Palmer’s Direct To You Market unveils expansion as they mark 175 years

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After 175 years serving the Greater Rochester community, Palmer Food Services is preparing to welcome customers back to a significantly expanded and modernized Palmer’s Direct To You Market. 

The retail arm of the company has reopened inside the Genesee Valley Regional Market following a sweeping renovation that increased the market’s footprint by 40%, nearly doubled the size of its meat room and introduced new café seating and upgraded retail amenities. 

A formal grand reopening celebration and ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday, May 23. 

Brian Handley, president of Palmer Food Services, said the market — which has operated in its current form since 2009 — was due for a refresh that better reflects the company’s customer service standards and quality offerings. 

“It shows our commitment to the Rochester community,” Handley said of the investment. 

One of the renovation’s centerpiece additions is the Levi Palmer Dry Age Room, a glass-enclosed showcase honoring company founder Levi Palmer, who opened his first Rochester storefront at Centre Market in 1849. 

Visitors will be able to observe and learn about the dry-aging process, which Handley said takes roughly 30 days and produces more tender cuts with a distinctive flavor profile. 

Additional upgrades include a redesigned entrance with improved lighting and customer flow, new retail fixtures and display cases, refreshed signage and a revised kitchen menu focused on customer favorites and house specialties. 

“We all enjoy delicious food; and for over 175 years we’ve been blessed to provide it,” said Dwight “Kip” Palmer, CEO of Palmer Food Services and the company’s fifth-generation owner. “Our refreshed market is better than it’s ever been, because service, skill and value matter more than ever.” 

Known regionally for its custom-cut butcher offerings, seafood selection and restaurant-quality prepared foods, Palmer’s is also the Rochester area’s largest provider of Certified Angus Beef. 

Beyond retail, the company’s wholesale division serves roughly 2,000 customers, including restaurants, schools and hospitality operators across New York, Connecticut and New Jersey. Palmer’s has maintained a continuous retail presence since its founding in 1849. 

The company employs approximately 315 people, including about 30 at the market location. In addition to its Jefferson Road headquarters and retail market, Palmer’s operates a 181,000-square-foot warehouse and production facility on Weidner Road in Rochester, along with additional locations in Buffalo and Utica. 

Looking ahead, Handley said the company sees opportunities for growth throughout its existing markets, including plans to expand sales teams in Buffalo, Syracuse and Utica. He added that a transportation routing system upgrade implemented several years ago has helped improve efficiency amid rising fuel costs. 

Handley credited Palmer’s longevity and continued success to its relationships with customers, vendors and employees, as well as its status as an independently owned company in an increasingly consolidated industry. 

“Being independent these days is rare,” Handley said. “That’s our superpower.” 

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