Foodarama

Last updated
Foodarama
Cox's Foodarama
Founded1973;48 years ago (1973)
FounderCarrol Cox
Headquarters
Brays Oaks, Houston, Texas
,
United States
BrandsLa Fiesta
Website foodaramatexas.com   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

Foodarama, also known as Cox's Foodarama, is a supermarket chain in Texas, with its headquarters in Foodarama Store #1 in Brays Oaks, Houston. In Greater Houston, as of 2016 Foodarama operated ten stores. [1] [2] Carrol Cox is the founder and president of Foodarama. [3] As of 2011, 1,000 people worked for Foodarama. [4] As of 2016, the Cox family were still the owners of the chain. [1]

Contents

History

The first Foodarama location was opened in 1973 by Carrol Cox. He had gained grocery-store managerial experience in Arizona and Utah before moving to Houston. [5] [1]

In 1993, after AppleTree Markets put many of its stores up for sale, Cox's Foodarama acquired one. [6] Foodarama acquired the 1805 Ella Appletree, [7] currently Foodarama #4. [8] On February 28, 1999, Cox's Foodarama had seven locations. It had $74.4 million in annual sales and 1.4% of the grocery market. It also had 814 Houston-area employees. In the period between February 1999 and February 2000, Foodarama opened two locations and remodeled two locations. [3] In 1999, Cox's Foodarama had 1.5% of the Houston grocery market. [9] Foodarama occupied a Randall's location that was closed in 2006. [10]

La Fiesta

The Foodarama group also operates a chain of seven stores in Greater San Antonio, under the banner La Fiesta. [2] La Fiesta is headquartered in La Fiesta Supermarket #10 in San Antonio. [11] [12]

In 2002, 80% of the chain's customer base was Hispanic. To cater to Hispanics, the chain devotes large portions of its stores to meat and fresh produce. Ronnie Catlett, the vice president of Foodarama and general manager of the San Antonio division, said that the stores were intended to cater to groceries. [13] Elizabeth Allen of the San Antonio Express-News said that the company's niche was "modest but profitable". [13]

In order to cope with small profit margins, La Fiesta tries to reduce its overhead as much as possible. [13] It uses bulk buying, requires store managers to work on the shop floor instead of in offices, and, as of 2004, has low labor costs. As of 2004 most of its locations are in western San Antonio, serving Hispanic populations there. [2] La Fiesta's designated wholesaler, Grocers Supply, has a buying coalition which allows its customers to get goods at lower prices. Individual locations are permitted to make pricing and scheduling decisions. [13]

Prior to 1998 La Fiesta operated a 16,000-square-foot (1,500 m2) location in Eagle Pass, Texas, a community along the Mexico–United States border. It was across the street from an H-E-B location that was, as of 1998, being remodeled. In addition the future of the Mexican peso as a currency was uncertain. Also the Government of Mexico enforced a $50 import limit upon Mexicans returning into Mexico, affecting La Fiesta's business among Mexican national shoppers. Because of the issues involving Mexico and competition from H-E-B, the Eagle Pass La Fiesta store was closed. [13] As of 2004 it was the only location ever closed in the history of La Fiesta. [2]

The chain's first store opened in 1981. [11] In 2002 the chain had six locations. [13] Starting in 2004 it laid plans to open two additional locations. As of 2004 the largest location was a 43,000-square-foot (4,000 m2) former Handy Andy at Callaghan and Ingram, which includes a bakery and restaurant. [2] The store had replaced a smaller location that was across the street. [14]

After a La Fiesta manager fired a pregnant employee, the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a lawsuit against Foodarama, saying that the termination was wrongful because the store did not accept a full medical release from a doctor that was intended to allow her to work without restrictions. Foodarama settled with the EEOC; it gave the employee $10,000 and posted notices saying that it is making a discrimination-free workplace. [15]

Headquarters

Foodarama's headquarters are in Foodarama Store #1 in Brays Oaks, Houston. [5] [16] [17] In February 1989, Carrol Cox, the owner of that Foodarama location, opposed the plan of a Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO)-implemented grade separation at Willowbend and South Post Oak since he believed it would reduce the number of parking spaces at the store. [18] On September 10, 1989, a woman was murdered in a robbery in the store parking lot. [19]

Related Research Articles

Albertsons Companies, Inc. is an American grocery company founded and headquartered in Boise, Idaho.

Taco Cabana is an American fast casual restaurant chain specializing in Mexican cuisine. A wholly owned subsidiary of Fiesta Restaurant Group, it is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. As of August 2020, Taco Cabana had 166 locations throughout Texas and New Mexico. Taco Cabana is known for its pink stores and semi-enclosed patio dining areas. Most menu items are handmade daily on site in open display cooking areas.

Foley's was a chain of department stores owned by May Department Stores and headquartered in Downtown Houston, Texas. On August 30, 2005, the division was dissolved and operation of the stores was assumed by Federated's Macy's West and Macy's South divisions. Foley's operated stores in Texas, Colorado, Louisiana, Arizona, Oklahoma and New Mexico. On September 9, 2006 Foley's and all the regional May Co. stores names were phased out and rebranded as Macy's.

H-E-B American supermarket chain

H-E-B Grocery Company, LP is an American privately held supermarket chain based in San Antonio, Texas, with more than 340 stores throughout the U.S. state of Texas, as well as in northeast Mexico. The company also operates Central Market, an upscale organic and fine foods retailer. As of 2019, the company has a total revenue surpassing US$31.2 billion. H-E-B ranked No. 9 on Forbes' 2020 list of "America's Largest Private Companies". H-E-B was named Retailer of the Year in 2010 by Progressive Grocer. Supermarket News ranks H-E-B 13th on the list of "Top 75 North American Food Retailers" by sales. Based on 2019 revenues, H-E-B is the 19th largest retailer in the United States. It donates 5% of pre-tax profits to charity. the official mascot of H-E-B is named H-E-B buddy, an anthropomorphic brown grocery bag, with multiple grocery items being shown coming out of the top.

Lubys

Luby's, Inc. is a parent company that operates restaurants under the brands Luby's, Fuddruckers, Koo Koo Roo, and Cheeseburger in Paradise.

Schlotzsky's is an American franchise chain of restaurants, specializing in sandwiches. The company is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Schlotzsky's has more than 350 franchised and company-owned locations worldwide. Most locations are in the south and southwestern United States, but the company is expanding into areas across the country, particularly the north and southeast.

Economy of Houston Overview of the economy of Houston, Texas

The economy ofHouston is based primarily on the energy industry, particularly oil. However, health care, biomedical research, and aerospace also constitute large sectors. In 2012, the gross domestic product (GDP) of the Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolitan statistical area (MSA) was $449 billion, the fourth-largest of any metro area in the United States. The Houston metropolitan area comprises the largest concentration of petrochemical manufacturing in the world, including for synthetic rubber, insecticides, and fertilizers. It is the world's leading center for oilfield equipment construction, with the city of Houston home to more than 3,000 energy-related businesses, including many of the top oil and gas exploration and production firms and petroleum pipeline operators. As of 2011, 23 companies on the Fortune 500 list have their headquarters in, or around, Houston.

Randalls

Randalls operates 32 supermarkets in Texas under the Randalls and Flagship Randalls banners. The chain consists of 13 stores located around the Houston area and 15 stores located around the Austin area as of May 2020. Randalls today forms the nucleus of the current Houston division of Albertsons and is headquartered in the Westchase district of Houston. The office served as the headquarters of the independent Randalls company before its takeover and later the Texas division of Safeway. The Randalls distribution center was near Cypress, Texas and now is serviced by the Tom Thumb distribution in Roanoke, Texas in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex.

Fiesta Mart Latino-American supermarket chain based in Houston, Texas and established in 1972

Fiesta Mart, L.L.C., formerly Fiesta Mart Inc., is a Latino-American supermarket chain based in Houston, Texas that was established in 1972. Fiesta Mart stores are located in Texas. The chain uses a cartoon parrot as a mascot. As of 2004 it operated 34 supermarkets in Greater Houston, 16 supermarkets in other locations in Texas, and 17 Beverage Mart liquor store locations. During the same year it had 7.5% of the grocery market share in Greater Houston. Many of its stores were located in Hispanic neighborhoods and other minority neighborhoods.

AppleTree Markets was a supermarket chain in Texas formed in 1969 when Safeway opened its first stores in Houston, which were spun off under the AppleTree name in 1988. The division once had 100 stores in Greater Houston and Greater Austin. By January 21, 2002, AppleTree had reduced its holdings to two stores in Bryan, Texas, where it had shifted its headquarters. One of the remaining locations was sold in 2009 and the final location, in Bryan at Highway 21 and Texas Avenue, closed in early 2012, marking the end of the chain.

Weingarten's was a supermarket chain in the Southern United States until it was acquired by Safeway in 1983. J. Weingarten, Inc. had its headquarters in what is now the East End in Houston, Texas.

Gerland Corporation

Gerland Corporation was a retail company headquartered in Houston, Texas, United States; the company operates various grocery stores, gas stations, and check cashing stores within the Greater Houston Area.

Rice Epicurean Markets

Rice Epicurean Markets was an American niche grocery store chain based in Southwest Houston, Houston, Texas. There is now just one supermarket left of the chain. Prior to 2012 the company operated five Rice Epicurean Markets, which ranged in size from 25,000 to 42,000 square feet (3,900 m2). At its height, it operated 35 stores. The last Rice Epicurean Market is wholly owned by founding family members.

Brays Oaks, Houston

Brays Oaks, formerly known as Fondren Southwest, is an area in Southwest Houston, Texas, United States. The Brays Oaks Management District, also known as the Harris County Improvement District #5, governs the Brays Oaks area as well as other surrounding areas, such as Westbury. The City of Houston also defines the Brays Oaks Super Neighborhood, with separate boundaries.

Lowes Market

Lowe's Market is a regional supermarket chain, primarily in West Texas and South Texas and throughout New Mexico. The company also operates stores in Colorado, Arizona and Kansas. The company's home office is in Littlefield, Texas.

Stanley Stores Inc. was a family-owned regional grocery store chain in the United States, with its headquarters in Bay City, Texas. The chain operated three brands. Stanley Stores was the conventional grocery store brand. The Houston Chronicle said that the brands Price Lo Supermarkets and Foods "4" Less were "modern, warehouse-type food stores with large sales and cut-rate prices." In 1994 Greg Hassel of the Houston Chronicle said that Stanley Stores was one of several "small area outfits" operating stores in the Houston area.

Grocers Supply

The Grocers Supply Co., Inc. is a wholesale grocery distributor with its headquarters in the Southeast Houston district, Houston, Texas. As of 2011, it was the largest grocery wholesale company in the Southwest United States.

Specs Wine, Spirits & Finer Foods

Spec's Wine, Spirits & Finer Foods, is a Texas family-owned liquor store chain, with headquarters in Midtown, Houston.

National Convenience Stores Incorporated is a convenience store company headquartered in Houston, Texas. Its primary subsidiary, Stop-N-Go Foods Inc., is/was the company controlling the convenience stores.

Fiesta Restaurant Group is a Dallas, Texas-based restaurant chain, primarily owning Taco Cabana locations in Texas and Pollo Tropical locations in Florida. After spinning off of Carrols Restaurant Group in 2012, it is now traded on NASDAQ as FRGI.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Retail Merchandiser, Foodarama (3 August 2015)
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Monroe, Melissa S. "La Fiesta adds two S.A. sites Houston chain will be taking over Handy Andy stores on West and Southeast sides.." San Antonio Express-News . March 2, 2004. Business 1E. Retrieved on December 1, 2011. "La Fiesta is an affiliate of Houston-based Foodarama, which has nine stores [sic] in Houston. Catlett said La Fiesta also is successful because it's tight on[...]"
  3. 1 2 Hassell, Greg. "CHRONICLE 100 LEADING COMPANIES OF HOUSTON / Grocers getting food for thought." Houston Chronicle . May 23, 1999. Special Section, Page 38. Retrieved on December 1, 2011.
  4. ↑ "Home Archived 2011-11-20 at the Wayback Machine ." Foodarama. Retrieved on December 2, 2011.
  5. 1 2 "Contact Us." Foodarama. Retrieved on December 1, 2011. "Mailing Address 10810 South Post Oak Rd. Houston, Tx 77035."
  6. ↑ Beachy, Debra and Greg Hassel. "Competitors carve up AppleTree/Nine rivals purchase 28 stores." Houston Chronicle. November 25, 1993. Business 1. Retrieved on December 1, 2011.
  7. ↑ Hassel, Greg. "AppleTree to hand over most stores this week." Houston Chronicle. January 4, 1994. Business 1. Retrieved on December 1, 2011.
  8. ↑ "Locations." Foodarama. 2. Retrieved on December 1, 2011.
  9. ↑ Sit-DuVall, Mary. " `Right' store was ripe for picking / Randalls joins trend with deal." Houston Chronicle. July 24, 1999. Business 1. Retrieved on December 1, 2011.
  10. ↑ Feser, Katherine. " DEAL OF THE WEEK / Gigantic 24 Hour Fitness on the way." Houston Chronicle. November 6, 2006. Business 5. Retrieved on December 1, 2011.
  11. 1 2 " About Us." La Fiesta. Retrieved on December 1, 2011. "La Fiesta Corporate Office 5103 S. Flores Rd. San Antonio, TX 78214"
  12. ↑ "Locations." La Fiesta. Retrieved on December 1, 2011. "5103 S. Flores San Antonio TX 78214"
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Allen, Elizabeth. "In the shadow of a grocery giant A thrifty strategy La Fiesta caters to Hispanic market and keeps overhead to a minimum." San Antonio Express-News . December 31, 2002. Business 1E. Retrieved on December 1, 2011.
  14. ↑ Monroe, Melissa S. "La Fiesta's new store is near completion." San Antonio Express-News. February 14, 2004. Business 3D. Retrieved on December 1, 2011.
  15. ↑ "BRIEFS." San Antonio Express-News. March 18, 2004. Metro 2C. Retrieved on December 1, 2011.
  16. ↑ "Brays Oaks District Archived 2012-04-22 at the Wayback Machine ." Brays Oaks. Retrieved on October 23, 2011.
  17. ↑ "Locations." Foodarama. Retrieved on December 1, 2011. "Foodarama 1" and "10810 S Post Oak Rd Houston 77035"
  18. ↑ Greene, Andrea D. "Group rejects grade separation plan." Houston Chronicle. Tuesday February 9, 1988. Section 1, Page 15. Retrieved on December 1, 2011. "Carrol Cox, owner of the Foodarama at 10810 S. Post Oak,[...]"
  19. ↑ Asin, Stephanie. "Family of slain woman fights murderer's release." Houston Chronicle. August 31, 1993. A15. Retrieved on December 1, 2011.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.