Grocery

Harris Teeter Corporate Office

Harris Teeter began in 1936 when William Thomas Harris and Willis L. Teeter opened Harris Super Market in Charlotte, North Carolina. This store still exists, though it is currently being renovated.

Harris had been an employee of an A&P store. He borrowed some money to help open the first store, which had 8 employees. It was mainly a dry goods and canned goods store at that time, since refrigeration was uncommon until after WWII.

In 1939, Willis and Robert Teeter opened Teeter’s Food Mart in Charleston, South Carolina. The company was the first in North Carolina which allowed customers to select their own items. To appeal to working families, the store remained open until 9PM on Fridays. This enabled the company to cash checks and allowed families to do shopping on Friday night, rather than Saturday.

The store in Charlotte was the first to add air conditioning as well.

In 1960, these two companies merged and opened their first joint venture in Kannapolis.

In 1969, Harris Teeter was purchased by the Ruddick Corporation.

In 1980, the company purchased Harris Farms dairy. In 1984, Food World was acquired.

In the late 1980s, the company began to expand outside of the Carolinas under the leadership of Edward Dunn. The chain was the first to test plastic shopping bags and also the first to install child belts into shopping carts.

In 2013, the company was acquired by Kroger for $2.4 billion. Harris Teeter would continue to operate under their name as a subsidiary of Kroger, Inc.

In 2014, the company began installing fuel pumps at many locations. The first fueling station opened in Charlotte in 2015.

Harris Teeter Home Shopping Express Lane allows customers to shop for groceries online and pick them up at their neighborhood Harris Teeter store. As of October 2017, 178 stores offered online pickup service, with some areas also offers a home delivery option for an additional cost.

Today, the company operates over 245 stores along the east coast and in the south. In 2012, the company had annual revenue of $4.54 billion and employs approximately 30,000 persons. The Harris Teeter corporate office is located in Matthews, North Carolina.

Harris Teeter

Harris Teeter began in 1936 when William Thomas Harris and Willis L. Teeter opened Harris Super Market in Charlotte, North Carolina. This store still exists, though it is currently being renovated.

History

The store in Charlotte was the first to add air conditioning as well.

In 1960, these two companies merged and opened their first joint venture in Kannapolis.

In 1969, Harris Teeter was purchased by the Ruddick Corporation.

In 1980, the company purchased Harris Farms dairy. In 1984, Food World was acquired.

In 2013, the company was acquired by Kroger for $2.4 billion. Harris Teeter would continue to operate under their name as a subsidiary of Kroger, Inc.

In 2014, the company began installing fuel pumps at many locations. The first fueling station opened in Charlotte in 2015.

Kroger Corporate Office

Kroger was founded in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1883 by Bernard Kroger who invested his life savings of $372 to open a grocery store in the Mount Airy neighborhood of Cincinnati. Kroger was the son of a grocer and his motto was simple “Don’t sell anything you wouldn’t buy for yourself.”

Soon, Kroger was experimenting with different products, such as baked goods, so customers wouldn’t have to go to the baker. He was one of the original starters for One Stop Shopping.

Ahead of his time, Kroger was the first merchant to offer self-service. In the past, customers handed a list or asked a merchant for items behind the counter, Kroger allowed customers to browse through aisles themselves.

In the 1930s, Kroger was the first grocery to monitor product quality and first to have a store surrounded on all sides by a parking lot.

In 1955, Kroger acquired Henke & Pillot.

In the 1970s, Kroger was the first chain to introduce electronic checkout scanners. In 1972, the company constructed what was a the time the largest, most modern dairy facility in the US.

In 1983, Kroger acquired the Dillon Companies, a Kansas grocery chain. David Dillion is the current CEO of Kroger.

Many other acquisitions followed in recent years including Pay Less Food Markets, Hilander Foods and Scott’s Food & Pharmacy.

In 1997, the company merged with Fred Meyer.

In April of 2016, the company announced that they had taken a significant share in the Lucky supermarket chain.

In early 2017, the company announced that it needed to hire at least 10,000 full-time employees in the coming year. That same year, the company acquired Murray’s Cheese and stopped offering senior citizen discount days.

Kroger opened their first convenience store in Blacklick, Ohio, called Fresh Eats MKT. Each location will offer a Starbucks, as well as a Kroger Pharmacy.

Kroger is publicly traded on the NYSE under the ticker symbol: KR. In 2016, the company had annual revenue of $115.3 billion.

The company has been banning the use of Visa cards for payments due to high fees, with the most recent announcement in March 2019 that they would no longer accept Visa at their Smith’s Foods locations starting April 3rd, 2019.

In October 2022, the company announced that it would buy top competitor Albertsons Companies in a massive deal for more than $26 billion. If approved this would make Kroger, by far, the largest supermarket chain in the US.

Today, the company operates over 3500 stores. The Kroger corporate office is still located in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Kroger

Soon, Kroger was experimenting with different products, such as baked goods, so customers wouldn’t have to go to the baker. He was one of the original starters for One Stop Shopping.

History

In the 1930s, Kroger was the first grocery to monitor product quality and first to have a store surrounded on all sides by a parking lot.

In 1955, Kroger acquired Henke & Pillot.

In the 1970s, Kroger was the first chain to introduce electronic checkout scanners. In 1972, the company constructed what was a the time the largest, most modern dairy facility in the US.

In 1983, Kroger acquired the Dillon Companies, a Kansas grocery chain. David Dillion is the current CEO of Kroger.

Many other acquisitions followed in recent years including Pay Less Food Markets, Hilander Foods and Scott’s Food & Pharmacy.

In 1997, the company merged with Fred Meyer.

In April of 2016, the company announced that they had taken a significant share in the Lucky supermarket chain.

Kroger opened their first convenience store in Blacklick, Ohio, called Fresh Eats MKT. Each location will offer a Starbucks, as well as a Kroger Pharmacy.

Kroger is publicly traded on the NYSE under the ticker symbol: KR. In 2016, the company had annual revenue of $115.3 billion.

Today, the company operates over 3500 stores. The Kroger corporate office is still located in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Whole Foods Corporate Office

Whole Foods Market began in 1978 when current CEO John Mackey and his girlfriend opened a natural food store called SaferWay in Santa Monica, California.

In 1980, SaferWay merged with another natural grocery store, resulting in the first Whole Foods location in Austin, Texas.

The following year, a huge flood devastated Austin. Whole Foods lost all of their inventory and had no insurance. Neighbors chipped in to help fix the damage.

In 1984, Whole Foods expanded to Houston and Dallas. In 1988, the expansion continued to New Orleans. In 1989, a Palo Alto location was opened on the west coast.

The company continued to grow in the 90s and the 100th location opened in Torrence, CA in 1999.

There were several acquisitions in the 2000s and the chain continued to grow. A flagship 80,000 sq ft store was built in Austin in 2005, which also serves as the Whole Foods corporate office.

Today the company operates more than 500 locations in the US, Canada, and the UK.

In June 2017, Whole Foods was acquired by Amazon for $13.7 Billion. The company is still struggling to make this endeavor a success two years later.

The company came under fire in the summer of 2019 for supporting the Drag Queen Story Hour. Christians are calling for a boycott of the company.

In August 2021, parent company Amazon stated that they would need to start charging for delivery service to stay profitable.

Headquarters, at this time, remain in Austin, Texas.

Whole Foods

Whole Foods Market began in 1978 when current CEO John Mackey and his girlfriend opened a natural food store called SaferWay in Santa Monica, California.

In 1980, SaferWay merged with another natural grocery store, resulting in the first Whole Foods location in Austin, Texas.

History

The following year, a huge flood devastated Austin. Whole Foods lost all of their inventory and had no insurance. Neighbors chipped in to help fix the damage.

In 1984, Whole Foods expanded to Houston and Dallas. In 1988, the expansion continued to New Orleans. In 1989, a Palo Alto location was opened on the west coast.

The company continued to grow in the 90s and the 100th location opened in Torrence, CA in 1999.

There were several acquisitions in the 2000s and the chain continued to grow. A flagship 80,000 sq ft store was built in Austin in 2005, which also serves as the Whole Foods corporate office.

Today the company operates more than 500 locations in the US, Canada, and the UK.

In June 2017, Whole Foods was acquired by Amazon for $13.7 Billion. The company is still struggling to make this endeavor a success two years later.

The company came under fire in the summer of 2019 for supporting the Drag Queen Story Hour. Christians are calling for a boycott of the company.

In August 2021, parent company Amazon stated that they would need to start charging for delivery service to stay profitable.

Headquarters, at this time, remain in Austin, Texas.

Fred Meyer Corporate Office

Fred G. Meyer started out selling cherries from a stand in Brooklyn, NY. He eventually expanded to selling cleaning supplies and cereal.

Meyer opened his first permanent location in Portland, Oregon, in 1931. In 1951, he built a large warehouse in Portland that was torn down less than 5 years later to build the Banfield Expressway. Warehouse operations were moved to Swan Island.

In the 1960s, the company acquired Marketime Drugs and The Roundup Company. Marketime expanded its territory to Seattle, Washington. The company was operating in 4 states by 1968.

Fred Meyer died in 1978 at the age of 92. In 1982, the company was purchased by private equity firm KKR.

The company continued to expand and acquired other companies in the 80s and 90s.

In 1999, Fred Meyer merged with the Kroger Corporation.

There are currently over 130 Fred Meyer stores in the US.

In May 2023, a judge ruled that the company illegally forced employees to remove BLM pins from their clothing.

A poll completed in early 2023 found that Fred Meyer was the #1 choice of shoppers in the Seattle, Washington, area.

The Fred Meyer corporate office is still located in Portland, Oregon.

Fred Meyer

Fred G. Meyer started out selling cherries from a stand in Brooklyn, NY. He eventually expanded to selling cleaning supplies and cereal.

History

In the 1960s, the company acquired Marketime Drugs and The Roundup Company. Marketime expanded its territory to Seattle, Washington. The company was operating in 4 states by 1968.

Fred Meyer died in 1978 at the age of 92. In 1982, the company was purchased by private equity firm KKR.

The company continued to expand and acquired other companies in the 80s and 90s.

In 1999, Fred Meyer merged with the Kroger Corporation.

There are currently over 130 Fred Meyer stores in the US.

In May 2023, a judge ruled that the company illegally forced employees to remove BLM pins from their clothing.

A poll completed in early 2023 found that Fred Meyer was the #1 choice of shoppers in the Seattle, Washington, area.

The Fred Meyer corporate office is still located in Portland, Oregon.