Company History

 

The involvement of the Pietersz family in the food distribution business dates back to 1948, when Mr. John M. Pietersz was named the exclusive agent for S&W products in Curacao.

In those days, the agency business was limited to indent orders for specific premium customers and stores. Customers had to transport, warehouse, and merchandise their own products.

With the introduction of containers in the shipping industry, the business grew to include warehousing and distribution activities. The business began to provide value-added services not offered in the past.
In 1969, Pietersz Import & Co. was officially founded and established as a corporation. At that time, the company only employed 3 people while the basement of the family residence served as the warehouse space.

Within the next 10 years, the business grew significantly and required additional space. In 1981, the company bought property close to the family residence and began construction of a larger and more suitable warehouse and office space.

After 2 years of operating in the newly constructed building, the business expanded into the retail market with "PICO Cash & Carry". The store gained widespread popularity among consumers and the brands distributed by Pietersz grew to leading positions in the marketplace. Before long, the business outgrew its space again.

In 1989, the warehouse was expanded to accommodate this growth. At the same time, management decided to focus and direct all efforts on the distribution and marketing of brands in the retail and foodservice markets. The Cash & Carry operation was therefore discontinued.

During the 90's, the operations grew to include not only warehousing and distribution services but also marketing, merchandising, and other value-added services.

Pietersz also expanded its operations to cover the island of Bonaire. The company has earned several international recognitions for outstanding performance in the distribution business including the "Agent of the Year" award for three consecutive years from S&W Latin America, Oustanding Performance with Valrico, etc.

After another expansion of the facilities in 2006, the business grew to occupy more than 50,000 square feet of warehouse space.  In August 2007, Pietersz took over the operations of JP Maal in Curacao making it one of largest food distributors on the island.  The company now employs over 50 associates and respresents 64 brand names with a total of over 3,000 SKUs.