It doesn't matter how much money and labor you put into developing ingredients and responding to consumer food trends. At the end of the day, somebody still needs to sell your products. So who are the biggest U.S. retailers right now for food and beverages?
The researchers at Packaged Facts recently sat down and sifted through the numbers from a variety of sources, including data from Progressive Grocer and Supermarket News, as well as individual financial releases from retailers. In the end, they came up with the following rankings and more, which can be found in the research firm's recent report, "The Future of Food Retailing in the U.S.: Shopper Insights and Market Opportunities."
Here's a look at where the country's biggest names stand, according to Packaged Facts' estimates of their sales for the 2012 fiscal year. No one should be surprised to see Walmart stores leading the pack, but it's interesting to see where Kroger ranked for year, considering the company's recently-announced plans for expansion and acquisition of Harris Teeter stores. Kroger is clearly looking for more territory, and significant regional expansion could see the company leap ahead further cement its No. 2 spot on the list.
Kroger's aggressive expansion also means that some U.S. food retailers may be more inclined to consider mergers of their own, however. Have a look below to see how much money sets the front-runners apart when you break down nation's top 10 food and beverage sales leaders:
1. WALMART U.S.
Estimated 2012 sales: $121.1 billion
2. THE KROGER CO.
Estimated 2012 sales: $58.5 billion
3. COSTCO WHOLESALE CORP.
Estimated 2012 sales: $43.6 billion
4. SAFEWAY INC.
Estimated 2012 sales: $34.3 billion
5. SAM'S CLUB
Estimated 2012 sales: $24.9 billion
6. AHOLD USA, INC.
Estimated 2012 sales: $20.0 billion
7. PUBLIX SUPERMARKETS INC.
Estimated 2012 sales: $18.8 billion
8. ALBERTSONS LLC
Estimated 2012 sales: $15.4 billion
9. H.E. BUTT GROCERY CO.
Estimated 2012 sales: $15.1 billion
10. DELHAIZE AMERICA INC.
Estimated 2012 sales: $14.6 billion
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