company's protein business over the six years following the closing.

About The Chefs' Warehouse

The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. (http://www.chefswarehouse.com) is a premier distributor of specialty food products in the United States and Canada focused on serving the specific needs of chefs who own and/or operate some of the nation's leading menu-driven independent restaurants, fine dining establishments, country clubs, hotels, caterers, culinary schools, bakeries, patisseries, chocolatiers, cruise lines, casinos and specialty food stores. The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. carries and distributes more than 30,000 products to more than 20,000 customer locations throughout the United States and Canada.

Forward-Looking Statements

Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements in this press release regarding the Company's business that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations and management estimates; actual results may differ materially. The risks and uncertainties which could impact these statements include, but are not limited to, the Company's ability to successfully deploy its operational initiatives to achieve synergies from the acquisition of the Del Monte entities; the results of the ongoing New York state tax audit and the Company's efforts to negotiate the final amount of any assessment; the Company's sensitivity to general economic conditions, including the current economic environment, changes in disposable income levels and consumer discretionary spending on food-away-from-home purchases; the Company's vulnerability to economic and other developments in the geographic markets in which it operates; the risks of supply chain interruptions due to a lack of long-term contracts, severe weather or more prolonged climate change, work stoppages or otherwise; the risk of loss of customers due to the fact that the Company does not customarily have long-term contracts with its customers; changes in the availability or cost of the Company's specialty food products; the ability to effectively price the Company's specialty food products and reduce the Company's expenses; the relatively low margins of the foodservice distribution industry and the Company's and its customers' sensitivity to inflationary and deflationary pressures; the Company's ability to successfully identify, obtain financing for and complete acquisitions of other foodservice distributors and to integrate and realize expected synergies from those acquisitions; the Company's ability to open, and begin servicing customers from, a new Chicago distribution center and the expenses associated therewith; increased fuel costs and expectations regarding the use of fuel surcharges; fluctuations in the wholesale prices of beef, poultry and seafood, including increases in these prices as a result of increases in the cost of feeding and caring for livestock; the loss of key members of the Company's management team and the Company's ability to replace such personnel; and the strain on the Company's infrastructure and resources caused by its growth. Any forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and, as such, speak only as of the date made. A more detailed description of these and other risk factors is contained in the Company's most recent annual report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 11, 2015 and other reports filed by the Company with the SEC since that date. The Company is not undertaking to update any information in the foregoing report until the effective date of its future reports required by applicable laws. Any projections of future results of operations are based on a number of assumptions, many of which are outside the Company's control and should not be construed in any manner as a guarantee that such results will in fact occur. These projections are subject to change and could differ materially from final reported results. The Company may from time to time update these publicly announced projections, but it is not obligated to do so.

CONTACT: Investor Relations

         John Austin, (718) 684-8415

Source: The Chefs' Warehouse

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