The History of Taher Inc.

Ever since Bruce Taher started his food service company in 1981, Taher, Inc. has maintained a matchless reputation based on the standards of quality, driven by trained chefs, value, integrity and customized professional services.

Seeking on opportunities available in the United States, Bruce Taher immigrated to the US at the age of 19, alone and without much money, to attend college at the University of Oklahoma. While earning his Bachelor’s degree in Economics and later his MBA he worked as a dishwasher and floor scrubber at the University Cafeteria. He eventually worked his way up to working nights as a cook, waiter and then a manager at a 5-Star restaurant.

Fueled with a passion to cook and to serve customers, he decided to remain in the industry. He subsequently joined the management team of a national food service contracting firm, who later transferred him to the Twin Cities as a Regional Manager, a career he held for 11 years.

In 1981, after observing a hunger on the part of Corporate America to acquire other companies while creating wide gaps between the customer’s needs and the Corporation’s financial mandates, Bruce Taher decided to take a free fall, follow his dreams, and start his own company. With the opportunity to work with Plainview School District in Southeast, MN (still a current client), Bruce Taher initiated a partnerships with clients by providing chef-based meals prepared from scratch, and sold at a reasonable price.

Now, after 30-plus years in business, the mission continues to be the same. The added focus on “Healthy Food” through its Food4Life® initiative, the addition of more and more trained chefs, and Taher University to train them has landed Taher the title of the 21st largest Food Service Company in the nation (Food Management Magazine). It also serves as the largest private company in the country serving private and public school communities. Bruce’s two sons Shawn and Trent have now joined the management team. With production kitchens in Minneapolis, Milwaukee and Des Moines, Taher produces daily fresh products for Meals On Wheels, Senior Centers, Head Start programs, Charter Schools and business locations that do not have their own kitchens. The Taher Family has been expanded to 3,000 with an impressive longevity, unmatched in our industry serving over 250,000 meals every day.

The future remains bright for Taher, Inc. as more Americans are drawn to “healthy meals prepared by professional chefs from fresh (not frozen) ingredients,” at each meal. In addition, as the giant three competitors continue to address the needs of the masses, Taher, Inc. will continue its niche, offering more personalized and customized services while retaining its original mission of quality, value and integrity.