C&S Wholesale Grocers

What C&S Wholesale Grocers does

C&S Wholesale Grocers is one of the largest privately held grocery wholesalers and supply chain solutions providers in the United States, founded in 1918 and headquartered in Keene, New Hampshire. The company operates nearly 60 distribution centers serving more than 7,500 customers nationwide, including independent grocers, national and regional chain retailers, U.S. military commissaries, and institutional food service operators. C&S also operates more than 200 corporate-run grocery stores across 12 states under regional banners including Family Fare, Martin's Super Markets, Piggly Wiggly, D&W Fresh Market, Grand Union, VG's Grocery, Needler's Fresh Market, and Supermercado Nuestra Familia, plus dozens of pharmacies and fuel centers.

The company generates revenue through three primary streams: wholesale distribution of grocery, fresh, frozen, dairy, and household products to retail customers; direct retail sales through its network of corporate-operated stores; and retail solutions services that include POS systems, electronic payment processing, labor management, merchandising, marketing, pharmacy procurement, financial services, and food safety support for independent grocers. Beyond distribution, C&S maintains a private label portfolio (OurBrands) encompassing Sol Select (Hispanic-inspired products with bilingual packaging), Best Yet, and Our Family.

Following its September 2025 acquisition of SpartanNash for $1.77 billion and its earlier 2025 acquisition of Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket brands from ALDI U.S. (as part of a consortium of private investors), C&S now employs more than 30,000 people. The combined entity has positioned C&S for accelerated Southeast US consolidation, with subsequent partnerships including a Florida supply agreement with Sedano's Supermarkets (32 stores), a distribution agreement with GEN Restaurant Group, and an international expansion partnership with Atlantic Grocery Supply covering the Caribbean, Central and South America. The company's core technology integrations include NCR Encor and Toshiba ACE POS platforms (delivered through partner Truno), EBT/eWIC payment processing, and DoorDash delivery, while core operating technology is otherwise not publicly disclosed.

Name

C&S Wholesale Grocers

Legal name

C&S Wholesale Grocers, LLC

Website

https://cswg.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1918

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

C&S Wholesale Grocers is a privately held US grocery wholesaler and supply chain solutions provider operating 60 distribution centers and 200+ corporate stores across 12 states, serving more than 7,500 independent grocers, chain retailers, and military customers nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wholesale Grocery Distribution

NAICS

General Line Grocery Merchant Wholesalers (42441), General Line Grocery Merchant Wholesalers (424410), Supermarkets and Other Grocery Retailers (except Convenience Retailers) (445110), Supermarkets and Other Grocery Retailers (except Convenience Retailers) (44511)

SIC

Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141), Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140), Retail-Grocery Stores (5411)

akta.pro primary industry

Shelf-Stable Packaged Foods Wholesale (Canned, Dry, Snacks) (AFAIABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Warehouse-Style Bulk Grocers (Membership/Non-membership) (CRAHAMAB), Independent Supermarkets & Neighborhood Grocers (CRAHAAAB), Supermarket Private Label–Led Grocers (CRAHAAAI)

Keywords

• Wholesale grocery distribution
• Grocery supply chain
• Retail support services
• Private label brands
• Food distribution logistics

Headquarters

HQ city

Keene

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Distribution: C&S generates revenue by distributing grocery products to independent retailers, chain stores, and military customers from its 60 distribution centers nationwide. The company provides an expansive assortment including fresh produce, frozen foods, groceries, dairy, and household goods.
2. Retail Store Operations: C&S operates more than 200 corporate-run grocery stores under various banners including D&W Fresh Market, Grand Union, Family Fare, Martin's Super Markets, and Piggly Wiggly. Revenue is generated through direct retail sales to consumers.
3. Retail Solutions Services: C&S provides comprehensive services to independent retailers including wholesale procurement, financial services, food safety, marketing, merchandising, pharmacy solutions, retail services, and supply solutions. These services support the company's wholesale customer base.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

C&S Wholesale Grocers distributes grocery and consumer products from 60 distribution centers to more than 7,500 independent grocers, chain retailers, and military commissaries across the United States. The company also operates 200+ corporate grocery stores in 12 states under multiple banners and provides retail support services including private label brands (Sol Select, Best Yet, Our Family), pharmacy solutions, financial services, food safety, marketing, merchandising, and retail technology solutions.

Product overview

C&S Wholesale Grocers operates as a food solutions company combining wholesale grocery distribution with retail operations. The company delivers products and services from 60 distribution centers nationwide to chain, independent, and military customers. C&S's service portfolio includes wholesale procurement providing grocery, frozen, produce, and household goods; retail solutions offering POS systems, payment processing, labor management, and store optimization; and pharmacy solutions serving 2,500 independent pharmacies. The company operates more than 200 corporate-run grocery stores primarily under banners including Family Fare, Martin's Super Markets, VG's Grocery, D&W Fresh Market, Piggly Wiggly, and Grand Union, with additional banners from SpartanNash including Supermercado Nuestra Familia and Needler's Fresh Market. Private label brands within the OurBrands portfolio include Sol Select (Hispanic-inspired), Best Yet, and Our Family, offering over 250 products across frozen, center store, household, and dairy categories.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Our Family: Private label brand offering everyday essentials and value products for shoppers
• Best Yet
• Sol Select
• D&W Fresh Market
• Grand Union
• Family Fare
• Martin's Super Markets
• Piggly Wiggly
• VG's Grocery
• Needler's Fresh Market
• Supermercado Nuestra Familia
• SpartanNash
• Grocers Supply
• Hansen Distribution Group
• FreshKo Produce Services

Products and services

• Wholesale Procurement Core wholesale grocery distribution service providing products across all grocery categories including fresh produce, frozen foods, grocery, dairy, and household goods, serving chain, independent, and military customers from 60 distribution centers nationwide.
• Retail Solutions
• Pharmacy Solutions
• Sol Select Hispanic-inspired private label brand offering over 250 frozen, center store, household and dairy products with bilingual English-Spanish packaging, part of the OurBrands portfolio designed to provide affordable quality products while supporting independent grocers.
• Our Family Private label brand providing everyday essentials and grocery staples sold at Family Fare, Martin's Super Markets, and other C&S operated stores, offering value-oriented products across multiple categories including dairy, bakery, and seasonal items.
• Best Yet Private label brand within C&S's OurBrands portfolio offering quality grocery products at competitive prices for independent retailers and C&S operated stores.
• Family Fare Regional grocery store banner operating in Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota; part of C&S family of companies offering fresh produce, bakery, deli, and everyday grocery essentials with loyalty programs and digital coupons.
• Martin's Super Markets Regional grocery store banner operating in Indiana and Michigan, offering fresh produce, quality meats, bakery, deli, and specialty food services including Side Door Cantina and in-store dining options.
• VG's Grocery Regional grocery store banner operating in eastern Michigan, offering fresh groceries, grilling essentials, and everyday value with loyalty rewards and digital coupons.
• Needler's Fresh Market Neighborhood grocery store banner operating in Indiana and Ohio with 11 locations, offering fresh produce, quality meats, in-store butchers, deli fried chicken and fish, fresh bakery, and everyday value with delivery through DoorDash.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $1.96 million raised through five companywide fundraisers in 2025 for charitable causes
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• GEN Restaurant GroupminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 4 June 2026GEN Restaurant Group signed a distribution agreement with C&S Wholesale Grocers to expand distribution of ready-to-cook marinated meats and consumer packaged goods products across retail and institutional channels. The deal provides GEN access to C&S's wholesale network servicing more than 7,500 customers including independent supermarkets, major chain stores, and food service operations.
• Sedano's SupermarketscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 2 February 2026C&S Wholesale Grocers signed a supply agreement making C&S the primary supplier for 32 Sedano's Supermarket locations in Florida. C&S provides expansive assortment and mix, distribution, transportation, procurement, merchandising, and retail services. This partnership supports C&S's ongoing Southeast expansion strategy following acquisitions of Winn-Dixie and SpartanNash.
• Atlantic Grocery SupplyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerC&S announced a partnership with Atlantic Grocery Supply to provide wholesale supply solutions to retailers in the Caribbean, Central and South America and partner on sales to Florida-based independent retail customers.
• Fair Food NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerC&S participates in the Double Up Food Bucks program administered by Fair Food Network, available at Family Fare and VG's Grocery stores in Michigan. The program matches SNAP benefits spent on fresh produce up to $20 per day.
• The Conservation FundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerC&S supports The Conservation Fund which protects land and natural resources, helping conserve more than 7 million acres to sustain working lands, wildlife habitats and communities.
• Student Conservation AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerC&S partners with Student Conservation Association supporting environmental progress through conservation programs.
• Trex CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough partnership with Trex Company, 100% of stretch film from participating C&S locations is recycled into composite decking and other durable products.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• KeHE Distributors: Specialty food and grocery distributor serving independent and chain retailers with natural, organic, and specialty products. Comparable wholesale model targeting similar independent grocer customers with differentiated product categories.
• Associated Wholesale Grocers (AWG): Member-owned cooperative grocery wholesaler serving independent retailers across the Midwest and South. Closely comparable cooperative-style wholesale distribution model serving independent grocers, and a direct competitor for many of C&S's regional customers.
• Wakefern Food Corporation: Cooperative wholesale and distribution arm for ShopRite, Price Rite, and other banners, owned by retail members. Direct comparable to C&S as a retailer-owned cooperative grocery distributor serving independent and chain stores on the East Coast.
• United Natural Foods (UNFI): Largest publicly-traded grocery wholesaler in North America, distributing to natural, conventional, and specialty retailers. UNFI is the closest direct public-comp peer to C&S given similar wholesale distribution to independent and chain retailers across grocery categories.
• Hy-Vee: Employee-owned regional grocery chain operating stores across the Midwest with significant private label and wholesale capabilities. Comparable as a private, vertically-integrated grocery retailer with wholesale distribution serving a similar geographic footprint.

Broad incumbents

• H-E-B: Large privately-held regional grocery chain with proprietary distribution. Operates as both retailer and wholesaler in Texas and Mexico; relevant comparable as a vertically-integrated private grocery platform with similar retail-banner-plus-distribution model.
• US Foods: Second-largest U.S. broadline foodservice distributor. Comparable scale distributor with national coverage, though skewed toward restaurants and foodservice rather than retail grocery; an adjacent wholesale peer with similar logistics-driven business model.
• Publix Super Markets: Employee-owned regional supermarket chain in the Southeast. Comparable as a large private multi-format grocery operator and wholesaler to independent retailers, particularly overlapping with C&S's Southeast expansion following the Winn-Dixie acquisition.
• Sysco Corporation: Largest U.S. food service distributor. While C&S focuses on retail grocery wholesale, Sysco is the dominant broadline foodservice distributor serving restaurants, healthcare, and education; both operate large distribution networks and compete for portions of the institutional food supply market.

Regional players

• Loblaw Companies: Canada's largest grocery retailer and wholesaler (including President’s Choice private label). Comparable vertically-integrated grocery wholesale-retail model and private label portfolio (President’s Choice is analogous to OurBrands), though operating exclusively in Canada.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/c&s-wholesale-grocers
• Xx.com/cswholesale

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A3 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about C&S Wholesale Grocers