Wakefern and Associated Wholesale Grocers Top Co-Op Rankings

Wakefern Food Corp.. and Associated Wholesale Grocers beat out grocers in the new "NCB Co-op 100," the annual list of the nation’s top 100 revenue-earning cooperative businesses from the National Cooperative Bank (NCB).

In 2019, these cooperative businesses from various sectors posted revenue totaling approximately $228.2 billion. The "NCB Co-op 100" remains the only annual report of its kind to track the profits and successes of cooperative businesses in the United States, according to the Arlington, Virginia-based NCB.

In grocery, the organizations to make the list were:

• Wakefern Food Corp./ShopRite, based in Keasbey, New Jersey, with reported $13.1 billion in revenue, earning the fourth ranking again this year.
• Associated Wholesale Grocers Inc., based in Kansas City, Kansas, with reported revenue of $9.7 billion and earning the fifth position on the list.  
• URM Stores, based in Spokane, Washington,  with reported revenue of $1.2 billion, earning the No. 41 spot on the list.
• Piggly Wiggly/Alabama, based in Bessemer, Alabama, with $701 million in revenue, and No. 81 on the list
• Associated Grocers, based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with $658 million in revenue and No. 85 on the list.

In agriculture, the leaders were:

• CHS Inc., based in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, reported $31.9 billion in revenues in 2019 and maintained its first place position on the NCB Co-op 100 list.
• Dairy Farmers of America., based in Kansas City, Missouri, reported $15.9 billion in revenues, earning the No. 2 ranking this year. 

While the companies and rankings change each year, the cooperative sector continues to advance, playing an increasingly influential role in the national and global economy. Released annually in October during National Co-op Month, the "NCB Co-op 100" is just one way that the bank strives to educate and promote the importance of this sector. As a longtime advocate for cooperatives, NCB’s mission is providing critical financing to support the growth and expansion of cooperative businesses, while also deploying hundreds of millions of dollars to support underserved communities and cooperative expansion initiatives.

The largest retailer-owned cooperative in the United States, Wakefern Food Corp. comprises 51 members that independently own and operate more than 350 supermarkets under the ShopRite, The Fresh Grocer, Price Rite Marketplace, Gourmet Garage and Dearborn Market banners in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire. The company is No. 25 on The PG 100 2020 listing of North America’s top retailers of food and consumables.

AWG serves 1,100 independent grocer member companies and 3,000-plus locations from eight wholesale divisions.