Ralphs Grocery Company · Compton, CA United States

The oldest grocer west of the Mississippi, Ralphs Grocery Company runs about 260 Ralphs supermarkets in Southern California, where it's one of the top food retailers, along with Safeway-owned Vons and Stater Bros. About a dozen stores in upscale neighborhoods fly the Ralphs Fresh Fare banner. The company also runs some 115 warehouse-style stores under the Food 4 Less and Foods Co. banners in California. Ralphs closed about 20 stores in Southern and central California in 2005, citing poor performance, and in 2006 began closing or selling stores in Northern California, including the last of its stores in the Sacramento area. Ralphs joined the Kroger family when Kroger acquired Ralphs' parent, Fred Meyer, in 1999. To read the full description, subscribe now.