The nation’s fourth-largest food distribution company plans to acquire Bowling Green-based Southern Foods.

Illinois-based Reinhart Foodservice has entered into an agreement to purchase substantially all of Southern Food’s assets, according to Molly Reilly, a spokeswoman for Reinhart.

Reilly expects the sale will close before the end of the month, but details of the terms of the sale are not being released. Reinhart, a privately held company, has 30 distribution centers across the country.

Southern Foods began in Bowling Green about 55 years ago and is owned and operated by Joe Natcher and his family. The company, which built a new facility a few years ago at 117 Mitch McConnell Way, employs 100 people. 

Southern supplies next-day food delivery into parts of Kentucky, Indiana and Tennessee and has a secondary service market that extends beyond that. Reinhart, whose parent company is Reyes Holdings, supplies every aspect of the food industry from restaurants to schools and institutional settings. A sister company is Reyes Beverage Group, which is the largest beer distributor in the country, according to information from the company.

Reyes Holdings has 14,000 employees and 90,000 customers on multiple continents.

Keith Coffman, owner of Lost River Pizza, said Southern Foods supplies about 70 percent of the food he gets for his restaurant that’s been open nearly two years.

“I think the sale is going to be a good thing,” Coffman said. “With Reinhart, we are going to likely get better pricing and have access to more food lines than we’ve ever been able to get.”

Coffman said he’s talked to employees who are excited about the move.

“And they’ve already got plans on the table to expand the warehouse,” he said. “So this is going to be a good thing.”

Reilly said Southern Foods will retain its name because of the relationship it has with current customers.

As for the employees, Reilly said they have already been hired by Reinhart, including Natcher, who will remain in a leadership role with the company. Reinhart will offer Bowling Green employees the chance for advancement within the overall organization. Employees will receive full medical, dental and other benefits, including a retirement program.

“As a family-owned company it was important to us to find the right partner to continue our growth,” Natcher, who could not be reached for comment, said in a news release. “We are excited to join the Reinhart family and combine our passion for great customer service with the great product portfolio and technology solutions that Reinhart offers.”

Southern Foods President and Chief Operating Officer Doug Polk said the move will benefit company customers and employees.

“There are great benefits to our customers and associates in joining Reinhart. Together, we will have a stronger footprint in the Kentucky market and be able to provide our operators with outstanding new products and services,” Polk said in a news release.

John Roussel, chief executive officer of Reinhart, said the acquisition is good for both parties.

— Robyn L. Minor covers business, environment, transportation and other issues for the Daily News. Follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/bowserminor or visit bgdailynews.com.