COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 44511

Supermarkets and Other Grocery (Except Convenience) Stores

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

40companies1904–1991founding years40still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironment
FoundedFurr's Supermarkets, Inc.
1904
FoundedThe Vons Companies, Incorporated
1906
1908
TechnologyThe Ford Model T brings the automobile to the middle class.
FoundedRalphs Grocery Company
1909
FoundedGristede's Foods Inc.
1913
EconomyThe Federal Reserve is created.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedThe Grand Union Company
1916
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression begins.
FoundedPublix Super Markets Inc.
1930
FoundedBashas' Inc.FoundedMinyard Food Stores, Inc.
1932
FoundedHaggen Inc.
1933
EconomyNew Deal reforms reshape banking and industry.
FoundedHy-Vee, Inc.
1938
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
FoundedArden Group, Inc.
1940
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long postwar expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented at Bell Labs.
FoundedSPAR Handels AG
1952
1956
EconomyThe Interstate Highway program remakes commerce.
FoundedCoborn's, Inc.
1957
FoundedFoodarama Supermarkets, Inc.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedRandall's Food Markets, Inc.
1966
FoundedCBRL Group, Inc.
1970
EnvironmentThe EPA is founded; environmental regulation expands.
FoundedOrganización Soriana, S.A. de C.V.
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; Nasdaq opens.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins with the Altair.
FoundedDean & DeLuca, Inc.
1977
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall 22% in a single day.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1994
TechnologyAmazon is founded; e-commerce begins to disrupt retail.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2001
EconomyThe September 11 attacks; a recession follows.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 begin to take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Furr's Supermarkets, Inc. →
Active · founded 1904
Furr's Supermarkets, Inc.
Furr's Supermarkets, Inc. →
Active · founded 1904
Furr's Supermarkets, Inc.
The Vons Companies, Incorporated →
Active · founded 1906
The Vons Companies, Incorporated--wholly owned by Safeway Inc.
The Vons Companies, Incorporated →
Active · founded 1906
The Vons Companies, Incorporated--wholly owned by Safeway Inc.
Ralphs Grocery Company →
Active · founded 1909
Ralphs Grocery Company is the largest food retailer in Southern California, and is showing signs of eventually evolving…
Ralphs Grocery Company →
Active · founded 1909
Ralphs Grocery Company is the largest food retailer in Southern California, and is showing signs of eventually evolving…
Gristede's Foods Inc. →
Active · founded 1913
Gristede's Foods, Inc., owns and operates 46 supermarkets in the New York City metropolitan area.
Gristede's Foods Inc. →
Active · founded 1913
Gristede's Foods, Inc., owns and operates 46 supermarkets in the New York City metropolitan area.
The Grand Union Company →
Active · founded 1916
The Grand Union Company is a food retailer operating 222 Grand Union supermarkets in six states, including 123 in New…
The Grand Union Company →
Active · founded 1916
The Grand Union Company is a food retailer operating 222 Grand Union supermarkets in six states, including 123 in New…
Publix Super Markets Inc. →
Active · founded 1930
Publix Super Markets Inc.
Publix Super Markets Inc. →
Active · founded 1930
Publix Super Markets Inc.
Bashas' Inc. →
Active · founded 1932
Bashas' Inc.
Bashas' Inc. →
Active · founded 1932
Bashas' Inc.
Minyard Food Stores, Inc. →
Active · founded 1932
Minyard Food Stores, Inc.
Minyard Food Stores, Inc. →
Active · founded 1932
Minyard Food Stores, Inc.
Haggen Inc. →
Active · founded 1933
Haggen Inc.
Haggen Inc. →
Active · founded 1933
Haggen Inc.
Ukrop's Super Market's, Inc. →
Active · founded 1937
Ukrop's Super Market's, Inc.
Ukrop's Super Market's, Inc. →
Active · founded 1937
Ukrop's Super Market's, Inc.
Hy-Vee, Inc. →
Active · founded 1938
One of the 15 largest supermarket chains in the United States, Hy-Vee, Inc.
Hy-Vee, Inc. →
Active · founded 1938
One of the 15 largest supermarket chains in the United States, Hy-Vee, Inc.
Arden Group, Inc. →
Active · founded 1940
The Arden Group, Inc.
Arden Group, Inc. →
Active · founded 1940
The Arden Group, Inc.
SPAR Handels AG →
Active · founded 1952 · Germany
SPAR Handels AG is Germany's seventh largest company active in grocery wholesale and retail with a market share of…
SPAR Handels AG →
Active · founded 1952 · Germany
SPAR Handels AG is Germany's seventh largest company active in grocery wholesale and retail with a market share of…
Coborn's, Inc. →
Active · founded 1957
Coborn's, Inc.
Coborn's, Inc. →
Active · founded 1957
Coborn's, Inc.
Foodarama Supermarkets, Inc. →
Active · founded 1958
Foodarama Supermarkets, Inc.
Foodarama Supermarkets, Inc. →
Active · founded 1958
Foodarama Supermarkets, Inc.
Randall's Food Markets, Inc. →
Active · founded 1966
Randall's Food Markets, Inc.
Randall's Food Markets, Inc. →
Active · founded 1966
Randall's Food Markets, Inc.
CBRL Group, Inc. →
Active · founded 1970
CBRL Group, Inc., was formed in 1998 as a holding company for Cracker Barrel Old Country Store restaurants, a chain of…
CBRL Group, Inc. →
Active · founded 1970
CBRL Group, Inc., was formed in 1998 as a holding company for Cracker Barrel Old Country Store restaurants, a chain of…
Organización Soriana, S.A. de C.V. →
Active · founded 1971 · Mexico
Organización Soriana, S.A.
Organización Soriana, S.A. de C.V. →
Active · founded 1971 · Mexico
Organización Soriana, S.A.
Dean & DeLuca, Inc. →
Active · founded 1977
For the ultimate American gastronome, there is just one place: Dean & DeLuca, Inc.
Dean & DeLuca, Inc. →
Active · founded 1977
For the ultimate American gastronome, there is just one place: Dean & DeLuca, Inc.
Blue Square Israel Ltd. →
Active · founded 1991 · Israel
Israeli retail leader Blue Square Israel Ltd.
Blue Square Israel Ltd. →
Active · founded 1991 · Israel
Israeli retail leader Blue Square Israel Ltd.
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