Value From Day One

From a single store in 1977, Save-a-Lot has grown into one of the largest U.S. grocery chains. From day one, our objective has been to deliver high quality foods at a great value to our customers.

While working for a grocery wholesaler in the mid-'70s, company founder, Bill Moran identified an opportunity for small grocers to compete against emerging mega-stores and created Save-A-Lot's limited assortment business model. When the first store opened in Cahokia, IL, in 1977, the format was immediately successful.

In 1977, General Grocer Co. adopted Moran's idea of the carefully selected assortment format and opened five additional stores in the St. Louis, MO area. Within a year, word-of-mouth advertising helped spread awareness and Save-A-Lot expanded to 29 locations. By 1980, Save-A-Lot added 52 locations and opened a warehouse in Jackson, TN.

Save-A-Lot's corporate offices are based
in St. Louis, Missouri.

In 1983, General Grocer sold Save-A-Lot exclusively to Moran. And five years later, Save-A-Lot was acquired by Wetterau Incorporated, a St. Louis, MO-based food wholesaler and retailer. During this time, Save-A-Lot expanded aggressively including the purchase of 76 Jewel T stores and two additional warehouses, one in Pennsylvania and one in Florida.

In 1993, SUPERVALU INC. acquired Wetterau and, with it, Save-A-Lot. Save-A-Lot remains a wholly owned subsidiary of SUPERVALU.

In 2006, Save-A-Lot founder Bill Moran announced his retirement after almost 30 years leading the company. Bill Shaner, a 25-year food industry veteran and former Chief Operating Officer of the company, was named President and Chief Executive Officer of Save-A-Lot.