UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

 

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FORM 8-K
 

 

 

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CURRENT REPORT

 

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): January 8, 2018

 

 

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THE CHEFS’ WAREHOUSE, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (203) 894-1345

 

(Former name or former address if changed since last report.)

 

 

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Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

☐ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

☐ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

 

Emerging growth company ☐

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

 

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On January 8, 2018, The Chefs’ Warehouse, Inc. (the “Company”) issued a press release announcing its preliminary outlook for full year 2018. A copy of this press release is furnished and attached as Exhibits 99.1 hereto and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

The information furnished is not deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, is not subject to the liabilities of that section and is not deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act.

 

 

(d) Exhibits.  The following exhibit is being filed with this Current Report on Form 8-K.

 

 

Exhibit No.		Description
99.1		Press Release of The Chefs’ Warehouse, Inc. dated January 8, 2018.

 

 

 

 

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

 

Date: January 8, 2018

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

 

Exhibit No.		Description
99.1		Press Release of The Chefs’ Warehouse, Inc. dated January 8, 2018.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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THE CHEFS’ WAREHOUSE, INC. ANNOUNCES PRELIMINARY FULL YEAR 2018 GUIDANCE

Ridgefield, CT, January 8, 2018 —The Chefs’ Warehouse, Inc. (NASDAQ: CHEF), a premier distributor of specialty food products in the United States and Canada, today announced its preliminary outlook for full year 2018.

Based on current trends in the business, the Company is providing the following financial guidance for fiscal year 2018:

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Net sales between $1.40 billion and $1.44 billion

 

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Gross profit between $355 million and $365 million

 

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Adjusted EBITDA between $74 million and $78 million

“In 2018, we expect growth across our Specialty and Protein categories with a focus on driving growth in unique customers, placements and cases. We also look forward to our first full year of Fells Point being part of the Chefs Warehouse family,” said Christopher Pappas, chairman and chief executive officer of The Chefs’ Warehouse, Inc.

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 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; the risks of loss of revenue or reductions in operating margins in the Company’s protein business as a result of competitive pressures within this segment of the Company’s business; 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 service customers from its new Chicago, San Francisco and Las Vegas distribution centers and the expenses associated therewith; increased fuel cost volatility 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 (“SEC”) on March 10, 2017 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.

 

 

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 43,000 products to more than 28,000 customer locations throughout the United States and Canada.

Contact:

Investor Relations

Jim Leddy, CFO, (718) 684-8415

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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