Ralphs - Wikipedia

American supermarket chain owned by Kroger This article is about the grocery store chain. For the NRHP listed building, see Ralphs Grocery Store (Los Angeles, California). For people with the surname, see Ralphs (surname). Ralphs Grocery Company

A Ralphs Marketplace in Porter Ranch, Los Angeles, California (Store #703-00127)
Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Retail (Supermarket)
Founded	1873; 153 years ago (1873) in Los Angeles, California
Founder	George Ralphs
Headquarters	1100 W. Artesia Blvd. Compton, California, United States[1]
Number of locations	184 stores (April 2024)
Area served	Southern California
Key people	Tom Schwilke (president) John Sparkenbach (VP of Operations) Laura Peters (VP of Merchandising)
Products	Bakery, dairy, delicatessen, frozen foods, grocery, meat, liquor, pharmacy, produce, seafood and snacks
Revenue	US$6 billion (2023)
Owner	Yucaipa Companies (1994–1997)
Number of employees	27,000 (2021)
Parent	Federated Department Stores (1968–1992)Fred Meyer (1997–1998)Kroger (1998–present)
Website	www.ralphs.com

Ralphs is an American supermarket chain in Southern California. The largest subsidiary of Cincinnati-based Kroger, it is the oldest such chain west of the Mississippi River. Kroger also operates stores under the Food 4 Less and Foods Co. names in California.

History

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Ralphs Grocery Company was founded in 1873 in Los Angeles by George Albert Ralphs and his brother, Walter Benjamin Ralphs.[2] Ralphs teamed with S. A. Francis in 1873 to open the Ralphs & Francis store at 5th and Hill – an area which would become the Historic Core of the city in the early 20th century, but was then a mostly residential area with many single-family houses. In 1875, Ralphs’s brother Walter bought out Francis’s share, and the business became the Ralphs Bros. Grocers, specializing in produce. The business boomed. In 1876, they constructed a two-story building at the southwest corner of Sixth and Spring.[3]

In the 20th century, Ralphs became a grocery pioneer, offering self-service markets with checkout stands in distributed locations. The company employed notable architects in designing its stores, and the former Ralphs Grocery Store building built in 1929 in Westwood Village has been photographed by Ansel Adams, declared a Historic Cultural Monument, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In the 1980s, it created a chain of hybrid supermarket/warehouse stores called The Giant,[4] which failed, but the concept returned with the company's merger with the Food 4 Less discount chain. In 1968, Ralphs was acquired by Federated Department Stores, based in Cincinnati.[5]

In 1988, Canada-based Campeau Corporation launched a $4.2 billion hostile takeover of Federated, Ralphs's parent. Ralphs would then be put up for sale, with American Stores (owner of rival chain Lucky) making an offer.

In 1992, Federated, now known as Macy's, Inc., sold Ralphs to a group of owners, led by Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation, after filing for bankruptcy two years earlier in 1990.[6] In 1994, Ralphs was acquired by the Yucaipa Companies for $1.5 billion. Yucaipa owned ABC Markets, Alpha Beta, Boys Markets, and Cala Foods. Soon, all ABC Markets, Alpha Betas, and Boys Markets were rebranded as Ralphs. At the same time, Food 4 Less was merged with Ralphs. In 1997, Yucaipa sold Ralphs to Portland-based Fred Meyer, owner of several chains in the west. Soon, Ralphs Marketplace stores started opening in suburban areas; these stores are based on the Fred Meyer model but without apparel. At the same time, they also acquired the 57-store Hughes Family Markets chain. In October 1998, the parent company, Fred Meyer, merged with Kroger of Cincinnati, Ohio.

In 1999, Ralphs purchased about 30 Albertsons and Lucky stores, mostly in Northern California, as well as stores in the Central Coast region, and one store each in Bakersfield and Laguna Beach. The stores were divested as a result of the Albertsons and American Stores merger and marked the chain's reentry into Northern California after a short-lived expansion in the 1970s.

In 2005, Ralphs exited the Bakersfield market, closing 3 stores.[7]

Ralphs operated in Northern California until January 2006, when they announced that all but one Ralphs in northern California would close.[8] In August 2006, the one remaining Ralphs in northern California, in Grass Valley, was given a 60-day notice of closure, ending Ralphs' presence in northern California for the second time.[9] Also, in August 2006, Ralphs finalized plans to sell eleven (of thirteen remaining) Cala-Bell Stores to Harley DeLano, who previously ran the chain.

On July 20, 2007, Ralphs opened a new 50,000-square-foot (4,600 m2) store on 9th and Hope Street in the South Park neighborhood of downtown Los Angeles. This was the first full-run supermarket downtown in 50 years. In 1950, Ralphs closed a store at 7th Street and Figueroa Street.

In 2024, Ralphs president Tom Schwilke announced plans to open a new Ralphs store within the next two years, the first new store opening in over 10 years.[citation needed]

In 2026, Tom Schwilke, president of the Ralphs Division, announced his plans to retire after seven years with Kroger. Kendra Doyel, president of the Food 4 Less/Foods Co Division, was announced as his successor.[10]

Ralphs competes with Albertsons (including Vons) and Stater Bros. Its slogan is "Fresh for Everyone", also used by all other Kroger grocery store brands.[11] Ralphs is the current market share leader in Southern California.[citation needed]

2003–04 strike

[edit] Main article: Southern California supermarket strike of 2003–04

Ralphs Grocery Company has contracts with the United Food and Commercial Workers, the largest grocery union in the United States. In late 2003 and early 2004, Ralphs locked out its workers who were members of the UFCW in sympathy with competitor Vons (owned by Safeway) in Southern California, after the UFCW had declared a strike against Vons. The issues in contract negotiations included healthcare benefits and wage structure, which the supermarkets contended were necessary to reduce costs and remain competitive in the face of the rise of discount chains like Walmart. In March 2004, the strike ended with a settlement regarded as a victory for the grocery chains—new hires would be on a much lower pay scale than existing workers and receive less generous health benefits.

On October 16, 2006, Ralphs agreed to pay $70 million to settle felony charges that it illegally rehired locked out employees using false names and Social Security numbers during the strike. Eligible UFCW members received $50 million of the settlement and the remainder was paid in fines to the federal government.[12][13]

References

[edit]

1. ^ Contact us, The Kroger Company
2. ^ "Person:Walter Ralphs (1) – Genealogy". www.werelate.org.
3. ^ Masters, Nathan (December 11, 2012). "CityDig: The Birth of Ralphs Bros. Grocers Los Angeles Magazine". Lamag - Culture, Food, Fashion, News & Los Angeles.
4. ^ "Ralphs Ends Its Attempt to Give Giant Stores a Separate Identity". Los Angeles Times. February 5, 1988. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
5. ^ "History of Ralphs Grocery Company – FundingUniverse". www.fundinguniverse.com. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
6. ^ Lazzareschi, Carla (February 4, 1992). "Ex-Creditors Acquire Ralphs Supermarkets". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
7. ^ "NEWS WATCH: KROGER TO CLOSE BAKERSFIELD RALPHS STORES...ALBERTSONS WAGE SUIT RULED CLASS ACTION...PUBLIX PLANS TO ROLL OUT HISPANIC STORE BRAND". Supermarket News. January 10, 2005.
8. ^ "Local Ralphs not one of 16 set to close". The Union. February 1, 2006. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
9. ^ "Ralphs closes its doors in Grass Valley". The Union. September 28, 2006. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
10. ^ Vimal, Shubhendu (January 14, 2025). "Kroger reshapes senior retail leadership with promotions and retirements". MSN. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
11. ^ Kleckler, Abby (November 6, 2019). "Kroger Unveils 'Fresh for Everyone' Rebrand". Progressive Grocer. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
12. ^ Green, Frank (October 17, 2006). "Ralphs to pay $70 million in settlement". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved June 3, 2011.
13. ^ Zimmerman, Martin (October 17, 2006). "Judge Approves Ralphs Plea Deal in Labor Case". Los Angeles Times.

External links

[edit]

• Official website
• Ralphs History
• Ralphs Ends Its Attempt to Give Giant Stores a Separate Identity

Portals:

• Supermarkets
• Los Angeles
• Companies
• Food

v t e History of retail in Southern California
Department storeswith origins in	CentralLos Angeles Barker Bros. Blackstone's Brooks Clothing Bon Marché The Broadway‎ Bullock's‎ Bullocks Wilshire Central City of Paris Coulter's Dearden's Desmond's B. H. Dyas Eastern-Columbia Fallas Paredes Famous (Cal Hirsch & Sons) Fifth Street Store The Globe (51st & S. Broadway) Haggarty's ("New York Store") The Hub J. M. Hale Co. Hamburger's ("People's Store") Harris & Frank Jacoby Bros. May Co. (buildings: May Co. Downtown LA – May Co. Wilshire – May Co. Mission Valley) Milliron's (Milliron's/Broadway Westchester) Mullen & Bluett Myer Siegel Phelps-Terkel J. W. Robinson's Robinsons-May Sears-Pico Silverwoods Swelldom Ville de Paris Walker's (L.A.) L.A. neighborhoods Iver's (Highland Pk) Nahas (N Hwd) Quigley's (Hwd) Rathbun's (N Hwd) Robertson Co. (Hwd) Sears Pico–Rimpau Long Beach Buffums The Emporium Marti's Robert's Walker's LB Wise Company Pasadena Boadway Bros. Meyer's Nash's Rest of L.A. Co. Boston Stores (Inglewood) Butler Bros. (Vernon) Chaney's (Hawthorne) I. H. Hawkins (Redondo Bch) Henshey's (Santa Monica) Hinshaw's (Arcadia/Whittier) Kitson (W Hwd) Myers (Whittier) Webb's (Glendale) Wineman's (Oxnard/Huntington Pk) Bakersfield Brock's Inland Empire Willets (Colton) Harris Company (San B'do) Orange Co. Rankin's (Santa Ana) The S.Q.R. Store (Anaheim) San Diego–Tijuana Barnett-Stine Dorian's Holzwasser's Marston's Walker Scott Elsewhere J. C. Penney Montgomery Ward Ohrbach's Sears
Clothing and shoes	Bond's Brooks Clothing C. H. Baker shoes C&R Clothiers Hartfield's Judy's Leed's shoes Mandel's (shoes) Miller's Outpost/Anchor Blue Victor Clothing Weatherby-Kayser shoes Zachary All
Discount andmembership stores	The Akron Curacao Fedco Fedmart Gemco Pic 'N' Save Unimart White Front Zody's
Drugstores	Disco Drug and Discount Centers Sav-on Schwab's Pharmacy Thrifty
Furniture andhome furnishings	Barker Bros. Dearden's Parmelee-Dohrmann
Grocery stores	Alpha Beta Boys Markets Chaffee Food Giant Giant Gelson's Haas, Baruch & Co./Hellman, Haas & Co. Hughes Markets Market Basket Pantry Food Stores Pavilions Ralphs Shopping Bag Stater Bros. Smart & Final Thriftimart Tianguis Vons
Home enter-tainment, appliances	Adray's Cal Stereo Federated Group Golden Bear Home and Sport Centers Ken Crane's Leo's Stereo Pacific Stereo Rogersound Labs University Stereo
Home improvement	Builders Emporium National Lumber Ole's Home Centers
Music	Licorice Pizza Music Plus Peaches Records and Tapes The Wherehouse Wallichs Music City
On-street shopping	Los Angeles: Plaza 1880s-90s CBD Broadway (CBD) Broadway & 87th, South L.A.* Seventh St. Flower St. Hollywood Blvd. Lankershim, North Hollywood Miracle Mile, Wilshire Blvd. Westwood Village (near UCLA) Other cities: Beverly Hills: Rodeo Drive Burbank: Golden Mall Huntington Park: Pacific Blvd. Long Beach: Pine St. Palm Springs: La Plaza/Palm Canyon Dr. - See also History of retail in Palm Springs Pasadena: Lake Ave. Pasadena: Old Pasadena Santa Ana: 4th St. Santa Monica: Main St. - 3rd St. Promenade
L.A.shopping center"firsts"	Oldest origins of a major L.A. chain: Harris & Frank (1876) - 1st dept. store on Broadway: A. Fusenot Co./Ville de Paris - 1st dept. store on 7th off Broadway: J. W. Robinson's (1915) - 1st planned shopping district: Westwood Village (1929) - 1st suburban dept. store branch: B. H. Dyas/Broadway Hollywood (1927) - 1st center with multiple supermarkets: Broadway & 87th Street shopping center (1936) - 1st center with department store anchor: Broadway-Crenshaw Center (1947) - 1st enclosed mall: Lakewood Center (1951) - 1st mall in Orange County: Anaheim Plaza (1955) - 1st center with 4 dept. stores: Panorama City Shopping Center (1964)
Shopping centers	Los Angeles L.A. Central Area ARCO Plaza* Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza Beverly Center Beverly Connection The Bloc Los Angeles Broadway & 87th Street* Crossroads of the World Eagle Rock Plaza El Mercado de Los Angeles Farmers Market FIGat7th Grove at Farmers Market Japanese Village Plaza Los Angeles Mall Midtown Crossing & Sears-Pico Ovation Hollywood Town & Country Market* Weller Court West Hollywood Gateway Westside Airport Marina Hotel* Brentwood Country Mart Edgemar Malibu Country Mart Palisades Village Platform, Culver City Promenade at Howard Hughes Center Santa Monica Place Third Street Promenade Westfield Century City Westfield Culver City San Fernando Valley Americana at Brand Burbank Town Center Commons at Calabasas Fallbrook Center Glendale Fashion Center Glendale Galleria NoHo West Northridge Fashion Center Panorama Mall Promenade (Woodland Hills)* Sherman Oaks Galleria* Universal CityWalk Valley Plaza* Westfield Fashion Square Westfield Topanga San Gabriel Valley Eastland Center El Monte Shopping Center* El Rancho Santa Anita Indian Hill Mall* The Paseo Plaza West Covina Pomona Mall* Puente Hills Mall Shops at Santa Anita South Bay Del Amo Fashion Center Fisherman's Village Hawthorne Plaza Shopping Center Old Towne Mall* Peninsula Center Promenade on the Peninsula South Bay Galleria SouthBay Pavilion Southeast L.A. Co. Los Cerritos Center Cerritos Towne Center Citadel Outlets Lakewood Center La Mirada Mall* Plaza México Promenade at Downey Quad at Whittier Santa Fe Springs Mall* Santa Fe Springs Shopping Center* Shops at Montebello Stonewood Center Uptown Whittier Whittier Downs* Whittwood Town Center* Long Beach Long Beach Plaza Long Beach Towne Center Los Altos Center Marina Pacifica Mall Northern L.A. Co. Antelope Valley Mall Valencia Town Center Orange Anaheim GardenWalk Anaheim Plaza Anaheim Town Square Anaheim Towne Center Asian Garden Mall Bella Terra Brea Mall Buena Park Downtown Downtown Disney Fashion Island Honer Plaza* Irvine Spectrum La Habra Fashion Square* Laguna Hills Mall MainPlace Mall The Market Place Orange County Plaza* Orangefair Mall* Outlets at Orange Shops at Mission Viejo South Coast Plaza Village at Orange Westminster Mall Riverside Desert Fashion Plaza Galleria at Tyler Hemet Valley Mall Indio Fashion Mall* Main St. pedestrian mall, Riverside Moreno Valley Mall La Plaza (Palm Springs) Promenade In Temecula Riverside Plaza Shops at Palm Desert San Bernardino Barstow Mall Carousel Mall Citrus Plaza Citrus Village Inland Center Mall of Victor Valley Montclair Plaza Ontario Mills Redlands Mall Victoria Gardens San Diego Chula Vista Center College Grove Escondido Village* Fashion Valley Grossmont Center Horton Plaza La Jolla Village Square Las Americas Premium Outlets Linda Vista Shopping Center (demolished) Mission Valley North County Mall One Paseo Otay Ranch Town Center Parkway Plaza Seaport Village Shoppes at Carlsbad South Bay Plaza Westfield Plaza Bonita Westfield UTC Santa Barbara La Cumbre Plaza Paseo Nuevo Santa Maria Town Center Ventura Collection at RiverPark Esplanade The Oaks Pacific View Mall Simi Valley Town Center Elsewhere Imperial Valley Mall, El Centro Valley Plaza Mall, Bakersfield See also: History of retail in Southern California –  History of retail in Palm Springs — Note: starred (*) listings indicate former regional mall now site of strip-style community center with new name

v t e Kroger
Grocery	Baker's Supermarkets City Market Dillons Food 4 Less Fred Meyer Fry's Food and Drug Harris Teeter Home Chef JayC Food Stores King Soopers Mariano's Murray's Cheese Pay Less Super Markets QFC Ralphs Roundy's Ruler Foods Smith's Food and Drug Vitacost
Jewelry	Fred Meyer Jewelers Littman Jewelers
Services	Kroger Wireless
Former divisions	Kessel Food Markets Lucky's Market Owen's Market Turkey Hill Dairy Turkey Hill Minit Markets
People	Michael J. Cullen Jacob E. Davis David Dillon Bernard Kroger Fred G. Meyer Rodney McMullen George Ralphs
Related	Attempted acquisition of Albertsons by Kroger

v t e Supermarkets in the United States
Kroger	Dillons Baker's Gerbes Food 4 Less Fred Meyer Fry's Harris Teeter King Soopers City Market Kroger Jay C Pay Less QFC Ralphs Roundy's Mariano's Ruler Foods Smith's
Albertsons	Acme Andronico's Albertsons Balducci's Carrs Haggen Jewel-Osco Kings Super Markets Lucky Pavilions Randalls Safeway Shaw's and Star Market Super Saver Tom Thumb United Supermarkets Vons
United Natural Foods	County Market Cub Shoppers
Ahold Delhaize	Food Lion Giant Food Giant Food Stores Hannaford Stop & Shop
Save Mart	Save Mart Supermarkets Lucky Stores Lucky California Food Maxx MaxxValue Foods
Amazon	Amazon Fresh Amazon Go Whole Foods
SpartanNash	D&W Fresh Market Family Fare Martin's Super Markets No Frills Supermarkets
Other national	Aldi Trader Joe's Costco Comissary/DeCa (military) The Fresh Market IGA Save-A-Lot Sprouts Target Walmart Sam's Club
Regional	Asian 99 Ranch Market Great Wall Supermarket H Mart Hong Kong Supermarket Island Pacific Supermarket Kam Man Food Marukai Mitsuwa Marketplace Nijiya Market Patel Brothers Seafood City SF Supermarket Uwajimaya Zion Market Hispanic Bravo El Ahorro Supermarket Fiesta Mart La Perla Tapatía Supermarkets Sedano's Supermercados Teloloapan Vallarta Supermarkets Organic Earth Fare Fresh Thyme Natural Grocers Wholesale BJ's Wholesale Club Chef'Store Otherregional Acme Fresh Market Amigo Big Y Boyer's Bristol Farms Brookshire Brothers Brookshire's Food & Pharmacy Buehler's C-Town Central Market D'Agostino Dave's Markets Dean & DeLuca DeMoulas Market Basket Dierbergs Don Quijote Times Supermarkets Dorothy Lane Market Fairway Market Fareway Farm Fresh Festival Foods Festival Foods (Minnesota) Food Giant Food City Foodarama FoodLand Foodtown Pathmark Gelson's Gerland Corporation Gerrity's Giant Eagle Grand Union Gristedes Grocery Outlet Harmons Harps Food Stores H-E-B Heinen's Highland Park Market Homeland Hornbacher's Houchens Hugo's Hy-Vee Ingles Jerry's Foods Jungle Jim's International Market Karns Quality Foods Key Food Super Fresh The Food Emporium KJ's Market King Kullen Kowalski's Markets Kuhn's Quality Foods Lewis Food Town Lidl Lowe's Market Lowes Foods Lucky's Market Lunds & Byerlys Magruder's Marc's Market Basket (Louisiana and Texas) Market of Choice Masons Red Owl Meijer Met Foods Mollie Stone's Markets Morton Williams Mother's Market & Kitchen New Grand Mart New Seasons Market Niemann Foods Northeast Grocery Tops Friendly Markets Price Chopper Supermarkets Market 32 Nugget Markets PCC Community Markets Petrini's Piggly Wiggly Pink Dot Price Chopper / Price Mart Publix Pueblo Raley's Supermarkets AJ's Fine Foods Bashas' Reasor's Redner's Markets Remke Markets Rice Epicurean Markets Ridley's Family Markets Roche Bros. Rosauers Supermarkets Rouses Russ's Market Schnucks Scolari's Food and Drug Seabra Foods Sellers Bros. Sendik's Food Market Sentry Foods Seven Mile Market Shop 'n Save Smart & Final Southeastern Grocers Harveys Supermarkets Winn-Dixie Stater Bros. Stew Leonard's Strack & Van Til Straub's Markets Sullivan Family of Companies Foodland Hawaii Supermercados Econo Supermercados Selectos Super Dollar Discount Foods Super King Markets Super One Foods Super Saver Foods (B&R Stores) United Grocery Outlet URM Stores Wakefern The Fresh Grocer Price Rite ShopRite Weaver Street Market Wegmans Weis Markets Westborn Market Western Beef WinCo Foods Woodman's Markets Yoke's Fresh Market Zabar's Zupan's Markets
Defunct	365 by Whole Foods Market A-Mart A&P Food Basics Pathmark Waldbaum's ABCO Foods Alpha Beta AppleTree Markets Belle Foods Best Market Big Bear Stores Big Star Markets Bloom Bottom Dollar Food Bruno's Buttrey Food & Drug Byrd's Carter's Foods Chatham Clemens Markets Colonial Stores Dahl's Foods Daniel Reeves Stores David's Supermarkets Davis Food City Delchamps Dick's Supermarket Dominick's Eagle Food Centers Easy-Way Store Eberhard's Eisner Food Stores Farmer Jack Fazio's Shopping Bag Felpausch Finast Fisher Foods Food Fair Food World Food-a-rama Fresh & Easy Furr's Genuardi's Giant Open Air Glen's Markets Hamady Henry's Farmers Market Hills Supermarkets Hinky Dinky Jewel T Jitney Jungle Johnnie's Foodmaster Kohl's Food Stores Kessel Food Markets Laneco Market Basket (California) Marketside Mars Marsh Supermarkets Más Club Mi Pueblo Food Center Minyard Food Stores National Supermarkets National Tea Omni Superstore Owen's Penn Fruit Penn Traffic Pick-N-Pay Supermarkets Piggly Wiggly Carolina Co. Plus Purity Supreme Quality Markets QFI Rainbow Foods Red Food Reid's SaveRite Sage's Schaffer Stores Company Scott's Seaway Food Town Seessel's Shop 'n Save Simon David Skaggs Companies Southern Family Markets Stanley Stores Sunflower Farmers Market Sunflower Market Super Duper Sweetbay Supermarket Tidyman's Twin Valu Ukrop's Super Markets Valu King Victory Supermarkets Weingarten's Wild Oats Markets Xpect Discounts