FamilyMart

FamilyMart (ファミリーマート, Famirīmāto) is a Japanese convenience store franchise chain first opened in Japan on September 1, 1981. FamilyMart is Japan's third largest convenience store chain, behind 7-Eleven and Lawson, and used to be the largest chain store in South Korea (now renamed to CU). FamilyMart is owned and overseen by FamilyMart Company, Limited. The main shareholder is Itochu with a stake of 35.55% Its headquarters is on the 17th floor of the Sunshine60 Building in Ikebukuro, Toshima, Tokyo.

All of the usual Japanese convenience store goods such as basic grocery items, magazines, manga, soft drinks, alcoholic drinks like sake, nikuman, fried chicken, onigiri, and bento are available.

Growth and development

The first FamilyMart opened its first shop in Sayama, Saitama Prefecture in 1973.

FamilyMart also has franchise stores in the Philippines, Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan, Mainland China (Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Suzhou), the United States and Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City). In addition, South Korean franchisees operate two stores in North Korea for South Korean visitors and workers in the Kaesong Industrial Region and Mount Kumgang Tourist Region. As of August 31, 2009, there are 22,444 stores worldwide, with fast growth in Asia outside Japan. There are 9,641 stores in Japan, 7,964 stores in South Korea, 2,952 stores in Taiwan, 1,306 stores in Mainland China, 1,193 stores in Thailand, 71 stores in Vietnam, nine stores in the USA, 21 stores in Indonesia, and 91 stores in the Philippines.

The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company

The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, better known as A&P, was an American and Canadian chain of grocery stores that ceased supermarket operations in 2015 after 156 years in business. From 1915 through 1975, A&P was the largest food/grocery retailer in the United States (until 1965, the largest U.S. retailer of any kind). A&P was considered an American icon that according to The Wall Street Journal "was as well known as McDonald's or Google is today" and that A&P was "Walmart before Walmart." Known for innovation, A&P and the supermarkets that followed its lead significantly improved nutritional habits by making available a vast assortment of food products at much lower costs. Until 1982, A&P also was a large food manufacturer. In his 1952 book, American Capitalism, John Kenneth Galbraith cited A&P's manufacturing strategy as a classic example of countervailing power that was a welcome alternative to state price controls.

Founded in 1859 by George Gilman as "Gilman & Company", within a few years it opened a small chain of retail, tea, and coffee stores in New York City and operated a national mail order business. The firm grew to 70 stores by 1878 when Gilman passed management to George Huntington Hartford, who turned A&P into the country's first grocery chain. In 1900, it operated almost 200 stores. After Hartford acquired ownership, A&P grew dramatically by introducing the economy store concept in 1912, growing to 1,600 stores in 1915. After World War I, it added stores that offered meat and produce, while expanding manufacturing. In 1930, A&P, now the world's largest retailer, reached $2.9 billion in sales with 16,000 stores. In 1936, it adopted the self-serve supermarket concept and opened 4,000 larger stores (while phasing out many of its smaller units) by 1950.