Shoppers Food & Pharmacy, also known as Shoppers Food Warehouse, is a chain of 65 supermarkets in the Baltimore, Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. areas. Known to offer foods from around the world, they have established themselves as a leading food seller that continues to grow in location and service.
History
Today’s Shoppers Food & Pharmacy was started in 1949 as the Jumbo Food Stores, by brothers Irving & Kenneth Herman. They were soon joined by their brother-in-law, Sam Levin. Unfortunately, Levin died before Shoppers Food Warehouse was fully conceptualized.
Being committed to each and every store, they remained in operation for decades, providing the best in products and service to their communities. The Adelphi location that opened in 1958 remained in business even after a 1994 fire destroyed the entire facility. It was simply remodeled and went on to serve the community until the spring of 2011.
Jumbo opened its first Shoppers Food Warehouse in 1978, and by 1985 it had grown to be the third largest grocery chain in the Washington, DC metro area. Not long after their popularity became well known, the notorious Herbert Haft moved in to take control of half of the Shoppers interests. It was at this time the Jumbo logo was completely phased out, and Shoppers really started to grow.
By offering warehouse products in bulk prices, and removing all but two to three sizes of each product, this allowed a greater selection of different brands on any given shelf. This tactic, combined with a no-frills décor and packaging, made Shoppers a good deal for all those who went there.
By 1988, Irving and his son and vice president, Mike Herman, made the decision to retire, and subsequently sold their company shares to the infamous Herbert Haft. This left Kenneth and his children with 51% control of the corporation. With the leadership of Kenneth, Shoppers doubled its size over the next ten years.
Taking on Herbert Haft proved to be a very difficult procedure with the complex buy-sell agreement he negotiated in 1997 for the complete control of Shoppers Food. His intention was to force the Herman family into purchasing back the stocks at an inflated rate; but after infighting, and a continual downturn in their profits once he took control, it was Herbert Haft who ended up having to buy back shares, and it was this chain of events that eventually lead to his complete demise.
Richfood Holdings Inc., a regional wholesale distributor ended up with control of Shoppers in 1998, and they in turn were acquired by SUPERVALU in 1999. By this time, Shoppers Food was the 3rd largest supermarket chain in the DC Metro area in both sales and volume.
Shopper Food was one of the first in the area to implement now common practices such as warehouse shelving, open bin, bulk foods, salad and hot bars to serve a walk-in lunch crowd, and the popular larger ‘bulk’ style of packaging. They were also the first to offer produce to be sold by the pound, rather than by the item. This stopped the “picked-over” remains of produce that were left several days after a produce delivery. As they evolve and grow, Shoppers is proving to be one of the most successful markets in the country, much less the Washington, DC region.
Stats
Headquarters: Lanham, Maryland, U.S.
No. of Stores: 65 (2010)
No. of Employees: +/- 200,000 (Supervalu)
Revenue: unknown
Geography: 65 stores, in Baltimore, Northern Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C.
Special Services: Bakery, dairy, deli, frozen foods, grocery, meat, pharmacy, produce, seafood, snacks, liquor, in store banks
Banners
Acme, Albertsons, Cub Foods, Farm Fresh Food & Pharmacy, The Market, Hornbacher’s, Jewel, Lucky, Osco & Sav-on Pharmacy, Save-A-Lot, Shaw’s, Shop ‘n Save, Shoppers Food & Pharmacy, Star Market, Supervalu Pharmacies
Brands
All national brands, in addition to local and international produce, and Swift Angus beef, Smithfield natural pork, Stockman & Dakota USDA Choice Premium Angus Beef, All Natural Grade A Chicken, exclusively Smithfield Pork, Dietz & Watson delis, a natural & organic selection, fresh catch seafood, and steamed shrimp
Important links
Corporate Homepage
Online shopping- not available
Circular and specials
Jobs
Store Locations
Contact information
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY IS SO HARD TO PULL UP YOUR APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT. i HAVE BEEN TRYING FOR AT LESS A WEEK. SO IF YOU CAN EMAIL ME SO I CAN FILL IT OUT. I HAVE THE JOB SET UP ALREADY WITH SHOPPERS IN WALDORF, AT 1170 Smallwood Drive , Waldorf Maryland,20603
Ilive in Washington DC area and like your esssential products that y ou have added to your grocery line. Especially, the bread whole wheat and whole grain white which is no longer on your shelves. Will you be carrying this bread back in the future.?
Shoppers Food & Pharmacy has been going down hill for several years. It's oly salvation is if SuperValu sells it to the Shop-Rite Wakefern cooperative, and they restore it to is prior glory