Ruprecht Company

	Our Vision
	Our History
	A word from Walter Sommers
	Our Team
	Walter Sommers
	Pat Barry
	Scott Bross
	Chris Leacy
	Carl Sommers
	Terry Suessen
	Joyce Thompson
	Pat Willmot

Our Vision:

To provide our customers with the finest quality proteins sourced from our protein partners world wide, processed to our customers exact specifications, at the most competitive prices.

Who we are & What we do:

We have find products to exceed customers expectations.
We are consultants for our customers.
We offer competitive solutions to our customers needs.
We create new exciting products.

Our History

The Ruprecht Company is a leading privately-held meat processor and distributor, serving the foodservice and retail sectors. It was established in 1860, however the Sommers Family acquired it in 1961. It is currently the oldest operating beef processor in the Chicago land area. The company has built a solid reputation on providing center of the plate protein items to the country’s finest hotels, restaurants, and institutions. With almost 150 years of experience, Ruprecht continues to provide customers with the same dedication to quality, service and value that has made the first century and a half so successful. The company is proud to say it is a leader in the global sourcing, processing, and distribution of meats with highly experienced and knowledgeable teams.

Over the last 10 years, there has been rapid expansion and growth. There is also further global expansion planned over the next 5 years. While many things have changed since 1860, Ruprecht’s mission to providing the highest quality product to our customers has not. Today, these customers include well-known independent restaurants, local and national chains, national and international distributors, and high-end retail outlets.

A word from Walter Sommers

We strive to service our customers with the best products available in the marketplace. We are also dedicated to ensuring we have the best safety and sanitary protocols that meet all governmental requirements. To continue our high standards of safety and sanitation, we constructed a new state-of-the-art processing facility to lead the organization into the 21st century. At Ruprecht Company we are proud of our company’s 140+ years of service. Throughout our history, our dedication to quality, service, and value has been the foundation of our future success.
I hope you enjoy our website and we welcome any feedback or questions you may have about the Company.

Our Team

Walter Sommers - President

Walter is the third generation of the Sommers Family run Ruprecht Company. In 1996, he graduated from Indiana University with a degree in finance and then started work at Ruprecht. Over the last ten years, the business has moved in many directions, but none more notably than global sourcing.
Walter is extremely passionate about the business and is committed to ensuring that every individual in the company shares the same values and treats the products, the processes and the customers with the respect they require and deserve.
Walter takes a very down to earth approach to the business and believes that the key to success is not only being a strong leader, but also working closely with his team on the day to day challenges, including his suppliers and customers. He feels confident that this approach will guarantee the quality you would expect to see with his label on it.

Pat Barry

Pat Barry is an integral part of the organization, involved with all aspects of the business including both supply and demand. Pat is Australian and has over 12 years experience in the Meat Industry, throughout Australia, Asia, and North America. He has a Business Degree from Swinburne University of Technology in Australia. Pat works closely with all members of the Sales and Operations Team in scheduling and co-ordinating sales.

Scott Bross - Vice President of Sales

Scott Bross has been with Ruprecht Company since 1997, bringing with him over 30 years of foodservice industry experience, the majority of that selling center-of-the-plate proteins.
His career started in the restaurant industry, where he worked to put himself through school, culminating in general management positions in several local operations. This was followed by account executive and sales management positions with various foodservice companies.
Scott utilizes his extensive experience to focus on business development, as well as giving back as a board member of the local ACF chapter.

Chris Leacy

Chris is an Australian with over 10 years experience in the global beef industry, he has worked in Australia, Europe, Asia and North America and is responsible for the imported purchasing and logistics side of the business along with all South American operations. He has a business degree from Queensland University of Technology.

Carl Sommers - Chief Executive Officer

In 1961 Carl Sommers and his father, Tom, purchased Ruprecht Company. Previously, Tom had butcher shops in the Chicago land area. The meat industry was evolving, and the purchase of Ruprecht Company presented an opportunity to develop into the wholesale end of the business.

Ruprecht was a different company those days. Meat was purchased and sourced 100% from the Chicago Stockyards. The commitment to quality and customer's specifications has remained in place and has helped guide Ruprecht to where it is today. Carl still reviews all new products and is active in the business today."

Terry Suessen

Terry Suessen is a key member of The Ruprecht Company management team. He brings with him over 12 years of Fortune 500 corporate sales and operations experience. Terry holds a bachelor degree from Eastern Illinois University. His current responsibilities include, but are not limited to, operations and national account sales. Terry has appeared several times on the QVC channel representing company products.
Terry takes a great deal of pride, along with the Sommers family; to ensure Ruprecht customers have the highest level of satisfaction. He works hard to guarantee that all Ruprecht employees are professionally challenged and that they work in a safe and positive environment.

Joyce Thompson

Joyce is the secretary-treasurer and has worked at The Ruprecht Company for 35 years. Her responsibilities include human resources, customer service, office management and accounting. Joyce is one of the longest serving employees of the company and is a key part of the organization.

Pat Willmot

Patricia Willmot has spent over 25 years in operating and customer service roles for a diverse group of industries.
She has worked in the food industry for the last 7 years and is currently Vice President of Product Management for Sommers Fare LLC. Her responsibilities include production and quality management for the value-added product line as well as providing leadership for product development, sales support and customer service.

Pat graduated with First Class Honors from the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, with a degree in Honors Applied Science in Chemical Engineering. She received her MBA (Dean’s List) from York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.