C B Ragland Company

C.B. Ragland Company, a former wholesale grocery business, transitioned to focus on real estate and trucking in 2002. Its subsidiary, Colonial Realty, and CBR Transportation provide customized service to the Midwest and Southeast areas of the United States. Founded in 1919 by Charles Burton Ragland, the company has grown from seven employees in its first year to over 200 by 2001. C.B. Ragland was a pioneer in offering frozen food to retail stores and was the first wholesale grocery company in Tennessee to install a computer in 1959. Additionally, it was the first wholesale grocery in the country to have 100 percent computerized ordering from its customers. The company is located in Nashville, Tenn.