COMPANYHISTORIES
NAIC 445299

All Other Specialty Food Stores

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

20companies1886–1993founding years19still active1no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedWhittard of Chelsea Plc
1886
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
1916
EconomyPiggly Wiggly opens the first self-service grocery store.
FoundedKaufring AG
1921
FoundedEtablissements Franz Colruyt N.V.
1925
FoundedMinyard Food Stores, Inc.
1932
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
1955
EconomyMcDonald's franchising begins, remaking fast food.
FoundedControladora Comercial Mexicana, S.A. de C.V.
1957
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
EconomyThe first Walmart opens, built on everyday low prices.
FoundedPeet's Coffee & Tea, Inc.
1966
FoundedAEON Co., Ltd.FoundedGrupo Eroski
1969
FoundedOrganización Soriana, S.A. de C.V.
1971
FoundedMazel Stores, Inc.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
FoundedThe Sharper Image Corporation
1978
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
FoundedMontana Coffee Traders, Inc.
1982
FoundedGrupo Gigante, S.A. de C.V.
1983
FoundedWal-Mart de Mexico, S.A. de C.V.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedBon Appetit Holding AG
1986
FoundedRFC Franchising LLC
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
FoundedWeiner's Stores, Inc.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
FoundedTully's Coffee Corporation
1992
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1994
TechnologyE-commerce begins to disrupt retail.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Whittard of Chelsea Plc →
Active · founded 1886 · United Kingdom
Whittard of Chelsea Plc appears finally to have found the right blend for its growing chain of tea and coffee shops.
Kaufring AG →
Active · founded 1921 · Germany
Kaufring AG is the leading German wholesale organization for mid-sized independent department stores and special…
Etablissements Franz Colruyt N.V. →
Active · founded 1925 · Belgium
Etablissements Franz Colruyt NV is one of Belgium's top three supermarket and retail companies.
Minyard Food Stores, Inc. →
Active · founded 1932
Minyard Food Stores, Inc.
Controladora Comercial Mexicana, S.A. de C.V. →
Defunct · founded 1957 · Mexico
Controladora Comercial Mexicana, S.A.
Peet's Coffee & Tea, Inc. →
Active · founded 1966
Founded in Berkeley, California, in the mid-1960s, Peet's Coffee & Tea, Inc.
AEON Co., Ltd. →
Active · founded 1969 · Japan
Formerly known as JUSCO AEON Co., Ltd.
Grupo Eroski →
Active · founded 1969 · Spain
Grupo Eroski is the distribution arm and the largest part of Spain's powerful cooperative group Mondragon Corporacion…
Organización Soriana, S.A. de C.V. →
Active · founded 1971 · Mexico
Organización Soriana, S.A.
Diedrich Coffee, Inc. →
Active · founded 1972
Diedrich Coffee, Inc.
Mazel Stores, Inc. →
Active · founded 1975
Mazel Stores, Inc.
The Sharper Image Corporation →
Active · founded 1978
The Sharper Image Corporation is a specialty retailer that sells apparel and gift items through catalogs, retail…
Montana Coffee Traders, Inc. →
Active · founded 1982
In its commitment to community and environment, MCT set up programs that contributed part of its sales to various…
Grupo Gigante, S.A. de C.V. →
Active · founded 1983 · Mexico
Grupo Gigante, S.A.
Wal-Mart de Mexico, S.A. de C.V. →
Active · founded 1984 · Mexico
Wal-Mart de Mexico, S.A.
Bon Appetit Holding AG →
Active · founded 1986 · Switzerland
Bon Appetit Holding AG is the leading publicly listed food trade company in Switzerland.
RFC Franchising LLC →
Active · founded 1989
RFC Franchising LLC operates the Ritter's Frozen Custard chain of premium ice cream shops.
Weiner's Stores, Inc. →
Active · founded 1991
Houston-based Weiner's Stores, Inc.
Tully's Coffee Corporation →
Active · founded 1992
Founded in 1992, Tully's Coffee Corporation is the third largest company-owned specialty coffee retailer in the United…
Atlanta Bread Company International, Inc. →
Active · founded 1993
Atlanta Bread Company International, Inc., operates and franchises a chain of bakery-cafés, relying almost entirely on…
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