Vons
Vons is a regional grocery chain operating 185 stores in California and Nevada, serving household consumers, businesses, and pharmacy customers as a subsidiary of Albertsons Companies (NYSE: ACI). It offers fresh groceries, pharmacy, prepared meals, private label brands, and omnichannel ordering including 30-minute delivery.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1931
- HeadquartersPhoenix, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Vons does
Vons is a regional grocery supermarket chain operating 185 retail locations across California (177) and Nevada (8), serving individual household consumers, business customers, pharmacy patients, and SNAP/EBT recipients. Founded in 1931 and currently operated by Safeway Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Albertsons Companies (NYSE: ACI) following the 1997 Safeway acquisition and the 2015 Albertsons-Safeway merger, Vons runs a traditional one-stop-shop grocery model anchored by fresh produce, meat and seafood, bakery, deli, pharmacy, and floral departments, supplemented by an extensive portfolio of private label brands including O Organics, Open Nature, Signature SELECT, Lucerne, Waterfront Bistro, Primo Taglio, and Chef's Counter.
The company's technology stack comprises a standard grocery retail infrastructure: a company-owned e-commerce website, iOS and Android mobile apps, the Vons for U digital loyalty program, DriveUp & Go curbside pickup, and Vons Flash 30-minute rapid delivery in select service areas. The "Vons AI" shopping assistant is documented as a customer-facing AI feature, though no proprietary AI models or research capabilities are disclosed. Vons makes money through five primary streams: in-store retail grocery sales, online grocery delivery and pickup transactions, pharmacy services, the FreshPass annual subscription (including a $49/year tier for SNAP recipients), and the Vons Business B2B program serving office and catering needs. Distribution is concentrated almost entirely in Southern California, with a small Nevada footprint, creating deep regional density but limited geographic optionality.
Vons firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Vons
- Legal name
- Safeway Inc.
- Website
- https://vons.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1931
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Vons is a regional grocery chain operating 185 stores in California and Nevada, serving household consumers, businesses, and pharmacy customers as a subsidiary of Albertsons Companies (NYSE: ACI). It offers fresh groceries, pharmacy, prepared meals, private label brands, and omnichannel ordering including 30-minute delivery.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Vons industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Supermarket Grocery Retail
- NAICS
- Supermarkets and Other Grocery Retailers (except Convenience Retailers) (44511), Food and Beverage Retailers (445)
- SIC
- Retail-Misc General Merchandise Stores (5399)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Online Grocery Delivery (DTC) (AFAIANAB)
Keywords
Where Vons is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Phoenix
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Vons business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Retail Grocery Sales: In-store sales of groceries, produce, meat, seafood, bakery, deli, frozen foods, beverages, household items, and personal care products
- Online Grocery Sales: Delivery and DriveUp & Go pickup orders placed through company-owned website and mobile app channels
- Pharmacy Services: Prescription medications, immunizations, vaccines, over-the-counter medications, and pet pharmacy services
- FreshPass Subscription: Subscription program offering free delivery, premium perks, and exclusive discounts including 5% off O Organics and Open Nature brands for annual subscribers
- B2B/Vons Business: Business-to-business sales serving local businesses with snacks, beverages, catering, paper products for office needs
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | FreshPass Subscription - $49/year for SNAP recipients |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | First Order Discount - $30 off |
| Subscription | Monthly | Schedule & Save - 5% discount |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels4 records
Vons product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Vons operates a regional supermarket chain selling fresh groceries, produce, meat, seafood, bakery, deli, frozen foods, beverages, household items, and personal care products through 185 physical stores in California and Nevada. It complements in-store retail with online ordering, curbside pickup, same-day and 30-minute flash delivery, in-store pharmacy services, custom cakes, prepared meals, gift cards, and B2B supply services for local businesses. The company also offers the FreshPass subscription, Schedule & Save recurring orders, and the Vons for U loyalty program.
Product overview
Vons is a regional supermarket chain operated by Albertsons Companies, operating 185 locations primarily in California and Nevada. The company offers a traditional grocery retail model with a digital commerce platform that includes in-store shopping, curbside pickup (DriveUp & Go™), same-day delivery, and Flash™ 30-minute rapid delivery. The product portfolio centers on grocery retail with supporting services including pharmacy, custom cakes, prepared meals (ReadyMeals®), and B2B eCommerce (Vons Business). Vons operates private label brands including organic (O Organics®), natural (Open Nature®), and premium (Signature SELECT®, Primo Taglio®, Chef's Counter) lines. Loyalty is managed through Vons for U™ and subscription programs including FreshPass® and Schedule & Save. The company is not known to offer a public API, and no AI capabilities or certifications are documented in available materials.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- O Organics®: Organic product brand offering organic groceries and produce.
- Open Nature®
- Signature Select®
- Lucerne®
- Waterfront Bistro®
- Primo Taglio®
- Value Corner®
- Soleil™
- ReadyMeals®
- Chef's Counter
Products and services
- DriveUp & Go Curbside grocery pickup service allowing customers to order online and retrieve their groceries without leaving their vehicle at participating Vons locations.
- Vons Flash Lightning-fast grocery delivery service that brings groceries to customers in as soon as 30 minutes in select areas, with a maximum of 35 items per order.
- FreshPass Premium membership subscription offering unlimited free delivery, 5% off O Organics and Open Nature brands, 2X Points on Exclusive Brands, and other perks for annual subscribers; $49/year for SNAP recipients.
- Vons for U Digital rewards and loyalty program providing personalized deals, points earning on purchases, and cash redemption options, with top members saving 35% weekly.
- Schedule & Save Grocery subscription service that automates regular deliveries or pickups of essentials with an extra 5% discount on qualifying items.
- Vons Business eCommerce platform serving local businesses with wholesale-style ordering for office snacks, beverages, catering, and paper products.
- Vons Pharmacy In-store pharmacy offering prescription refills, immunizations, vaccines, GLP-1 medications, and over-the-counter medications.
- Pet Pharmacy Pet prescription services allowing customers to fill pet medications and pick up flea treatments, antibiotics, and heartworm medications at Vons pharmacies.
- Vons Gift Cards Prepaid gift cards available for purchase in-store and online, usable for grocery purchases at Vons locations.
- Grocery Gifting Service allowing customers to send fresh groceries, pantry staples, or household essentials as gifts to friends, family, or loved ones.
- Custom Cakes Bespoke cake ordering service for birthdays, weddings, graduations, and other special occasions, available through in-store ordering or online at order.cakes.com.
- Rug Doctor Rentals Carpet cleaner rental service offering Rug Doctor machines and cleaning solutions for home carpet cleaning.
Quantifiable outcome
- Top members save 35% weekly with Vons for U loyalty program
Companies that use Vons
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Vons technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Vons partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- GEN Korean BBQcoreGEN Korean BBQ partnered with Pavilions, Albertsons, and Vons to expand their Ready-to-Cook Meats retail presence from 31 to over 300 stores in Southern California. The expansion reflects growing consumer demand for Korean and ethnic foods and the company's rapid growth strategy, with future plans for more variety, authenticity, and convenience products.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Vons competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Ralphs: Kroger-owned supermarket banner operating across Southern California with overlapping store formats, pharmacy, private-label, and loyalty programs — directly competing with Vons for the same household grocery basket in the same geographies.
- Pavilions: Sister Albertsons Companies banner operating premium-format grocery stores in Southern California — overlapping footprint, customer base, and product assortment with Vons and often co-located in the same trade areas.
- Trader Joe's: Specialty private-label grocer with strong Southern California presence; competes with Vons on fresh, prepared, and specialty grocery categories where Trader Joe's often wins on price-perception and curated assortment.
- Sprouts Farmers Market: Natural and organic-focused supermarket chain expanding across California and Nevada; directly competes with Vons on O Organics and Open Nature assortment in produce, bulk, and natural categories.
- Gelson's Markets: Premium Southern California supermarket chain with similar prepared-foods, bakery, deli, and fresh-produce emphasis; competes directly with Vons in affluent Los Angeles and Orange County neighborhoods.
- Stater Bros. Markets: Southern California-focused regional supermarket chain competing on price, fresh produce, and community loyalty; overlaps with Vons across Inland Empire and Southern California trade areas.
- Smart & Final: Warehouse-style grocery chain operating across California and Nevada, including the Smart & Final Extra! banner; competes with Vons on value-format grocery, fresh produce, and household essentials for budget-conscious shoppers.
Broad incumbents
- Albertsons: Flagship Albertsons Companies banner operating full-service supermarkets across the western U.S.; same parent, same private-label brands, and same FreshPass/loyalty infrastructure as Vons, but with broader geographic coverage.
- Safeway: Parent operating entity (Safeway Inc.) and sister banner under Albertsons Companies, operating grocery stores across the western and mid-Atlantic U.S. with identical brand portfolio, pharmacy, and digital platform as Vons.
- Whole Foods Market: Amazon-owned premium grocer with multiple Southern California locations; competes with Vons for organic, prepared, and higher-basket customers, particularly through Amazon Prime delivery integration.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Vons social profiles
Digital presenceVons financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Vons leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Vons funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Vons M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Vons
What does Vons do?
Vons operates a regional supermarket chain selling fresh groceries, produce, meat, seafood, bakery, deli, frozen foods, beverages, household items, and personal care products through 185 physical stores in California and Nevada. It complements in-store retail with online ordering, curbside pickup, same-day and 30-minute flash delivery, in-store pharmacy services, custom cakes, prepared meals, gift cards, and B2B supply services for local businesses. The company also offers the FreshPass subscription, Schedule & Save recurring orders, and the Vons for U loyalty program.
Is Vons a public or private company?
Vons is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Vons founded?
Vons was founded in 1931. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Vons based?
Vons is headquartered in Phoenix, United States, in the North America region.
How does Vons make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Retail Grocery Sales are the primary driver. The others are online Grocery Sales, pharmacy Services, freshPass Subscription and B2B/Vons Business.
Who are Vons's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Ralphs, Pavilions, Trader Joe's, Sprouts Farmers Market, Gelson's Markets, Stater Bros. Markets and Smart & Final. Broad incumbents are Albertsons, Safeway and Whole Foods Market.
Does Vons have an API?
No public API is recorded for Vons.
What industry is Vons in?
Vons's product category is Supermarket Grocery Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAIANAB, Online Grocery Delivery (DTC). Its NAICS code is 44511 and its SIC code is 5399.