WinCo Foods

THE 2019 POWER 25 HQ: BOISE, IDAHO STORE COUNT: 216

WinCo Foods has had a steady run of success since opening a single warehouse-format store in 1967, in Boise, Idaho. The regional discount grocer’s low profile belies the fanatical loyalty it has engendered among shoppers in its 10-state footprint of Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Washington. It’s renowned for its low-price leader reputation and for marching to its own drummer. Shoppers bag their own groceries at the employee-owned discount grocery chain, which will not take credit cards and accepts only cash, debit cards, checks and SNAP benefits. While it’s been largely business as usual for the productive and efficient retailer, a changing of the guard occurred when Grant Haag—a 34-year veteran of WinCo who most recently was its SVP of operations—assumed the role of president and CEO. It also recently bested its crosstown rival, Albertsons, as the Best of Boise’s top grocery store for 2019. “Their prices are unbeatable,” said one voter quoted in Boise Weekly’s “Best Of” profile, while others praised the stores as being “always clean.”