Ukrop's Super Market
Encyclopedia
Ukrop's is a company that operates a central bakery and kitchen producing baked goods and prepared meals. Its baked goods are marketed under Good Meadow and Ukrop's brand. In 1976 Ukrop's bought Dot's Pastry Shop, a well-known bakery in Richmond. It used the name Dot's Pastry Shop for years before changing it to Ukrop's Bakery.
From 1937 to 2010 the Ukrop family operated supermarkets in Richmond and its surrounding area under the corporate name Ukrop's Super Markets, but the family sold its retail grocery operations to Giant-Carlisle, a subsidiary of Netherlands
-based Ahold
.
, and one each in Colonial Heights, Petersburg
, and Fredericksburg
. An additional Williamsburg location and a Roanoke
location closed during 2009 due to low sales and poor recognition of the Richmond-based Ukrop's brand name in other cities saturated with other stores. Ukrop's also operated a specialty store in Richmond called Joe's Market, named after the founder. The company chairman is James Ukrop, son of Joseph; James' brother Robert is president and chief executive officer.
In July 2009 a trade magazine reported that Ukrop's was for sale, and was courting Supervalu
and Harris Teeter
as potential buyers. Ukrop's stores historically have been closed on Sundays and have not sold alcohol
, limiting the stores' revenue compared to other retail supermarkets, particularly Food Lion
.
-based conglomerate Ahold
would acquire all twenty-five of Ukrop's stores for $140 Million. This marked the end of the Ukrop family's retail venture. The sale was finalized on February 8, 2010. The transition away from the use of the Ukrop's store name to Giant-Carlisle's Martin's brand took place in the spring of 2010. However, certain baked goods are still produced by Ukrop's Bakery division and labeled as such. The transaction did not include the Ukrop's store in Fredericksburg, which closed. The lone Joe's Market store owned by the chain was sold to two former Ukrop's employees, who reopened it as Libbie Market.
As of September 30, 2009 the company's assets were listed as $233 million, with liabilities of $145.9 million.
. Ukrop's provided financial support to the University of Richmond
and many other local educational and arts charities.
From 1937 to 2010 the Ukrop family operated supermarkets in Richmond and its surrounding area under the corporate name Ukrop's Super Markets, but the family sold its retail grocery operations to Giant-Carlisle, a subsidiary of Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
-based Ahold
Ahold
Ahold is a major international supermarket operator based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Ahold is listed on Euronext Amsterdam and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.-History:...
.
History
Ukrop's Super Markets was founded in 1937 by Joseph Ukrop. The company had 26 stores, mostly in the Richmond area, as well as one store in WilliamsburgWilliamsburg, Virginia
Williamsburg is an independent city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, USA. As of the 2010 Census, the city had an estimated population of 14,068. It is bordered by James City County and York County, and is an independent city...
, and one each in Colonial Heights, Petersburg
Petersburg, Virginia
Petersburg is an independent city in Virginia, United States located on the Appomattox River and south of the state capital city of Richmond. The city's population was 32,420 as of 2010, predominantly of African-American ethnicity...
, and Fredericksburg
Fredericksburg, Virginia
Fredericksburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia located south of Washington, D.C., and north of Richmond. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 24,286...
. An additional Williamsburg location and a Roanoke
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
location closed during 2009 due to low sales and poor recognition of the Richmond-based Ukrop's brand name in other cities saturated with other stores. Ukrop's also operated a specialty store in Richmond called Joe's Market, named after the founder. The company chairman is James Ukrop, son of Joseph; James' brother Robert is president and chief executive officer.
In July 2009 a trade magazine reported that Ukrop's was for sale, and was courting Supervalu
Supervalu (United States)
SuperValu Inc. is a United States grocery retailer and distributor. The corporation, headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, has been in business for over a century. It is the third-largest food retailing company in the United States , and ranks #51 on the Fortune 100 list.On June 2, 2006,...
and Harris Teeter
Harris Teeter
Harris Teeter is a chain of supermarkets based in Matthews, North Carolina, just outside Charlotte. , the chain operates 207 stores in eight Southern states: North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia.Harris Teeter is a...
as potential buyers. Ukrop's stores historically have been closed on Sundays and have not sold alcohol
Alcoholic beverage
An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
, limiting the stores' revenue compared to other retail supermarkets, particularly Food Lion
Food Lion
Food Lion LLC is an American grocery store company headquartered in Salisbury, North Carolina that operates approximately 1,300 supermarkets in 11 Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic states as well as Tennessee, Kentucky and West Virginia under the Food Lion, Harveys Supermarket, Bloom, Bottom Dollar...
.
Sale of Ukrops
On December 17, 2009, Ukrop's announced that the Giant-Carlisle Division of the DutchNetherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
-based conglomerate Ahold
Ahold
Ahold is a major international supermarket operator based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Ahold is listed on Euronext Amsterdam and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.-History:...
would acquire all twenty-five of Ukrop's stores for $140 Million. This marked the end of the Ukrop family's retail venture. The sale was finalized on February 8, 2010. The transition away from the use of the Ukrop's store name to Giant-Carlisle's Martin's brand took place in the spring of 2010. However, certain baked goods are still produced by Ukrop's Bakery division and labeled as such. The transaction did not include the Ukrop's store in Fredericksburg, which closed. The lone Joe's Market store owned by the chain was sold to two former Ukrop's employees, who reopened it as Libbie Market.
As of September 30, 2009 the company's assets were listed as $233 million, with liabilities of $145.9 million.
Community outreach
Ukrop's sponsored the annual Ukrop's/SuperValu Christmas Parade on Broad Street in Richmond. It also sponsored one of the largest 10k running events in the United States, The Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10KMonument Avenue 10K
The Monument Avenue 10K, also known as the Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10K, is an annual 10,000 meter road running event, sanctioned by USA Track and Field. The race is run on historic Monument Avenue in Richmond, Virginia. Begun in 2000, the race has grown to be the fourth largest 10k in the country...
. Ukrop's provided financial support to the University of Richmond
University of Richmond
The University of Richmond is a selective, private, nonsectarian, liberal arts university located on the border of the city of Richmond and Henrico County, Virginia. The University of Richmond is a primarily undergraduate, residential university with approximately 4,000 undergraduate and graduate...
and many other local educational and arts charities.
External links
- http://www.martinsfoods.com
- http://www.ukropshomestylefoods.com
- http://www.bankatunion.com
- http://www.fuelperks.com