Exhibit 99.1


                                                                     AMERISERVE
                                                15305 Dallas Parkway, Suite 1600
                                                          P.O. Box 9016 - MS 16B
                                                      Addison, Texas  75001-9016
                                                             Phone: 972-364-2000

November 2, 1999

Dear Valued Supplier,

            Over the past few weeks there have been concerns expressed about
AmeriServe in the supplier community. As many of you know, AmeriServe recently
completed a bond offering that we thought would be positively perceived. The
opposite seems to have occurred, resulting in concerns about our liquidity and
misconceptions about the bond offering. For instance, we have heard that the
offering was placed entirely overseas. In fact, current bondholders (both
investment funds and insurance companies) purchased the vast majority of the new
bonds. It seems these concerns are partly a result of the accounts payable
processing problems we have had over the past several months and the magnitude
of the cost associated with our restructuring and consolidation activities.

With the completion of most of the new distribution center network and the JD
Edwards computer system implementation, AmeriServe expects that over the next 60
days, spending for restructuring and consolidation activities will decrease
substantially, ongoing operating expenses will decline and capital spending will
return to historical maintenance levels.

We have made significant progress on the payables front over the past quarter,
reducing the amounts owed to suppliers by almost $125 million before the bond
financing, which was funded at the beginning of October. We are working
diligently with you to reconcile purchase orders, delivery receipts, and
invoices and need your continued cooperation in coordinating your billing
procedures with our accounts payable processes.

The company and our financial advisors believe that it is important that the
company takes organizational initiatives and further enhances its capital
resources in ways that restore your long term confidence in AmeriServe. We
expect that the following steps, which we are in the process of implementing,
will provide AmeriServe with ample liquidity as we move into the
post-consolidation period:

o    asset sales, including the sale of our Equipment Division and excess
     fleet equipment, and reductions in our inventory and accounts
     receivable, yielding $110 to $140 million
o    execution of planned post-consolidation cost-cutting actions resulting in a
     significant reduction in cash expenditures



November 2, 1999
Page 2

o      $50 million of equity and equity-like investments by AmeriServe
       shareholders
o      increase of $100 million in AmeriServe's bank-funded credit line

The cost-cutting includes a reduction in head count of approximately 1,500
people, representing approximately 15% of our workforce. Most of the reductions
involve individuals who have completed contract or other temporary labor
services that were necessary during our restructuring.

The proposed financing actions, which would be supported by leading financial
and other institutions in the U.S. and Europe, are expected to be implemented
over the next four to six weeks, and the organizational initiatives will begin
immediately. We have shared these plans with our major customers and their
respective buying organizations and they have committed their full support.

Our entire management team is confident that we can deliver on our plans and
become the leading distributor in the industry. We thank you for your continued
support.

Sincerely,



John V. Holten
Chief Executive Officer