Donahue Brothers Inc. Began in 1919 in Lawrence, MA
Products were delivered in 1919 with one of the first trucks created in the area - to small Mom and Pop business.
Donahue Brothers, Inc. began in 1919 as Donahue Brothers Distributors. It was founded by John J. Donahue Sr. in Lawrence, Massachusetts.
Incorporated in 1932, his two sons, John J. Donahue Jr. and William F. Donahue Sr. joined him in the business in the mid to late 1940’s.
In 1954, John J. Donahue Jr. and William F. Donahue Sr. took over the company and further developed the beverage piece of the business, entering the coffee distribution in 1952.
Competition among distributors, as now, was keen, and as a result, very high standards were set for the quality of products. The brothers set their own high standards and they would not vary from them. Before long, Donahue Bros. Inc. products could be found in leading restaurants, vendors, and fine food establishments in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Southern Maine. The Donahue brothers had great success and increased the number of customers.
In 1978, William F. Donahue Sr. assumed the ownership of Donahue Brothers, Inc. William F. Donahue Sr., was the father of nine children. He was blessed to have two sons that work tirelessly to be the third generation owners of the family business. They are William F. Donahue Jr. and David D. Donahue.
The two brothers William F. Donahue Jr. and David D. Donahue, are a team that are very dedicated to each other and the family business. In 1976, upon completion of this degree at Salem State College, David D. Donahue joined his father in the business. Later in 1978, William F. Donahue Jr., a graduate of Merrimack College and UMass Amherst, joined his father and brother in the business. Today, the two brothers continue to carry on the strong family ethics of running the business as well as providing quality service and dedication. They insist on the same unwavering commitment to those high standards set by their previous generations.