The late Don Reed Hobson, founder of Hobson Food Service, had plans to become a pharmacist. His dreams fell to the wayside when he found a job in Nashville, Tenn. as a plant manager supervising two shifts for Bagwell, a jam and jelly manufacturer, a position he held for 10 years that fostered his entrance into the food industry.
Don was later offered a sales position with Don Grubbs Farms in Ridge Top, Tenn. which produced eggs for all the H.G. Hill grocery stores. In 1966, Don was able to negotiate an egg farm contract with his employer that offered him an opportunity to own his own business. As an independent contractor for Don Grubbs Farms, he started an egg farm that grew baby chicks, over 30,000 to be exact, and cultivated eggs for distribution by Grubbs Farms, a business he did for 12 years, along with the help of his family.
In 1978, he closed his egg business in Ridge Top, Tenn. to move to Nashville where he opened another egg business called Music City Egg Company. His business prospered over one year’s time and was sold to another local poultry business; obviously, his 12 years of experience in the egg business paid off.
In 1980, Don was offered a job as divisional sales manager for Gold Kist Poultry & Egg Distribution in Jacksonville, Fla. for its north and southeast regions, a position he held for four years.
In 1984, the family moved back to Nashville, Tenn. where Don was offered a partnership with Decker Poultry & Produce. In 1985, his partner, H.L. Decker, Jr., retired and offered him the business and then, Hobson Food Service was established.
He, his wife, Barbara, and son, Rick, worked together growing the business until March 23, 2004 when he passed away after a courageous battle with cancer at the age of 71.