John and Susan Lawrence
November 9, 2022
Wife and husband sell 35-year-old Northborough catering company
Peppers Artful Events has been purchased by Gourmet Catering in Boston.
By Kevin Koczwara
Gourmet Caterers of Boston has purchased Peppers Artful Events of Northborough from the wife-and-husband team who’ve run the high-profile catering company for 35 years.
The sale was finalized on Nov. 7, although serious discussions about the sale began at the start of the year, said Peppers General Manager Nick Long. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Susan Lawrence started Peppers in 1987 when she opened Peppers Fine Food & Café in Northborough. She hired chef John Lawrence a few months later, and the couple has been married for 28 years.
“Best hire I ever made,” Susan told the Worcester Business Journal in 2013.
This story was first reported by the Telegram and Gazette.
The plan for the sale came as Susan and John began to think about winding down their involvement with the company that Susan started 35 years ago. Employees were notified about the plan ahead of the sale, said Long, who confirmed the details of the sale for WBJ, as the couple was unavailable.
“We’re really excited and humbled to continue the legacy of John and Susan,” said Owen Wiggins, Gourmet’s director of business development.
Peppers will keep its Northborough operation, said Long, who has worked there for 15 years.
“We’re still operating as the same firm, but operating with a new owner,” Long said.
Peppers will operate independently of Gourmet with the goal of continuing to do what Peppers has done for 35 years, Wiggins said, which is providing guests with great food, service and awesome experiences.
Gourmet and Peppers have worked together in the past and have known each other for a long time, Wiggins said. The two companies have collaborated, shared ideas, and talked about the challenges of catering, so there is a familiarity between the new ownership and the Peppers operation.
Peppers Artful Events is the exclusive caterer at New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill in Boylston and runs the garden’s cafe, Farmer and Fork Café. Peppers is one the industry leaders in sustainable catering by installing solar photovoltaic cells and solar hot water awnings on their facility on Hudson Street in Northborough, as well as cutting out the use of styrofoam and implementing other changes to conserve water use.
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Anonymous
November 9, 2022
Congratulations, Susan and John!
You have made so many people and companies so happy and satisfied with your wonderful food, service and creativity. Best of luck in your future.
Marshall Gould.
Anonymous
November 9, 2022
Thank you, Susan and John, for so many years of wonderfulness in Northborough and at Tower Hill! We will miss you and wish you much happiness.
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