BUSINESS MEMO: FOOD SERVICE EXPANDS

Burch Food Services of Sikeston, Mo., has expanded.

The company, owned by Bill M. Burch, a former chairman of the board for the National Automatic Merchandising Association (NAMA), recently signed a franchise agreement with Canteen Vending Services, of Compass Group, North American Division, Charlotte, N.C.

Canteen is the world's largest vending company with 122 branches in the U.S. and 44 franchise operations in the U.S. and abroad.

In addition to the Canteen agreements, Burch Food Services also acquired Canteen's Dyersburg, Tenn., operation.

The Dyersburg operation has more than 70 employees serving customers in Northwest Tennessee and Northeast Arkansas.

The new franchise agreement and Dyersburg acquisition created more than doubled the Burch Company, to 200-plus employees. The company will service a 125-mile radius, with branches in Dyersburg and Martin, Tenn.; Blytheville, Ark.; Chester, Ill.; Paducah, Ky.; and Kennett, Mo.

Burch, who previously served as vice president for Coca-Cola Bottling Co.. branches at Sikeston and Cairo, Ill., purchased a Sikeston vending company in 1977, and was watched the company grow from 10 employees to more than 200.

"We've had good growth through the years, and our new partnership with Canteen will help us continued that growth," said Burch.

Burch Food Services is a family-owned and operated company. It includes Bill Burch, chairman of the board; Burch's son, Steven H. Burch, president of the company; and Steven's wife, chief financial officer Tammy Burch. Tim S. Merideth serves as vice president of the company.