Company History

Company History - Overview

Marilyn Raybin, President/Founder of Marvell Foods in 2007, had her first taste of the “food industry” at a very young age. Her father was the owner of Ferris Shahl-Meyer, the makers of the world-famous “Ball Park Hot Dog.” Her father’s slaughterhouse and meatpacking plant were in the Bronx, NYC. Little did she know at the time that her exposure and experience in the food industry would shape her future. Raybin not only owns and runs one of the country’s largest food trading companies, but both of her adult children work with her in this very successful business.

In the 70s, Raybin worked for a Food Trading company. In short order, she became one of the top salespersons in her company, selling more chicken than anyone else in the country. She earned the title “Chicken Queen.” If you ate chicken in the 80s, there’s a good chance it was bought or sold by Raybin.

Marilyn Raybin,

President, Marvell Foods

In 2007, Raybin opened her own Food Trading/Food Brokerage company with another woman, naming it Marvell Foods. Raybin bought out her partner in 2010. At the time, the company’s core business was buying and selling secondary and surplus products, a niche business that involves finding and then selling manufacturer overruns or miscuts, spec/ingredient changes, and packaging changes that require manufacturers and retailers to off-load these goods at discount prices. Marvell has developed a national and international network of buyers for these goods.

With more than thirty years of experience in the food industry, today, Marvell Foods is one of North America’s leading trading companies, specializing in brokering out of date, discontinued, unsold, and overstock food items, as well as products from other industries. With a global network of potential buyers, Marvell helps businesses sell products that might otherwise have been wasted, sent to storage, or even disposed of with creative options for turning a profit on excess and unsaleable inventory.

Since 2010 the business has grown exponentially, increasing annual sales by significant multiples in the millions. New salespeople and business development led to substantial State and Federal Contracts with prisons. Opportunities opened for export, including sales of pet food ingredients.

COVID-19 Crisis

When the Covid Crisis hit in 2020, Marvell Foods jumped into action, working with meat processing manufacturers. Since August 2020, Marvell Foods has worked as a Subcontractor/Supplier supplying food products (proteins, among other products) as part of the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box Program [FFFBP]. Marvell Foods has worked with USDA BOA Holders/Awardees as well as manufacturers across the country, facilitating the production of more than 20 million pounds of food for inclusion in the FFFBP.

Marvell Foods’ efforts have helped to support manufacturing plants and the employment of hundreds of workers in food plants in hard hit parts of the nation. As important, during the pandemic, their work has helped feed tens of millions of Americans across the country and families suffering from Food Insecurity.

Today, the company has offices coast to coast, with a daughter, Jamie running an office in Boulder, Co, and her son, Scott, who works out of the office in Boca Raton, Florida. This third-generation business is now further expanding with more Federal Government contracts through various USDA programs and Women- Owned and Minority Opportunities. The company has received recognition in both mainstream media as well as various food industry trade publications.

Differentiators

Experience working with State & Federal Entities
In-depth knowledge of all aspects of the food industry
Exceptional relationships nationally and internationally with buyers and sellers
Experience in Import and Export
USDA New Vendor Registration/Qualified (In Progress)
HubZone (In progress)
Woman-Owned Business – YES.
Eligible for Government Contract “Set Asides” – YES.
Multiple US Offices – Yes.
Recognized Industry Expert – YES.