Grocery Outlet
Encyclopedia
Grocery Outlet, first known as Canned Foods Grocery Outlet until 1987, is a privately owned supermarket
chain. Founded in 1946 in San Francisco, California
, it currently operates within the Western
states of California
, Oregon
, Washington, Idaho
, Nevada
, and Arizona
.http://eastbay.bizjournals.com/eastbay/stories/2003/02/03/story5.html The company was in the Texas market for a few years after buying the Yes!Less chain from (now defunct) Fleming, however all Texas stores have now been closed. It is a value-oriented grocery retailer — what the company dubs extreme-value. The company primarily operates stores under the Grocery Outlet name and was in a dispute with Albertsons over the use of the Lucky
brand. Supervalu now operates 3 stores under the Lucky brand.
In 1959, Read acquired interest in Big Bonus Foods, a 10-store California Bay Area chain, selling regular and surplus merchandise, as well as perishables. Globe of California was procured in 1970, and the name of both companies was changed to Canned Foods. The business concept became converted to factory seconds, closeouts, and discontinued products.
1971 marked a big milestone for the company: the first supplier agreement with Del Monte was signed. Canned Foods opened its first independent store in Redmond, Oregon. http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2003/06/02/story2.html Unfortunately, in 1982, Jim Read passed away suddenly; his sons, Peter and Steven, assumed management control. Soon after, the Frozen Food category was added. 1984 marked the celebration of $100 million in sales for Canned Foods, Inc., as well as the inclusion of the new Deli category. In 1987, the company started the transition to the name Grocery Outlet, to reflect a wider product offering.
The 90s were a period of great growth and achievement for the company. In 1990, they reached $250 million in annual sales. The company’s 100th store opened in 1995. In 1999, the Fresh Produce category was added.
Grocery Outlet acquireed the remaining liquidated inventories of webvan
http://www.wired.com/techbiz/media/news/2001/07/45098 and wine.com in 2001, as well as reaching their $500 million sales milestone. In 2002, the corporate name of the company was changed to Grocery Outlet Inc., which is what it remains today.
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
chain. Founded in 1946 in San Francisco, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, it currently operates within the Western
Western United States
.The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time...
states of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, Washington, Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, and Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
.http://eastbay.bizjournals.com/eastbay/stories/2003/02/03/story5.html The company was in the Texas market for a few years after buying the Yes!Less chain from (now defunct) Fleming, however all Texas stores have now been closed. It is a value-oriented grocery retailer — what the company dubs extreme-value. The company primarily operates stores under the Grocery Outlet name and was in a dispute with Albertsons over the use of the Lucky
Lucky Stores
Lucky Stores is an American supermarket chain founded in Alameda County, California in 1935. Lucky is currently operated by SuperValu in Southern California and Nevada and by Save Mart in Northern California and Nevada.In 1998, Lucky's parent company, American Stores, was taken over by Albertsons,...
brand. Supervalu now operates 3 stores under the Lucky brand.
Products
Grocery Outlet tends to carry overstocks and closeouts of name brand groceries, as well as private label groceries. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/05/13/earlyshow/contributors/susankoeppen/main4091271.shtml Some Grocery Outlets limit their meat selection to packaged products such as bacon, sausage, and bologna. Most stores do offer fresh meat, ground meat, and chicken in packages sealed by the processor. Produce is sold either by the unit or by the bag, with nothing being sold by the pound. Since Grocery Outlets buy mostly close-out or seasonal merchandise, there are only a few "must-have" perishable products that are kept in stock, such as milk, eggs, and bread.History
In 1946, Jim Read purchased excess government surplus food products and put them into vacant stores, starting Cannery Sales in San Francisco. In 1948, Read and Nate Narin, his partner, converted the stores and company name to US Markets. Ten years later, Read sold out interest in US Markets to Narin.In 1959, Read acquired interest in Big Bonus Foods, a 10-store California Bay Area chain, selling regular and surplus merchandise, as well as perishables. Globe of California was procured in 1970, and the name of both companies was changed to Canned Foods. The business concept became converted to factory seconds, closeouts, and discontinued products.
1971 marked a big milestone for the company: the first supplier agreement with Del Monte was signed. Canned Foods opened its first independent store in Redmond, Oregon. http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2003/06/02/story2.html Unfortunately, in 1982, Jim Read passed away suddenly; his sons, Peter and Steven, assumed management control. Soon after, the Frozen Food category was added. 1984 marked the celebration of $100 million in sales for Canned Foods, Inc., as well as the inclusion of the new Deli category. In 1987, the company started the transition to the name Grocery Outlet, to reflect a wider product offering.
The 90s were a period of great growth and achievement for the company. In 1990, they reached $250 million in annual sales. The company’s 100th store opened in 1995. In 1999, the Fresh Produce category was added.
Grocery Outlet acquireed the remaining liquidated inventories of webvan
Webvan
Webvan was an online "credit and delivery" grocery business that went bankrupt in 2001. It was headquartered in Foster City, California, USA, near Silicon Valley. It delivered products to customers' homes within a 30-minute window of their choosing. At its peak, it offered service in ten U.S...
http://www.wired.com/techbiz/media/news/2001/07/45098 and wine.com in 2001, as well as reaching their $500 million sales milestone. In 2002, the corporate name of the company was changed to Grocery Outlet Inc., which is what it remains today.