Albertsons
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Albertsons Template:NYSE is a grocery store chain that operates under the brands Jewel, Osco, Acme Markets, Savon, Shaw's Supermarkets, Star Market, Super-Saver Foods, and Max Foods, as well as Albertsons.
Albertsons was founded by Joe Albertson in 1939 in Boise, Idaho. In 1969, it partnered with Skaggs Companies, Inc. to create the first combination grocery/drug store. Later, Albertsons acquired Seessel's, Smitty's, Super One Foods, Buttrey Food and Drug, and Bruno's. In 1999, the firm also acquired Lucky Stores, of which all have been either converted into Albertsons or sold.
An ad in the Idaho Daily Statesman touted Joe Albertson's first store as "Idaho's largest and finest food store." The store was filled with perks that, at the time, were brand new: free parking, a money-back guarantee, even an ice cream shop. The store was located at 17th and State Streets in downtown Boise. However, the original store is no more — a replacement facility currently stands on the original site. When the chain opened its 1,000th store, it was located just a few miles from store number one — at 36th & State in Boise.
One interesting side note: As part of the American Stores merger, Albertsons acquired the Osco brand name. The root of this chain is Skaggs, which was founded in American Falls, Idaho in 1915.
Albertsons operates more than 2,500 stores across the country. With the addition of Shaw's, Albertsons will have stores in 37 states and approximately 230,000 associates. It is ranked number four in sales by Supermarket News — behind Wal-Mart, Kroger and Costco. Only Kroger has more stores.
The company is in the midst of a pitched battle with retail giant Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart's size and scale allows the company to undercut Albertsons in price.
Albertsons is increasingly progressive in the area of technology, recently adding a "check out while you go" system, where shoppers can scan items as they shop, and quickly pay before leaving.
Albertsons also allows (in certain areas) customers to shop from home via the company's website. Pickups can be arranged at the store, or the items may be delivered to the customer's home. In areas where this program is in effect, it is widely advertised over television and radio by corporate spokeswoman Patricia Heaton.
Albertsons has contracts with the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), the largest grocery union in the United States. In late 2003 and early 2004, Albertsons, along with competitor Ralphs, locked out its workers who were members of the UFCW in Southern California, in sympathy with competitor Vons (owned by Safeway), whose UFCW workers were on strike. The issues in contract negotiations included health care benefits and wage structure. The UFCW lost its bid to keep its benefit and wage language in the contract intact, a reflection of how Albertsons management sees the developing Super Wal-Mart (Wal-Marts with a grocery component) situation in Southern California. At present, starting wages and benefits given to new Albertsons employees are reportedly lower than those of employees hired before the labor dispute.
External links
- Official site (http://www.albertsons.com/)
- Additional history (http://www.albertsons.com/abs_aboutalbertsons/ourhistory/default.asp)
Data
- Yahoo! profile (http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=abs)