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Our Story

Integrated Food Service (IFS) was founded in 1991 by Paul G. Giuliano with the vision of bringing quality sandwiches to schools. Its roots trace back to 1952, when Gaetano and Frances Giuliano opened Giuliano’s Delicatessen, establishing a legacy of fresh-baked bread and quality ingredients.

Paul G. and his father, Paul C., carried this three-generation tradition forward. These family values shaped IFS’s commitment to reliability, consistency, and long-term partnership with school food service teams.

Decades of hands-on experience allow IFS to understand and solve the real challenges schools face every day.

Building the Foundation

In 1994, IFS opened its first USDA processing facility, expanding its product offerings and introducing The Original Grilled Cheese Sandwich, “Hot off the Grill.”

As the first to bring this concept to schools, it quickly became a student favorite. Operating across California, Arizona, and Nevada under commodity processing agreements, sales grew rapidly.

By 2000, the company moved into its current Gardena, California plant. Its sister company, Little Brothers Bakery, located on the same campus, provides immediate access to fresh bread daily.

Going National

By 2007, growing demand led to the construction of a standalone grilled cheese production plant. That same year marked IFS’s national expansion into states including Utah, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, and Maryland.

The product line expanded to fully cooked beef and bulk commodity solutions. Within a few years, distribution became nationwide, supported by a strong broker and distribution network.

Today, IFS holds multi-state USDA commodity agreements and serves school districts in over 40 states with a strategically positioned sales team.

Where We Are Today

Today, IFS and its affiliated companies operate across nine buildings on an 8.5-acre campus, including USDA- and FDA-approved processing facilities, bakeries, and warehouses.

In 2024, the company acquired a USDA protein processing plant in Vernon, CA increasing production capacity. The facility produces fully cooked charbroiled protein patties and kettle items such as taco meat, refried beans, and chili.

All facilities are BRC certified, ensuring the highest standards of food safety and quality control.

What Makes Us Different

IFS stands apart through its vertically integrated model.

Little Brothers Bakery bakes fresh bread daily, which is used within hours to produce individually wrapped, value-added sandwiches. The company controls protein production, bread baking, and final assembly in-house.

This complete oversight of the production process ensures consistent quality and sets IFS apart from competitors.

Leading the Way Forward

IFS continues to lead through innovation, developing clean-label products and fast scratch components that support school kitchens.

Its mission is to make it easier for schools to serve healthy, wholesome meals every day. Every ingredient sourced and every process refined reflects a commitment to student nutrition nationwide.

Feeding the next generation is not just the company’s business—it is its mission and driving purpose.

Our Birria is slow-cooked 8+ hours in state-of-the-art smokehouse ovens using sous vide technology — locking in natural juices at precise low temperatures for consistently tender, fall-apart beef with deep, smoky flavor every time.

A Family Legacy

At the heart of it all, we are still a family business.

Three generations have poured their passion into feeding people.

That's not just our history, it's our promise for the future.

Meet Our Leadership Team

Paul G. Giuliano grew up in the food business, working in his family's Italian grocery store, Giuliano's Delicatessen & Bakery—opened by his grandparents in 1952. After earning his degree in Business Finance from USC, Paul founded Integrated Food Service in 1991. He built the company from the ground up—personally laying out the plant and production lines with an operator's understanding of what makes systems work. More than three decades later, Paul remains hands-on and deeply engaged in the national school nutrition community. Paul serves on the Torrance Memorial Hospital Foundation Board and the Gardena Police Foundation Board.

Paul G. Giuliano

Founder & CEO

Jay Schumacher became COO of Integrated Food Service in July 2022, bringing a deep passion for the food born from the 10 years he spent cooking his way through high school and college in the restaurant industry. He graduated from Penn State in 1998 and started at Frito-Lay, advancing from frontline supervisor to Plant and Finance Manager, gaining expertise in Manufacturing, Warehouse, Logistics, and Supply Chain. He later joined Bimbo Bakeries USA as Plant Manager and most recently served as Director of Operations at Hain Celestial for their North American Snacks business. Jay holds an MBA from Liberty University and is HACCP certified as a PCQI and Food Defense Coordinator.

Jay Schumacher

COO

Dawn Allen serves as Chief Revenue Officer at IFS, bringing over 20 years of food processing industry experience. During her six years with IFS, she spent five years as Chief Financial Officer before assuming her current role as CRO. Her extensive background in food processing operations and strategic financial leadership uniquely positions her to drive revenue growth and deliver innovative solutions for the industry.

Dawn Allen

Chief Revenue Officer

Richard Wood is Director of Sales at Integrated Food Service, bringing 27 years of experience in the school foodservice industry. His career includes roles as Regional Sales Manager for Reinhart Foodservice, Area Execution Manager with Kellogg's, and School Sales Supervisor for Shamrock Foods in Phoenix. Rich has been deeply involved in professional organizations, serving as Industry Chair for California School Nutrition Association and fundraising chair for School Nutrition Association of Arizona. For the past nine years with Integrated Food Service in Gardena, CA, he has overseen nationwide sales operations, leveraging his extensive industry expertise to drive company growth and success.

Richard Wood

Director of Sales

Michelle Reitzin is a seasoned K-12 foodservice and child nutrition leader with more than 40 years of experience supporting school nutrition programs nationwide. She previously served with Integrated Food Service from 2000 to 2015 and has returned to the organization after extensive experience in sales and marketing for K-12 manufacturers and meal providers. Michelle brings deep expertise in USDA program compliance, product strategy, and customer-focused growth, combining nutritional integrity with operational and commercial excellence.

Michelle Reitzin

Director of Strategic Initiatives

Bill Kirk serves as Controller, bringing nearly 30 years of dedicated experience to the family business since joining in 1996. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from the University of Missouri. Bill is actively involved in his professional and local community, holding memberships with the American Commodity Distribution Association and School Nutrition Association, and serves as a member of the Peninsula Committee for Children's Hospital. Outside of work, Bill enjoys traveling, running, and golf.

Bill Kirk

Controller

Join the schools across the country who trust Integrated Food Service for their nutrition programs

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