SN's Top 75 Retailers for 2010

Deflation and the weak economy took its toll on North American food distributors in 2009, as total volume for the Top 75 food retailers and wholesalers fell about 0.2% compared with a year ago. Total revenues for the group, which includes sales of both food and nonfood merchandise in North America, were $891.4 billion, compared with $893.08 billion in 2008. The 10 largest companies on the Top 75 list saw revenues slide 1.2% in 2009, to $606 billion, compared with a year ago. Most of the companies in the top 10 — which together comprised 68% of the total revenues of the Top 75 — saw slight sales declines during the year. Among the top 20, dollar volume was down about 0.8% for 2009, to $727 billion. Their revenues accounted for 81.6% of the total volume for the Top 75 — slightly less than their share from a year ago.

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ADDITIONAL NOTES:

• IGA, a Chicago-based voluntary network of independent grocers, accounted for 2009 sales of approximately $30 billion from 6,200 stores worldwide, including approximately $8 billion from 1,350 stores in the U.S. and $22 billion from 4,850 stores in 37 other countries, including Canada.

• PENN TRAFFIC — As the 2010 Top 75 list went to press, the future disposition of the 79 stores operated by Penn Traffic Co., Syracuse, N.Y., was not clear, with at least two chains hoping to buy large portions of its operations out of bankruptcy.