Supervalu has been in operation since 1870. It first operated under B.S. Bull and Company which closed shop and its founders then formed Winston and Newell Company. This company ran independently owned stores, which initially operated under the SUPERVALU and U-Save banners.

The Eden Prairie, Minnesota-based retailing company was voluntarily listed on the New York Stock Exchange in the year 1967, making it the first group to do so. The firm changed the name from Winston and Newell Company in 1952 to Supervalu Inc. and in 1992 to Supervalu.

The retail chain acquired several stores as it expanded, among them: Food Marketing Company, ShopKo, Hornbacher’s, Cub Foods, Scott’s Food and Pharmacy, Shop ‘n’ Save and Save-A-Lot, Farm Fresh Food and Pharmacy, Shoppers Food and pharmacy and Metro. Albertsons Inc. is the most recent acquisition by the company, which saw it gain other banners such as Acme Market, Jewel-Osco, Osco and Sav-on pharmacy, Shaw’s and Star Market, all of which were under the Albertsons banner. Supervalu has its own brands which include; Culinary Circle (specialty cuisine), Essential Everyday (pasta and cereal), Wild Harvest (organic foods), and Baby Basics, among others.

The company has approximately $35 billion per year in sales, making it one of the biggest retail chains in the U.S.

It currently trades under banners such as Shaw’s, Farm Fresh, Albertsons, Acme markets, Cub Foods, Jewel-Osco, Save-A-Lot and Shop ‘n’ Save. The company has 4,400-plus stores operating in 40 states around the country and supplies private-label and brand name goods to other independently owned stores around the country.

The grocery chain has recently been carrying out a round of store closures and reports that it will close 60 stores by the year end.