In 1989, a new company was founded by Don Hunt, at age 56 in his father-in-law’s garage, with zero employees or customers. It was the second time he had created a wholesale pizza business with the help of his brothers. Fast forward to 2022, DBH Distributing, LLC is the largest Master Distributor for the Hunt Brothers® Pizza brand, supporting distributors with over 4,500 locations in nine U.S. states and six foreign countries.
The story began in Evansville, Indiana where Don was the oldest of seven children to Austin and Matilda Hunt. The family owned a restaurant, Austin’s Drive-in, which, for the four Hunt brothers proved to be a training ground and the early foundation for their futures in the foodservice industry. Don was an excellent athlete receiving scholarships to numerous major colleges to play football, ultimately choosing Vanderbilt University. While at Vanderbilt, he met Barbara Kelly, the oldest daughter of Jimmy Kelly, founder of Jimmy Kelly’s Steakhouse in Nashville, TN. They settled in Nashville and later had four children: Austin, Scott, Kelly and Britt.
In the early 60’s, Don started selling wholesale pizza supplies to restaurants out of his Rambler station wagon. Tom Kessel was a very nice man who originally helped Don get his start in the pizza business. As Don’s company grew, his brothers joined and helped build the business to over 26 cities across the Southeast. Over time, each of his brothers left to start their own wholesale pizza business in other parts of the country. In 1981, Don sold his pizza company, the Pepe’s brand and exited the pizza business.
In the late 80’s, Don started working with his three brothers to start a new pizza concept that would be sold to rural markets and convenience stores. They vowed to use their past experiences to develop a program that would primarily focus on their customers’ success. They knew if their customers were successful, they would be successful. Don’s new company would become DBH Distributing, LLC, a master distributorship supporting distributors of the Hunt Brothers® Pizza brand. The company focuses on supplying pizza products, packaging, equipment and marketing materials to distributor’s satellite warehouses where the distributor directly services their customers on a weekly basis.
Over the last 30 years, the Hunt Brothers® Pizza program has evolved while never losing focus on offering quality, great tasting products for consumers while providing a profitable, sustainable business opportunity for our store customers. Don Hunt created an amazing foundation for the Hunt Brothers® Pizza brand and DBH Distributing, LLC. The second and third generations have joined the business with the intent to maintain the Hunt Family’s legacy of being a blessing to our customers, consumers, vendors, and amazing team members while stewarding the business for future generations.
DBH Distributing, LLC has enjoyed much success over the last 30 years and has remained headquartered in Nashville, TN. The company is highly committed to the Middle Tennessee area and is proud to be the Official Pizza of the Nashville Predators and Nashville Sounds. The DBH team believes success is paired with the opportunity and responsibility to support the community through involvement with hundreds of charities. The team gives back through volunteer time, donations and providing free pizza and wings at hundreds of charitable events with DBH Distributing’s Community Care-A-Vans. The Nashville office is proud to have achieved 100% team member participation in company sponsored charitable events each year. Today the Hunt Family is still relentlessly driven by the founders’ original mission to be a blessing to our customers, team members and community.