Grocers Supply
Encyclopedia
The Grocers Supply Co., Inc. is a wholesale grocery distributor with its headquarters in the Southeast Houston
district, Houston, Texas
.
The Levit family owns Grocer Supply. David Kaplan and Nancy Sarnoff of the Houston Chronicle
said that the company is "low-profile" and is most well known for the orange trucks. They said that it was one of the "strongest" American regional wholesalers. As of 2004 Grocers Supply has over 2,100 employees; most of them are in Houston. As of 2004 Grocer's Supply services Fiesta, Foodarama
, Gerland's, Lewis Food Town
, Rice Epicurean Markets
, and Sellers Bros.
The company services an area within a 350 miles (563.3 km) radius of the center of Houston. It services 1,200 convenience stores, over 650 grocery stores, and 200 schools.
The company's main facility has over 747752 square foot of space. A 211611 square foot cooler and freezer is across the street from the main warehouse. Grocers Supply has four satellite warehouses, all in Houston.
, began a grocery wholesale business when he leased a 7500 square foot three story building in the "Produce Row" area of Houston. In 1928 the company moved its operations to the warehouse, larger than the previous facility, in Downtown Houston
, near the Buffalo Bayou
. In 1936, the facility flooded. The company moved to a three story building at the intersection of Commerce and Jackson. The company later moved to another building on north Jackson.
In 1956 the company moved its operations to its current location. The facilities there had been expanded on several occasions. The company's new cooler and freezer opened in 1983, across the street from its main warehouse. At the time it had 105000 square foot of space. This facility was later expanded.
In 2003 the company generated sales of $1.5 billion.
In 2004 Grocers Supply purchased Fiesta Mart
, a supermarket chain. Prior to the purchase, Fiesta was the company's largest customer. According to David Kaplan and Nancy Sarnoff of the Houston Chronicle
, a local grocery industry member who wished to remain anonymous said that the acquisition was beneficial for both firms. He said that the acquisition protected Grocers Supply since it ensured that it would not lose Fiesta; if Fiesta was sold to another company, there was the possibility that Fiesta could switch to another grocery supplier. Kaplan and Sarnoff said that the anonymous employee added that the acquisition allowed Fiesta to get access to more capital and growth potential.
Southeast Houston
Southeast Houston is a district in Houston, Texas, United States. The Greater Southeast Management District manages the area. Communities within the district include the Third Ward, Texas Medical Center, Riverside Terrace, University Oaks, and Washington Terrace.-History:The Texas Legislature...
district, Houston, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
The Levit family owns Grocer Supply. David Kaplan and Nancy Sarnoff of the Houston Chronicle
Houston Chronicle
The Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
said that the company is "low-profile" and is most well known for the orange trucks. They said that it was one of the "strongest" American regional wholesalers. As of 2004 Grocers Supply has over 2,100 employees; most of them are in Houston. As of 2004 Grocer's Supply services Fiesta, Foodarama
Foodarama
Foodarama is a supermarket chain in Texas, with its headquarters in Brays Oaks, Houston.In Greater Houston Foodarama operates nine stores. In Greater San Antonio it operates the La Fiesta chain, a subsidiary....
, Gerland's, Lewis Food Town
Lewis Food Town
Lewis Food Town, Inc., doing business as Food Town Grocery Stores, is a chain of grocery stores located in Greater Houston, founded in 1994. The headquarters are in South Houston. Ross Lewis founded it as he came out of retirement...
, Rice Epicurean Markets
Rice Epicurean Markets
Rice Epicurean Markets is an American niche grocery store chain based in Southwest Houston, Houston, Texas. The company operates five Rice Epicurean Markets, which range in size from 25,000 to . Rice Epicurean Markets is wholly owned by founding family members.- Rice Boulevard Food Market :Founded...
, and Sellers Bros.
Sellers Bros.
Sellers Bros. is a chain of grocery stores based in Houston, Texas, United States.The company was formed in 1921, and its officers are George R. Sellers, Joseph L. Sellers and John L. Sellers....
The company services an area within a 350 miles (563.3 km) radius of the center of Houston. It services 1,200 convenience stores, over 650 grocery stores, and 200 schools.
The company's main facility has over 747752 square foot of space. A 211611 square foot cooler and freezer is across the street from the main warehouse. Grocers Supply has four satellite warehouses, all in Houston.
History
Joe Levit, an immigrant from RussiaRussian American
Russian Americans are primarily Americans who traces their ancestry to Russia. The definition can be applied to recent Russian immigrants to the United States, as well as to settlers of 19th century Russian settlements in northwestern America which includes today's California, Alaska and...
, began a grocery wholesale business when he leased a 7500 square foot three story building in the "Produce Row" area of Houston. In 1928 the company moved its operations to the warehouse, larger than the previous facility, in Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston is the largest business district of Houston, Texas, United States. Downtown Houston, the city's central business district, contains the headquarters of many prominent companies. There is an extensive network of pedestrian tunnels and skywalks connecting the buildings of the district...
, near the Buffalo Bayou
Buffalo Bayou
Buffalo Bayou is a main waterway flowing through Houston, in Harris County, Texas, USA. It begins in Katy, Fort Bend County, Texas and flows approximately east to the Houston Ship Channel and then into Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico...
. In 1936, the facility flooded. The company moved to a three story building at the intersection of Commerce and Jackson. The company later moved to another building on north Jackson.
In 1956 the company moved its operations to its current location. The facilities there had been expanded on several occasions. The company's new cooler and freezer opened in 1983, across the street from its main warehouse. At the time it had 105000 square foot of space. This facility was later expanded.
In 2003 the company generated sales of $1.5 billion.
In 2004 Grocers Supply purchased Fiesta Mart
Fiesta Mart
Fiesta Mart Inc. is an American supermarket chain based in Houston, Texas that was established in 1972. Fiesta Mart operates stores in Texas, including the Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth, Austin, and Waco areas. The chain uses a cartoon parrot as a mascot...
, a supermarket chain. Prior to the purchase, Fiesta was the company's largest customer. According to David Kaplan and Nancy Sarnoff of the Houston Chronicle
Houston Chronicle
The Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
, a local grocery industry member who wished to remain anonymous said that the acquisition was beneficial for both firms. He said that the acquisition protected Grocers Supply since it ensured that it would not lose Fiesta; if Fiesta was sold to another company, there was the possibility that Fiesta could switch to another grocery supplier. Kaplan and Sarnoff said that the anonymous employee added that the acquisition allowed Fiesta to get access to more capital and growth potential.