Smart & Final
Encyclopedia
Smart & Final is a chain of warehouse-style food-and-supply stores based in Commerce, California
, which developed through a series of mergers and expansions. The oldest of the combined companies, Hellman-Haas Grocery, was founded in 1871. The company has expanded to over 250 stores in the Western United States and Northern Mexico. While Smart & Final stores target both the food-service and household markets, the company also operates Smart Foodservice Cash & Carry
stores, focusing exclusively on food-service professionals.
became president of Levi Strauss & Co.
in 1928.
Founded in 1912, the Santa Ana Grocery Company mainly supplied feed and grain to local farmers. In 1914, J.S. "Jim" Smart, a banker from Saginaw, Michigan, and H.D. "Hildane" Final bought the company and changed the name to Smart & Final Wholesale Grocers. From 1876 to 1913, Jim Smart had been involved with several wholesale grocers in the greater Saginaw area, including Lee, Cady & Smart and Smart & Symons with his brother-in-law, J.W. Symons of Symons Brothers. By 1919, annual sales for Smart & Final had reached $10 million. During the fierce competition among expanding grocers in the 1920s, the company introduced a self-serve concept to replace reliance on clerks to fetch goods. This was called "cash and carry".
In 1953, Smart & Final merged with Haas, Baruch & Co. The current organization is the result of several further mergers, one acquisition (by Thriftimart in 1984), and one spin-off and public offering (1991). The stores in Mexico are operated under a joint venture with Calimax
, a major grocery store chain in northwest Mexico.
In 1998, it acquired Portland, Oregon-based United Grocers Cash & Carry, which was renamed Smart Foodservice Cash & Carry
. These stores are concentrated in the Pacific Northwest.
In October 2007, the company acquired 7 Sun Harvest stores in Texas and 27 Henry's markets in Southern California. In 2007, Smart & Final acquired 35 Henry's Farmers Markets
and Sun Harvest Markets for about $166 million. In 2007, the company was acquired by Apollo Management
.
In March 2010, Smart & Final announced it would expand into the Colorado market under the SmartCo Foods brand, taking over five former Albertsons
locations in the Denver metro area with plans for dozens more stores in the coming years. SmartCo stores differed from typical Smart & Final locations in that they were significantly larger and included produce, meat, and bakery departments, as well as a large selection of natural and organic foods. In June 2010, the first SmartCo Foods store opened on Parker Road in Denver, and was said to be tailored for the Colorado market. In November 2010, only five months after the chain's grand opening, SmartCo Foods announced that it was exiting the Denver market and closing all five of its stores. SmartCo Foods attributed its hasty exit from Denver to poor performance chain-wide without any hope for improvement.
Commerce, California
Commerce is a city located in southeast Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 12,823 at the 2010 census, up from 12,568 at the 2000 census. It is bordered by Vernon on the west, Los Angeles on the northwest, East Los Angeles on the north, Montebello on the east, Downey...
, which developed through a series of mergers and expansions. The oldest of the combined companies, Hellman-Haas Grocery, was founded in 1871. The company has expanded to over 250 stores in the Western United States and Northern Mexico. While Smart & Final stores target both the food-service and household markets, the company also operates Smart Foodservice Cash & Carry
Cash & Carry
Cash & Carry Smart Foodservice is a chain of American warehouse grocery stores located in California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. Cash & Carry runs 50 stores in April 2008. The company operates 10 stores in California, 2 stores in Idaho, 17 stores in Oregon, and 21 stores in Washington. The...
stores, focusing exclusively on food-service professionals.
History
In 1871, when Hellman-Haas California food distribution, and his son Walter A. HaasWalter A. Haas
Walter A. Haas, Sr. , son of the founder of Hellman-Haas Grocery , was a former President and Chairman of Levi Strauss & Co. Haas was credited with saving the once struggling company....
became president of Levi Strauss & Co.
Levi Strauss & Co.
Levi Strauss & Co. is a privately held American clothing company known worldwide for its Levi's brand of denim jeans. It was founded in 1853 when Levi Strauss came from Buttenheim, Franconia, to San Francisco, California to open a west coast branch of his brothers' New York dry goods business...
in 1928.
Founded in 1912, the Santa Ana Grocery Company mainly supplied feed and grain to local farmers. In 1914, J.S. "Jim" Smart, a banker from Saginaw, Michigan, and H.D. "Hildane" Final bought the company and changed the name to Smart & Final Wholesale Grocers. From 1876 to 1913, Jim Smart had been involved with several wholesale grocers in the greater Saginaw area, including Lee, Cady & Smart and Smart & Symons with his brother-in-law, J.W. Symons of Symons Brothers. By 1919, annual sales for Smart & Final had reached $10 million. During the fierce competition among expanding grocers in the 1920s, the company introduced a self-serve concept to replace reliance on clerks to fetch goods. This was called "cash and carry".
In 1953, Smart & Final merged with Haas, Baruch & Co. The current organization is the result of several further mergers, one acquisition (by Thriftimart in 1984), and one spin-off and public offering (1991). The stores in Mexico are operated under a joint venture with Calimax
Calimax
Calimax is a grocery store chain operating in the Mexican states of Baja California and Sonora. It was founded in the city of Tijuana, Baja California in 1939...
, a major grocery store chain in northwest Mexico.
In 1998, it acquired Portland, Oregon-based United Grocers Cash & Carry, which was renamed Smart Foodservice Cash & Carry
Cash & Carry
Cash & Carry Smart Foodservice is a chain of American warehouse grocery stores located in California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. Cash & Carry runs 50 stores in April 2008. The company operates 10 stores in California, 2 stores in Idaho, 17 stores in Oregon, and 21 stores in Washington. The...
. These stores are concentrated in the Pacific Northwest.
In October 2007, the company acquired 7 Sun Harvest stores in Texas and 27 Henry's markets in Southern California. In 2007, Smart & Final acquired 35 Henry's Farmers Markets
Henry's Farmers Markets
Henry's Farmers Market is a food retailer that operates in California.-History:Henry’s Farmers Market is an operator of natural-foods stores that suggest a shopping experience reminiscent of produce stands and neighborhood butchers of the 1950s...
and Sun Harvest Markets for about $166 million. In 2007, the company was acquired by Apollo Management
Apollo Management
Apollo Global Management, LLC is a private equity investment firm, founded in 1990 by former Drexel Burnham Lambert banker Leon Black. The firm specializes in leveraged buyout transactions and purchases of distressed securities involving corporate restructuring, special situations and industry...
.
In March 2010, Smart & Final announced it would expand into the Colorado market under the SmartCo Foods brand, taking over five former Albertsons
Albertsons LLC
Albertsons LLC is a North American grocery company based in Boise, Idaho, with over 240 supermarkets located in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Florida under the Albertson's and Super Saver Foods banners...
locations in the Denver metro area with plans for dozens more stores in the coming years. SmartCo stores differed from typical Smart & Final locations in that they were significantly larger and included produce, meat, and bakery departments, as well as a large selection of natural and organic foods. In June 2010, the first SmartCo Foods store opened on Parker Road in Denver, and was said to be tailored for the Colorado market. In November 2010, only five months after the chain's grand opening, SmartCo Foods announced that it was exiting the Denver market and closing all five of its stores. SmartCo Foods attributed its hasty exit from Denver to poor performance chain-wide without any hope for improvement.