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Wegmans Food Markets, Inc.
Company typePrivate
IndustryRetail (Grocery)
Founded1916
HeadquartersRochester, New York, U.S.
Key peopleDanny Wegman, CEO
Colleen Wegman, President
RevenueIncrease$4.8 billion (2008)
Number of employees38,000 (2009)
Websitewww.wegmans.com

Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. is a 74-store U.S. regional supermarket chain with stores in the mid-Atlantic region including New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Northern Virginia, Maryland, and Massachusetts. In 2008 and 2007 Fortune ranked Wegmans the third best company to work for in the United States. Wegmans has appeared on Fortune’s annual "100 Best Companies to Work For" list since its inception in 1998, and has ranked among the top 10 for seven consecutive years. Food Network recognized it with its award for Best Grocery Store in 2007, and Consumer Reports ranked it the top large grocery chain in the United States in 2009.

History

Wegmans is a privately owned company, founded in 1916 by John and Walter Wegman. The original name was the Rochester Fruit and Vegetable Company. Wegmans is headquartered in Rochester, New York. Danny Wegman is CEO. His daughter Colleen Wegman is president, and his other daughter, Nicole Wegman, is vice-president of restaurant operations. His father Robert Wegman, who died on April 20, 2006, was chairman. Robert was the son of co-founder Walter Wegman. During his life Robert Wegman distinguished himself as a pioneer in the retail food business, as well as a generous donor to educational institutions and other charities.

In 1968 the chain expanded outside the Rochester area for the first time with a store in Syracuse, and again in 1977 with its first Buffalo store. They expanded outside New York state in the 1990s with stores in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and in the 2000s with stores in Virginia and Maryland.

Operations

Exterior of a typical Wegmans, in the style common in the late 1990s.

Most of Wegmans' newer stores are of the "superstore" or "megamarket" type, with very large area, a large variety of foods aimed at an upscale market, and in many stores, Market Cafe in-store dining areas. The company also owns and operates Tastings, a restaurant at its Pittsford, New York, store that offers diners three distinct eating areas, helping to make the Pittsford Wegmans largest of all (until the Columbia, MD Wegmans opens in 2011). In January 2007, Wegmans announced two new business ventures: (1) plans to open a 19,000 sq ft (1,800 m) liquor store in Pittsford (adding to its two existing wine centers in Virginia and New Jersey); and (2) the creation of a US$28 million "Culinary Innovation Center" (in Chili, New York), a corporate research and development facility that will house a new central kitchen (replacing some of the current operations at its meat center). The liquor store opened in April 2008 under the name of Century Pittsford Wines. It is not owned by the company, but is independently owned by Nicole Wegman due to New York State liquor laws. The store is 45,000 sq ft (4,200 m)

Wegmans was criticized regarding the treatment of hens on its egg farm in Wolcott, New York by the Rochester-based animal-advocacy organization Compassionate Consumers. Wegmans responded that their facility meets or exceeds the standards suggested by the United Egg Producers’ independent committee of animal science experts. The egg farm has since been sold to Kreher's Farm Fresh Eggs, an egg producer based in Clarence.

Chase-Pitkin Home and Garden Centers

Wegmans was the parent company of Chase-Pitkin, a regional home improvement retailer. On October 4, 2005, Wegmans announced that it would close all Chase-Pitkin stores by early 2006 and focus instead on its highly successful supermarket operations. The decision to exit the home improvement business was reportedly due to the increasing dominance of national chains such as The Home Depot and Lowe's. Chase-Pitkin stores closed individually at various points throughout March 2006.

Wegmans brand

A Wegmans store in Manalapan, New Jersey

Wegmans began branding their own products in 1979 offering basic commodities with a lower price than the national brands and high quality. This price/value relationship for the customer was the humble beginning of a brand that has evolved to offering products unavailable anywhere else. The house brand/line prior to "Wegmans" was "Staff".

As the brand growth continued it soon branched out. In 1992, it started offering a line of health products called "Food You Feel Good About". The next sub-brand to be launched was "Italian Classics" . It was in 1995 when Wegmans first came out with the imported pastas, canned tomatoes, olive oils etc. This product line offers products used in Italian recipes. Many of the products are sourced from Italy. In 2002, Wegmans launched its own line of Organic products.

The Wegmans House Brand has been used extensively in the American sitcom The Office which is set in the city of Scranton, Pennsylvania which does in fact have a Wegmans store.

Locations

Maryland

1 location, with others under construction:

New Jersey

7 locations:

New York

48 locations:

Pennsylvania

12 locations:

Under Construction:

Virginia

5 locations and 1 under construction:

Massachusetts

2 locations planned to open (probably around late 2011):

Company facts

This article contains a list of miscellaneous information. Please relocate any relevant information into other sections or articles. (March 2009)
  • In October 2009, Wegmans opened The Pub, which is being tested at the new Collegeville and the soon to open Malvern, PA store. The restaurant offers beer, wine and seasonal specialties featured in Menu Magazine. If the concept is well received, it may be added to additional stores in the future.
  • In 2007 Wegmans opened a Tea Bar in its Pittsford NY store, featuring brewed tea by the pot as well as bulk sales of several dozen varieties of loose tea.
  • In 2007, a Seafood Bar and Grill were opened in the Pittsford NY store, each featuring its respective types of food, seafood and grilled food. In 2008, these two separate areas were combined into the Food Bar.
  • Effective February 2008, Wegmans no longer sells tobacco products.
  • In March 2007, Wegmans was ranked No. 5 in the BusinessWeek Top 25 list of "Customer Service Champs".
  • Consumer Reports magazine ranked the chain as number one in its survey of the top 54 supermarkets in the United States for 2006. It was ranked number one again in 2009.
  • In 2006, it was the 66th largest privately held company, as determined by Forbes . On Forbes's 2005 list, Wegmans ranked 54th.
  • The supermarket is number 32 on the 2007 Supermarket News list of the Top 75 North American Food Retailers based on 2006 sales volume; ranked 7th among privately held U.S. supermarkets.
  • Based on 2005 revenue, Wegmans is the 70 largest retailer in the United States.
  • Wegmans donated over 14 million lb (6,000 t) of food (350 tractor trailers) to local food banks and food pantries in 2004.
  • Wegmans is the marquee sponsor of the Rochester Wegmans LPGA tournament.
  • On May 15, 2007 Wegmans was named one of the most ethical companies in the United States by Ethisphere Magazine.

Beer sales

Locations in Pennsylvania sell beer. This is unusual because Pennsylvania's liquor laws are stricter than those of other states. Wegmans, along with Weis Markets, is allowed to sell beer because they have a cafe in the store.

References

  1. ^ 2007 Top 75 North American Food Retailers, Supermarket News, Last accessed February 24, 2007.
  2. Perry, Kate (2009-01-22). "Wegmans, Paychex make Fortune list of best employers". Democrat and Chronicle. Retrieved 2009-01-22. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  3. "And the Winner is Wegmans!" (Press release). Wegmans Food Markets. 2007-04-16. Retrieved 2008-10-22. {{cite press release}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20090407/BUSINESS/904070313&referrer=NEWSFRONTCAROUSEL
  5. "Dining, cooking, and travel themes of food chain's new magazine". www.valleynewsonline.com. Retrieved 2008-01-12.
  6. "Robert Wegman, 87, Leader in Supermarket Innovations, Dies". The New York Times. 2006-04-22.
  7. "Wegmans Food Markets, Inc.: An Overview".
  8. Rand, Ben (January 6, 2007). "Wegmans embarks on 2 local projects". The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. Retrieved 2007-01-06. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. "Pittsford Plaza - Century Pittsford Wines run independently of Wegmans". Retrieved 2008-06-13.
  10. "Rundown of New York State liquor laws prohibiting wine and liquor sales in grocery stores". Retrieved 2008-06-13.
  11. "Wegmans Cruelty". Retrieved 2007-05-11.
  12. "Wegmans Egg Farm", Official Statement from Wegmans Food Markets, Inc., November 14, 2005. Last Accessed on March 25, 2006.
  13. "Wegmans Egg Farm Sale". Retrieved 2007-11-21.
  14. Fien, Christine Carrie (2007-03-07). "TV SCENE: Wegmans checks in at 'The Office'". Rochester City Newspaper. Retrieved 2008-04-12. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  15. "Wegmans Locator Detail for Scranton, PA". Wegmans Inc. Retrieved 2008-04-12.
  16. Wegmans: No more cigarette sales. WBEN 930 Buffalo, NY. 6 January 2008.
  17. "Customer Service Champs", BusinessWeek. March 5, 2007.
  18. "Wegmans rated tops in Consumer Reports.", MSNBC. September 1, 2006. Last accessed on September 1, 2006.
  19. "The Largest Private Companies". Forbes.com. November 9, 2005. Retrieved 16 November 2006. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Unknown parameter |dateformat= ignored (help)
  20. Top 100 Retailers: The Nation's Retail Power Players (PDF), Stores, July 2006.
  21. "Wegmans Community Events". Retrieved 2007-05-11.
  22. "2007 World's Most Ethical Companies" (Press release). Ethisphere Magazine. 2007. Retrieved 2007-05-20.

External links

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