Genuardi's
Former chain of supermarkets in the northeastern U.S.

Genuardi's Family Markets
FormerlyGenuardi Supermarkets and Genuardi's Supermarkets
Company typePrivate
IndustryGrocer
Founded1954
FounderGaspare Genuardi
Defunct2012 (as a chain)
2015 (all locations)
FateAcquired by Safeway in 2000
Supermarkets sold to other owners between 2011 and 2015
HeadquartersNorristown, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Number of locations
Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, U.S.
Area served
Southeast Pennsylvania
Key people
Gaspare, Josephine, Charlie, Frank, Joe, Tom and Jim Genuardi
ProductsBakery, dairy, deli, floral, frozen foods, general grocery, meat, produce, seafood, and snacks.
Number of employees
7,000
ParentSafeway
Websitehttps://genuardifamilyfoundation.org/

Genuardi's Family Markets (GFM) was a chain of supermarkets located in the Northeastern United States. A family-owned chain, Genuardi's Family Markets spanned three states, employed 7,000 people ran 39 locations, and served more than 1 million households.[1] Its slogan—originally "The Difference is Our Family Pride," which evolved into "Family Pride Makes the Difference"—was a guiding principle in Genuardi's operations and internal culture.[2] Its headquarters was in Norristown, Pennsylvania.[3] In 2001, Safeway purchased the chain.[4]

History

Early years

Gaspare Genuardi arrived in the United States in 1904,[5] leaving behind his hometown of Sciacca, Sicily, for a new life in Norristown, Pennsylvania.[6] [7]

In Norristown, Gaspare met Josephine Sclafani, who had also immigrated from Sciacca. They married in 1907, and together they raised three daughters (Pauline, Anna, and Rose) and six sons (Charles (Charlie), Frank, Joseph (Joe), Dominic (Tom), Vincent (Jim), and Salvatore (Sal)).[8]

Between 1905 and 1920, Gaspare was employed by Alan Wood Steel, and was a scrap dealer with his own horse and wagon.[9] He began farming on 15 acres of leased land in Norristown,[10][11] initially selling fresh fruits and vegetables from a stand at the Norristown Farmers Market and door to door on a horse-drawn wagon.[12] [13]By 1939, the business had grown to include truck delivery services operated with the help of Gaspare’s sons Charlie, Frank, Joe, and Tom.[14]

In the 1930s, the Genuardi family expanded their business, opening their first “mom-and-pop” storefront at their residence on Sandy Street and, in 1940, leasing a store in Jeffersonville for $35 a month, establishing what would become the first Genuardi’s “Superette.”[12][13]

Business growth continued throughout the 1940s and early 1950s, prompting the need for a more extensive business strategy. Jim later joined Charlie, Frank, Joe, and Tom in managing the stores, and together the five became known collectively as the Genuardi Brothers. In 1952, the Genuardi Brothers purchased 6.5 acres of land, which became their first supermarket in 1954.[15][16] On their Jeffersonville supermarket’s opening day, they welcomed customers and the community into their 7,200-square-foot self-service grocery store.[17] This expansion represented a significant milestone for the business that their father Gaspare had started.

Founding

Genuardi’s grew slowly at first, adding stores in 1958, 1961, and 1965. The market put its customers at the forefront of its business model in pursuit of quality products and services. As the business expanded more aggressively throughout the 1970s and 1980s, it added eight new stores in the 1970s and established Norristown Beef Company, a meat, dairy, and frozen food wholesaler, and Gen-Oaks, a grocery warehouse. In the 1980s, Genuardi’s added another eight new stores and established five Mad Grocers, a chain of discount limited assortment grocery stores. Throughout its expansion, Genuardi’s continually innovated toward customer convenience, aiming for extraordinary value tied to personalized services.[18]

In October 1990, having just opened their 24th establishment under the Genuardi’s Family Markets name and five Mad Grocers, the five Genuardi Brothers transferred ownership of the stores to the third generation of the family, which consisted of Charles, Skip, Tom Jr., Larry, Anthony, Joe Jr., David, Michael, and Jim (the Genuardi Cousins).[19] [20]

Over the next decade, the business experienced its most aggressive growth, opening 20 new Genuardi’s Family Markets and acquiring Zagara’s Specialty Market to elevate its organic and prepared food program. This expansion included the addition of three more specialty stores. It also closed four Genuardi’s locations, the Mad Grocers chain, Gen-Oaks, and the Norristown Beef Company. Additionally, it undertook major remodeling in 10 stores. By the end of the decade, Genuardi’s had nearly quadrupled its business.

In 2001, the third generation of Genuardi’s Family Markets owners made the strategic decision to sell their grocery business to Safeway. The decision came about through a mutual family agreement to exit on their own terms. The Genuardi family ran their business the same way they sold it, with “Family Pride” and with their community close to their hearts.[1]

Operations

A former Genuardis store in Warrington, Pennsylvania

Genuardi’s Family Markets was one of the top supermarket retailers in the Delaware Valley, employing 7,000 people in three states. With more than 39 locations, the reach of Genuardi’s Family Markets was expansive.[1]

Genuardi’s Family Markets considered its employees an important extension of the business, affectionately referring to them as a family. The Genuardi's cultivated a workplace hinged on their core philosophy, “Family Pride,” and their commitment to their community, offering competitive pay and benefits and other resources to their employees. Their “Family Pride” philosophy encapsulated their core values: honesty, hard work, and service to the community.[21]

The business’ emphasis on “Family Pride” was exemplified by the Genuardi Family Chatter, a small internal publication that proved to be a connective tool for the business, offering an outlet to discuss ideas with employees and to convey the company’s appreciation for them. From the very beginning, the company held annual picnics for all employees and their families to attend where food and games brought everyone together.[22][23]

Store Locations (1954–2001)
Store # City State Opened Closed
1 Jeffersonville PA 1954
2 Sandy Hill (Norristown) PA 1958
3 Swede Square PA 1961
East Norriton (#3 relocated) PA 1999
4 Audubon PA 1965
5 Maple Glen PA 1969
6 Yeadon PA 1969 1972
7 Warminster PA 1975 1993
8 King of Prussia PA 1972 2000
King of Prussia (#8 relocated) PA 2001
9 Eagleville PA 1973
10 Quakertown PA 1974 1989
11 Markley Street (Norristown) PA 1975 1985
12 West Point PA 1976
13 Flourtown PA 1978
14 Spring City PA 1979 1996
15 Rockledge PA 1979
Rockledge (#15 relocated) PA 1995
16 Chesterbrook PA 1981
17 Royersford PA 1983
Royersford (#17 relocated) PA 1996
18 Neshaminy (Bensalem) PA 1983 1998
19 Exton PA 1985 1991
20 East Goshen PA 1988
21 Newton PA 1988
22 Doylestown PA 1988
23 New Britain PA 1989
24 Glen Eagle (Concord Twp) PA 1990
25 Towamencin PA 1990
26 Pottstown PA 1991
27 Kimberton PA 1992
28 St. Davids PA 1992
29 Edgemont PA 1995
30 Springfield PA 1996
31 Glasgow DE 1995 1997
Glasgow (#30 relocated) DE 1997
32 Bear DE 1995
33 Langhorne PA 1997
34 Willow Ridge (Evesham Twp) NJ 1998
35 Feasterville PA 1998
36 Roslyn PA 1998
37 Spring House PA 1999
38 Warwick PA 1999
39 Wynnwood PA 1999
40 Bensalem PA 1999
41 Brandywine DE 1999
42 Barnegat NJ 1999
43 Lionville PA 2000
44 East Marlborough PA 2000
Opened By Safeway After Sale
Store # City State Opened Closed
45 Hamilton NJ
46 Northfield (Egg Harbor) NJ
47 East Windsor NJ
48 Hershey's Mill
49 Warrington PA
Zagara's
Store # City State Opened Closed
Z1 Marlton NJ 1997
Z2 Mt. Laurel NJ 1999
Z3 Jenkintown PA 2000
Z4 Brinton Lake PA 2001
Sunset Baking Co. Mt. Laurel NJ
Warehouses
Store # City State Opened Closed
NBC Norristown PA 1967 1973
NBC East Norriton PA 1973 1986
Hatfield PA 1986 1996
Gen Oaks Oaks PA 1976 1996

Subsidiaries/Acquisitions

NBC Wholesale Foods (Norristown Beef Co.), 1967

Gen-Oaks (grocery warehouse), 1976[24]

Mad Grocers, 1980

Zagara’s Specialty Food, 1997

Products and Services

Genuardi’s Family Markets, while maintaining its foundation in fresh produce and meats, expanded its operations to include in-store bakeries, service meat departments, and a private-label product line. The company was an early adopter of innovations such as frozen vegetables and pre-packaged, self-serve meat products, positioning itself as a pioneer in modern grocery retailing.[25][26]

Over the course of its operation, Genuardi’s opened and ran NBC Wholesale Foods (1968–1996), which distributed meat, dairy, and frozen food items to the stores and to local restaurants. Additionally, it ran Gen-Oaks (1976–1996), a grocery warehouse to purchase items in bulk to help Genuardi’s Family Markets compete with other chains.[24] Genuardi’s innovations also included Family Fair, a venture into hardware stores with two locations, and five Mad Grocers (1980–1996), a discount limited assortment grocery chain with five stores.

Community Impact and Awards

Genuardi’s Family Markets was known for its Community Cash Back Program, an initiative that donated 1% of tape value receipts collected by customers to more than 3,500 nonprofits in the community. Between 1976 and 2000, the Community Cash Back Program donated $20 million through the program.[27] Alongside the cash-back initiative, Genuardi’s Family Markets sponsored high school sports awards, a scholarship program for employees, and the Philadelphia Food Bank. Its community impact was widely recognized, and it received numerous awards, including the “C” Flag from President Ronald Reagan for its Community Cash Back Program in 1986, the Wharton School of Business Family Business of the Year Award in 1999, and the Purple Aster Award for Family from the Order of Sons of Italy in America in 2000.[28] [29][30]

Genuardi’s Family Markets instituted additional programs in support of its communities across its stores, including NutriALERT, which offered shoppers factual nutritional information; Words Worth Eating, a recipe program; and the Tour Our Store Program, which offered youth the chance to see inside the supermarkets.[31]

Safeway

In February 2001, the Genuardi cousins sold the chain to Safeway. After the acquisition, Safeway introduced operational changes including different product selections, the addition of private-label brands, and the use of a loyalty card program. Some stores were rebranded under the Safeway name, while others continued to operate as Genuardi’s.[32][33]

In September 2011, Safeway sought to sell all or part of Genuardi’s. Later that month, a sale of several of Genuardi’s locations to Giant-Carlisle appeared to be imminent.[34]

On January 5, 2012, Giant-Carlisle announced its deal to acquire 16 Genuardi’s Family Markets across the greater Philadelphia suburban area.[35] The Audubon location, the last remaining store, closed on May 27, 2015.[36]

Genuardi Family Foundation

In continuation of the Genuardi family legacy, the Genuardi Family Foundation was established at the time of the supermarket chain’s sale to Safeway in 2001.[37] The Genuardi Family Foundation was founded by nine third-generation family members to give back to the same communities in the Delaware Valley that supported Genuardi’s Family Markets. Following in their tradition of leadership, several fourth-generation family members joined the board, whose members remain invested in the Foundation’s mission “to support the development of healthy individuals, families, and community by promoting self-sufficiency, hard work, and generosity with a commitment to caring for the most vulnerable in our communities.”[38] The Foundation supports nonprofit organizations by funding access to basic services and resources in the community that address food access, housing, and job placement in the hope of breaking cycles of poverty in Southeastern Pennsylvania.[39]

References

  1. ^ a b c "History – Genuardi Family Foundation". Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  2. ^ Genuardi, Frank O. (1995). Family Pride; A Memoir (1st ed.). Frank O. Genuardi. p. 79.
  3. ^ Genuardi, Frank O. (1995). Family Pride; A Memoir (1st ed.). Frank O. Genuardi. pp. xi.
  4. ^ "History – Genuardi Family Foundation". Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  5. ^ Genuardi, Frank O. (1995). Family Pride; A Memoir (1st ed.). Frank O. Genuardi. p. 6.
  6. ^ "History – Genuardi Family Foundation". Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  7. ^ Genuardi, Frank O. (1995). Family Pride; A Memoir (1st ed.). Frank O. Genuardi. p. 17.
  8. ^ Genuardi, Frank O. (1995). Family Pride; A Memoir (1st ed.). Frank O. Genuardi. pp. 17, 24.
  9. ^ Genuardi, Frank O. (1995). Family Pride; A Memoir (1st ed.). Frank O. Genuardi. pp. 7, 14, 24.
  10. ^ Genuardi, Frank O. (1995). Family Pride; A Memoir (1st ed.). Frank O. Genuardi. p. 11.
  11. ^ "History – Genuardi Family Foundation". Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  12. ^ a b "Genuardi Chatter," Vol. 23, May 1990, pg. 5
  13. ^ a b Genuardi, Frank O. (1995). Family Pride; A Memoir (1st ed.). Frank O. Genuardi. p. 29.
  14. ^ Genuardi, Frank O. (1995). Family Pride; A Memoir (1st ed.). Frank O. Genuardi. pp. 14, 33.
  15. ^ "Genuardi Chatter," Vol. 23, May 1990, p. 18.
  16. ^ Genuardi, Frank O. (1995). Family Pride; A Memoir (1st ed.). Frank O. Genuardi. p. 21.
  17. ^ Genuardi, Frank O. (1995). Family Pride; A Memoir (1st ed.). Frank O. Genuardi. p. 45.
  18. ^ Genuardi, Frank O. (1995). Family Pride; A Memoir (1st ed.). Frank O. Genuardi. p. 65.
  19. ^ Genuardi, Frank O. (1995). Family Pride; A Memoir (1st ed.). Frank O. Genuardi. p. 91.
  20. ^ "History – Genuardi Family Foundation". Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  21. ^ Genuardi, Frank O. (1995). Family Pride; A Memoir (1st ed.). Frank O. Genuardi. p. 84.
  22. ^ "Genuardi Chatter," Vol. 2, October 1969, No. 8, p. 4
  23. ^ Genuardi, Frank O. (1995). Family Pride; A Memoir (1st ed.). Frank O. Genuardi. p. 62.
  24. ^ a b Genuardi, Frank O. (1995). Family Pride; A Memoir (1st ed.). Frank O. Genuardi. p. 89.
  25. ^ Genuardi, Frank O. (1995). Family Pride; A Memoir (1st ed.). Frank O. Genuardi. p. 27.
  26. ^ "Genuardi Chatter," Vol. 23, May 1990, p. 20.
  27. ^ "Wayback Machine". www.genuardis.com. Archived from the original on October 18, 2000. Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  28. ^ "Remarks at the Presentation Ceremony for the 'C' Flag Awards | Ronald Reagan". www.reaganlibrary.gov. Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  29. ^ "History of Genuardi's Family Markets, Inc". FundingUniverse. Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  30. ^ 17th Annual Purple Aster Awards Ball, May 13, 2000.
  31. ^ "Genuardi Chatter," September 1990, Vol 23, p. 4
  32. ^ "2002: The Year of the Apology". Knowledge at Wharton. Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  33. ^ "Safeway Exiting Philly With Sales, Closings Of Genuardi's - Food Trade News & Food World". January 9, 2012. Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  34. ^ "Safeway Reportedly Close To Genuardi's Sale; Giant/Carlisle Seen As Prime Buyer - Food Trade News & Food World". October 11, 2011. Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  35. ^ Safeway Inc. "Safeway Announces Sale of 16 Genuardi's Stores". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  36. ^ "Last Genuardi's supermarket slated to close". Daily Local. May 16, 2015. Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  37. ^ "About Us – Genuardi Family Foundation". Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  38. ^ "About Us – Genuardi Family Foundation". Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  39. ^ "About Us – Genuardi Family Foundation". Retrieved September 23, 2025.

Sources

  • Genuardi Family Markets Employee Handbook, 1995.
  • Official website (Archive)
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