National Tea Company
Encyclopedia
The National Tea Company (NATCO, informally known as National) is a large Midwestern United States
grocery chain that operated during the 20th century
.
, but National Tea remained among the 10 largest grocery chains in the United States for most of the 20th century.
In 1955, when annual sales topped $600 million and the company had nearly 20,000 employees nationwide, National Tea was purchased by George Weston Ltd., a large Canadian grocery retailer, later renamed Loblaw Companies
. Most National storers were in the Mississippi Valley, including in Louisiana
. During the 1950s, it acquired about 500 new stores by buying up smaller chains.
Eventually, National, renamed National Supermarkets
, was pared down to operations in Missouri
, Illinois
and Louisiana. It was a major chain in the St. Louis and New Orleans areas until Loblaw sold it off in 1995 to Schnucks Markets
. Immediately after that, per the FTC
, Schnucks sold the National New Orleans division to Schwegmann Giant Super Markets
of Metairie, Louisiana
, which later sold them to Great A&P
, which finally sold them to Rouse Markets in 2007. National itself had cemented the number two spot in St. Louis by acquiring several former Kroger locations and the Kroger distribution center in the market when the latter exited St. Louis in 1986. Kroger and National had been battling for the number two and three spots since the 1970s, swapping rankings several times over throughout the 1970s and 1980s.
National Tea no longer has a separate existence as a retail chain.
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
grocery chain that operated during the 20th century
20th century
Many people define the 20th century as running from January 1, 1901 to December 31, 2000, others would rather define it as beginning on January 1, 1900....
.
Company history
Founded in 1899 in Chicago, Illinois, the retailer spread to about 160 stores by 1920, and annual sales approached $13 million. By the end of the '20s, National Tea had over 600 locations in the Chicago area alone and another 1,000 stores nationwide. Sales grew to about $90 million a year. Many of these stores were closed or sold during the Great DepressionGreat Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, but National Tea remained among the 10 largest grocery chains in the United States for most of the 20th century.
In 1955, when annual sales topped $600 million and the company had nearly 20,000 employees nationwide, National Tea was purchased by George Weston Ltd., a large Canadian grocery retailer, later renamed Loblaw Companies
Loblaw Companies
Loblaw Companies Limited is the largest food retailer in Canada, with over 1,400 supermarkets operating under a variety of regional banners, including the namesake Loblaws. LCL is headquartered in Brampton, Ontario...
. Most National storers were in the Mississippi Valley, including in Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. During the 1950s, it acquired about 500 new stores by buying up smaller chains.
Eventually, National, renamed National Supermarkets
National Supermarkets
National Supermarkets was the second largest grocery chain in both the St. Louis, Missouri and New Orleans, Louisiana areas of the United States. Both firms were owned by Loblaw Companies of Canada, but in June 1995, they were sold by Loblaw to Schnucks Markets...
, was pared down to operations in Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
and Louisiana. It was a major chain in the St. Louis and New Orleans areas until Loblaw sold it off in 1995 to Schnucks Markets
Schnucks
Schnucks is a supermarket chain. Based in suburban St. Louis, the company was started in 1939 with the opening of a store in north St. Louis city and now operates 100 stores in five states throughout the midwest. Schnucks also runs stores under the Logli Supermarkets and Hilander Foods banners...
. Immediately after that, per the FTC
Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act...
, Schnucks sold the National New Orleans division to Schwegmann Giant Super Markets
John G. Schwegmann
John Gerald Schwegmann, Jr., was a pioneer in the development of the modern supermarket. He owned eighteen stores in the Greater New Orleans area, based from Metairie, a large unincorporated city in Jefferson Parish...
of Metairie, Louisiana
Metairie, Louisiana
Metairie is a census-designated place in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States and is a major part of the New Orleans Metropolitan Area. Metairie is the largest community in Jefferson Parish. It is an unincorporated area that would be larger than most of the state's cities if it were...
, which later sold them to Great A&P
The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company
The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, better known as A&P, is a supermarket and liquor store chain in the United States. Its supermarkets, which are under six different banners, are found in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. A&P's liquor stores, known as...
, which finally sold them to Rouse Markets in 2007. National itself had cemented the number two spot in St. Louis by acquiring several former Kroger locations and the Kroger distribution center in the market when the latter exited St. Louis in 1986. Kroger and National had been battling for the number two and three spots since the 1970s, swapping rankings several times over throughout the 1970s and 1980s.
National Tea no longer has a separate existence as a retail chain.