WE KNOW WHAT YOU’RE GOING THROUGH
The story of PCS begins with gourmet chocolatier, Bissinger’s. Our founder, Ken Kellerhals, owned the company, and spent nearly twenty years building the brand into a national powerhouse before selling the business in 2013.
The journey was fraught with the usual challenges of scaling up a specialty food brand – manufacturing issues, competitive challengers to fend off, packaging problems, supply chain breakdowns, pricing issues, and sales volatility. We learned the hard way what’s required to build a thriving, sustainable, profitable food brand. That uncommon experience gives PCS the perspective and empathy to step into a food maker’s shoes…and the expertise to help them take the right steps toward success.
WE KNOW WHAT YOU’RE GOING THROUGH
The story of PCS begins with gourmet chocolatier, Bissinger’s. Our founder, Ken Kellerhals, owned the company, and spent nearly twenty years building the brand into a national powerhouse before selling the business in 2013.
The journey was fraught with the usual challenges of scaling up a specialty food brand – manufacturing issues, competitive challengers to fend off, packaging problems, supply chain breakdowns, pricing issues, and sales volatility. We learned the hard way what’s required to build a thriving, sustainable, profitable food brand. That uncommon experience gives PCS the perspective and empathy to step into a food maker’s shoes…and the expertise to help them take the right steps toward success.
WHAT IS PCS?
The acronym, PCS, represents a number of things. It was originally derived from the initials of Ken’s great-uncle and grandfather who were an inspiration as successful, self-made entrepreneurs. More descriptively, PCS could stand for Product Commercialization Services because that nicely describes what PCS is at the core – we commercialize great food and beverage products through a broad suite of integrated services that include strategic business planning, brand development, sales support, turnkey warehousing, fulfillment, and more. We also like to think of PCS as the Perfect Client Solution – with our expertise and breadth of services, you won’t find a more perfect partner to help you build your food business. Whatever your preferred interpretation, we hope you see PCS as an integral partner in your business success. We work hard every day to meet and exceed your expectations.
WHAT IS PCS?
The acronym, PCS, represents a number of things. It was originally derived from the initials of Ken’s great-uncle and grandfather who were an inspiration as successful, self-made entrepreneurs. More descriptively, PCS could stand for Product Commercialization Services because that nicely describes what PCS is at the core – we commercialize great food and beverage products through a broad suite of integrated services that include strategic business planning, brand development, sales support, turnkey warehousing, fulfillment, and more. We also like to think of PCS as the Perfect Client Solution – with our expertise and breadth of services, you won’t find a more perfect partner to help you build your food business. Whatever your preferred interpretation, we hope you see PCS as an integral partner in your business success. We work hard every day to meet and exceed your expectations.
PCS IS AN INVALUABLE SALES AND MARKETING EXTENSION OF YOUR TEAM, PROVIDING STRATEGIC SALES, LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT, AND MEANINGFUL BRAND GROWTH
Through a combination of knowledgeable in-house business consultants, expert internal food industry salespeople, and the best food broker network from coast-to-coast, our team consistently achieves product placement and sales momentum through our direct partnerships with senior-level decision makers at market-leading grocery chains, department stores, specialty retailers, and other key accounts. With a centrally-located warehouse facility in St. Louis, Missouri, as well as key distribution partnerships, we can ensure that every order (and reorder) is fulfilled in a timely, efficient manner.
In addition to our core services, we have strategic partnerships with branding and marketing agencies, packaging suppliers, co-packers, and other alliances to control costs and ensure that everything is aligned for long-term success.
MEET THE PCS TEAM
KEN KELLERHALS
Founder & CEO, PCS
Ken is a rare breed of businessman with the financial foundation from a 12-year banking career and the sales and business experience of a veteran food industry entrepreneur, having spent twenty years building Bissinger’s Handcrafted Chocolatier from a small, local chocolate company into a thriving national brand. During his tenure as Bissinger’s President, Ken was responsible for all aspects of the business, including sales and operations, and successfully grew sales more than seventeen-fold. He led the team to develop four sofi™ awarded products.
As the Founder and CEO of PCS, Ken has applied his vast array of industry knowledge and hands-on experience to help countless food companies (including several of his own) build successful, profitable brands.
KEN KELLERHALS
Founder & CEO, PCS
Ken is a rare breed of businessman with the financial foundation from a 12-year banking career and the sales and business experience of a veteran food industry entrepreneur, having spent twenty years building Bissinger’s Handcrafted Chocolatier from a small, local chocolate company into a thriving national brand. During his tenure as Bissinger’s President, Ken was responsible for all aspects of the business, including sales and operations, and successfully grew sales more than seventeen-fold. He led the team to develop four sofi™ awarded products.
As the Founder and CEO of PCS, Ken has applied his vast array of industry knowledge and hands-on experience to help countless food companies (including several of his own) build successful, profitable brands.
DANA JAMES
President, PCS
Dana worked for Bissinger’s Handcrafted Chocolatier for two decades, and was responsible for branding and marketing across all company channels including direct to consumer, wholesale, retail stores, and corporate divisions, with specific experience in strategic business development. She played a lead role in building an unknown company into a well-recognized national brand.
With PCS, Dana applies her expertise in branding, marketing, and packaging to elevate brands into category leaders. She has a particularly impressive understanding of the regulatory side of food, which helps tremendously with compliance in a variety of areas.
DANA JAMES
President, PCS
Dana worked for Bissinger’s Handcrafted Chocolatier for two decades, and was responsible for branding and marketing across all company channels including direct to consumer, wholesale, retail stores, and corporate divisions, with specific experience in strategic business development. She played a lead role in building an unknown company into a well-recognized national brand.
With PCS, Dana applies her expertise in branding, marketing, and packaging to elevate brands into category leaders. She has a particularly impressive understanding of the regulatory side of food, which helps tremendously with compliance in a variety of areas.
JOSH SCHIPKOWSKI
OWNER, UPSTART FOOD BRANDS
Having spent nearly 15 years helping to build MarketPlace, one of the preeminent food marketing agencies in the country, from the ground up, Josh Schipkowski left to launch Upstart Food Brands, which is focused on providing high-end branding and marketing services to small and startup food and beverage companies. Built on a business model that allows for competitive pricing, Upstart Food Brands brings tremendous value to PCS Gourmet Foods’ clients, offering naming, brand identity development, packaging design, web design, content strategy, photography, and other creative services. A partnership between Upstart Food Brands and PCS ensures that sales and brand strategy will work seamlessly to help you achieve your goals.
JOSH SCHIPKOWSKI
OWNER, UPSTART FOOD BRANDS
Having spent nearly 15 years helping to build MarketPlace, one of the preeminent food marketing agencies in the country, from the ground up, Josh Schipkowski left to launch Upstart Food Brands, which is focused on providing high-end branding and marketing services to small and startup food and beverage companies. Built on a business model that allows for competitive pricing, Upstart Food Brands brings tremendous value to PCS Gourmet Foods’ clients, offering naming, brand identity development, packaging design, web design, content strategy, photography, and other creative services. A partnership between Upstart Food Brands and PCS ensures that sales and brand strategy will work seamlessly to help you achieve your goals.
Upstart Food Brands is responsible for rebranding some of PCS’s most successful brands:
