Providence-based Feast & Fettle, a prominent food delivery business, has made a significant move by acquiring WECO Hospitality in Massachusetts. This strategic acquisition is part of their broader plan to enhance their presence along the east coast and in New England. CEO Carlos Ventura believes this move makes sense as the two businesses share similar characteristics and serve a common customer base.

Why the Acquisition?

WECO Hospitality has been operating in the "ready-to-eat" meal delivery space across the northeast and mid-Atlantic. Jennifer Fremont-Smith, WECO's CEO, emphasized that the deal would uphold the quality of food that customers have come to expect since the company's founding in 2020. Ventura stated that WECO, currently headquartered in Acton, will transition to the Feast & Fettle branding and will wind down its operations. The company has no plans to retain the WECO team.Feast & Fettle, which launched eight years ago, has grown beyond Rhode Island. It now delivers food across New England and has made inroads in New York and New Jersey. Next year, they will start serving Brooklyn residents. With 250 workers, Ventura believes the current team can handle the new customer base, although some additional drivers may be needed.Last month, the company closed its retail store in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, and its Cambridge, Massachusetts, outlet a few months earlier. Ventura explained that this was a strategic decision to focus resources on their core business of food delivery. "Once we realize something isn't working, we don't try to prolong it," he said. The company is pacing its growth carefully to ensure quality is not compromised. "We do it slowly, county by county, to ensure we have the density and maintain the service levels everyone expects from us," he added.Ventura also mentioned that the company is not seeking new capital at present and can add more distribution centers without it. However, as they continue their east coast growth, this could change. "If we double in size from where we are today, we will definitely need an infusion of capital, primarily to build a second kitchen as we move down the east coast. That's probably at least a year away," he said.The business has grown faster than Ventura and his co-founders had anticipated. When asked about potential buyers, he said they are open to the idea.Omar Mohammed can be reached at omar.mohammed@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter (X) @shurufu.