A grocery store (AE), grocery shop (BE) or simply grocery is a foodservice retail store that primarily retails a general range of food products, which may be fresh or packaged. In everyday U.S. usage, however, "grocery store" is a synonym for supermarket, and is not used to refer to other types of stores that sell groceries. In the UK, shops that sell food are distinguished as grocers or grocery shops
Piggly Wiggly is an American supermarket chain operating in the American Southern and Midwestern regions run by Piggly Wiggly, LLC, an affiliate of C&S Wholesale Grocers. Its first outlet opened in 1916 in Memphis, Tennessee, and is notable as the first true self-service grocery store, and the originator of various familiar supermarket features such as checkout stands, individual item price marking and shopping carts. The company headquarters is in Keene, New Hampshire. As of 2024, 503 independently owned Piggly Wiggly stores currently operate across 18 states, primarily in smaller cities and towns.
Hardware stores, sometimes known as DIY stores, sell household hardware for home improvement including: fasteners, building materials, hand tools, power tools, keys, locks, hinges, chains, plumbing supplies, electrical supplies, cleaning products, housewares, tools, utensils, paint, and lawn and garden products directly to consumers for use at home or for business. Many hardware stores have specialty departments unique to its region or its owner's interests. These departments include hunting and fishing supplies, plants and nursery products, marine and boating supplies, pet food and supplies, farm and ranch supplies including animal feed, swimming pool chemicals, homebrewing supplies and canning supplies. The five largest hardware retailers in the world are The Home Depot, Lowe's, Kingfisher of the United Kingdom, Obi of Germany, and Leroy Merlin of France.
Wakefern Food Corporation is an American company that was founded in 1946 and is based in Keasbey, New Jersey. It is the largest retailers' cooperative group of supermarkets and the fourth-largest cooperative of any kind in the United States. Wakefern was the largest private employer in New Jersey in 2018, with 40,200 employees. As of 2023, Wakefern has 48 member companies who own and operate 365 supermarkets, under the ShopRite, Price Rite Marketplace, The Fresh Grocer, Dearborn Market, Gourmet Garage, and Fairway Market brands in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island.
SuperValu, Inc., was an American wholesaler and retailer of grocery products. The company was formerly headquartered in the Minneapolis suburb of Eden Prairie, Minnesota; it had been in business since 1926. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of United Natural Foods (UNFI).
"FoodLand" is a regional American supermarket chain based in New Stanton, Pennsylvania. The unique "F" logo of the supermarket chain is a registered trademark of Minnesota-based SuperValu, which serves as the chain's main wholesale distributor. Although Supervalu is the parent company and main wholesale distributor for FoodLand, they are owned by the United Natural Foods Corporation (UNFI).
Associated Grocers of Florida, Inc. is a retailers' cooperative based in Pompano Beach that distributes full lines of groceries and general merchandise. Founded in 1945, it provides retail services to independent Supermarkets.
Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. (AWG) is the United States's largest cooperative food wholesaler to independently owned supermarkets and grocery stores. It serves more than 4,000 locations in 36 states and from 8 full-line wholesale divisions. The consolidated run-rate sales for AWG is close to $10 billion. In addition to its cooperative wholesale operations, the company also operates subsidiary companies which provide certain real estate and supermarket development services, digital marketing services, and is a wholesale supply provider of health and beauty care, general merchandise, specialty/international foods and pharmaceutical supplies. It was founded in 1924 as Associated Grocers of Kansas City and was based in Kansas City, Missouri before moving to Kansas City, Kansas. Associated Wholesale Grocers distributes four private-label brands of grocery products, Best Choice, Clearly Organic, Always Save, and Superior Selections along with IGA.
Unified Grocers, originally Unified Western Grocers, was a retailer-owned wholesale grocery cooperative that supplies independent supermarkets in the Western United States. It was formed in 1999 by the merger of two West Coast cooperatives, one based in Oregon and one in Los Angeles: United Grocers of Oregon and Certified Grocers of California. In 2007, it acquired Associated Grocers of Seattle, Washington, and shortened its name to Unified Grocers. The company has its headquarters in Commerce, California.
Affiliated Foods Southwest was a retailers' cooperative serving independent supermarkets in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas. It was founded in 1948 by C. E. "Doc" Toland, who had worked in a cooperative in Little Rock, Arkansas called Model Markets. It was a member of Retailer Owned Food Distributors & Associates and distributed Shurfine products in its stores.
Associated Grocers of New England (AGNE) is a retailers' cooperative serving over six hundred independent grocery stores and convenience stores, in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1946 as New Hampshire Wholesale Grocers and took the present name in 1969. AGNE is a member of Retailer Owned Food Distributors & Associates. It distributes Shurfine products in its stores. It is based in Pembroke, New Hampshire.
Foodtown is a northeastern United States supermarket cooperative founded in 1955 by Twin County Grocers in New Jersey. Currently, there are 66 Foodtown stores in New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut. Foodtown's corporate offices are located in Iselin, New Jersey.
A consumers' co-operative is an enterprise owned by consumers and managed democratically and that aims at fulfilling the needs and aspirations of its members. Such co-operatives operate within the market system, independently of the state, as a form of mutual aid, oriented toward service rather than pecuniary profit. Many cooperatives, however, do have a degree of profit orientation. Just like other corporations, some cooperatives issue dividends to owners based on a share of total net profit or earnings ; or based on a percentage of the total amount of purchases made by the owner. Regardless of whether they issue a dividend or not, most consumers’ cooperatives will offer owners discounts and preferential access to goods and services.
C&S Wholesale Grocers is a national wholesale grocery supply company in the United States based in Keene, New Hampshire. In 2021 it was the eighth-largest privately held company in the US, as listed by Forbes. C&S operates and supports corporate grocery stores and services independent franchisees under a chain-style model throughout the Midwest, South, and Northeast. C&S owns the Piggly Wiggly grocery brand, which is independently franchised to store operators; the Grand Union supermarkets brand; as well as several private label brands, including Best Yet.
United Hardware Distributing Co. is a dealer-owned corporation based in Maple Grove, Minnesota which provides distribution services for about 610 member-owned stores, the majority of which operate under the Hardware Hank trade name. In addition, the company services about 800 other stores owned by non-members. 2006 sales were $183 million. It was founded in 1945 as a furniture and hardware distributor. The furniture division was sold in 1953, and it became a dealer-owned retailers' cooperative in 1957 when majority control was assumed by a group of hardware store owners. In addition to servicing the Hardware Hank stores, United Hardware also services TrustWorthy Hardware Stores, Golden Rule Lumber Centers, and Ranch & Pet Supply stores. It is a member of the Distribution America buying group.
Nisa Retail Limited is a groceries wholesaler operating in the United Kingdom. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Co-operative Group, though itself not a cooperative.
McLane is an American wholesale supply chain services company that distributes products to convenience stores, discount retailers, wholesale clubs, drug stores, military bases, fast-food restaurants, and casual dining restaurants throughout the United States. It is also a wholesale distributor of distilled beverages in some parts of the country.
Red & White was the first store brand for grocery merchandise, food products, beverages and household supplies. The brand was first launched on cans of coffee in 1908 by Smith Michael (S.M.) Flickinger in Buffalo, New York to compete with A&P and its popular private brand coffee and was named after the color on the store shelves.
