The National Retail Federation just released its ranking of the top 100 retailers in the US for 2013. Not surprising – Wal-Mart was the largest by a wide margin. In 2012 Wal-Mart had US sales totaling $328.7 billion dollars. Worldwide sales for this retail giant were $467.9 billion. The article with the ranking did not break out grocery sales versus all other sales. Wal-Mart sales totals include Sam’s Club sales totals.
Second on the list was Kroger with $92.2 billion in retail US sales. Third was Target with $72.0 billion and fourth was Costco with $71.0 billion in retail US sales. The only other companies in the top 20 list that have significant grocery sales were Safeway (#9 at $37.5 billion), Publix (#15 at $27.49 billion), Supervalu (#16 at $27.46 billion) and Ahold USA (#17 at $25.8 billion).
The only other top 20 company with food sales was McDonald’s with $35.6 billion in US sales. It is interesting to note that only 40% of McDonald’s revenue was from US sales. Their world wide sales in 2012 were $88.3 billion making them number 5 in US company world-wide retail sales behind Wal-Mart, Costco, 7-Eleven, and Kroger.
As a point of interest, government contracted services associated with support of our military made the listing. Army Air Force Exchange was #43 with $9.1 billion in revenue and Defence Commissary Agency was #72 with $5.2 billion in revenue.
Fast food companies in addition to McDonald’s in US revenue were YUM! Brands (#24 with $18.0 billion in revenue), Subway (#32 with $12.3 billion in revenue), Wendy’s (#44 with $9.0 billion in revenue), Starbucks (#46 with $8.8 billion in revenue), Burger King (#47 with $8.6 billion), Dunkin’ Brands (#61 with $6.7 billion), Chick-fil-A (#80 with $4.6 billion), and Sonic (#95 with $3.8 billion).
Sale of food, whether from a grocery retail outlet such as Krogers or from a fast food chain such as McDonald’s is not just big business, but really big business in the US.
Full details are available at: http://www.stores.org/STORES%20Magazine%20July%202013/top-100-retailers