Straubs

What Straubs does

Straubs (Straubs Markets) is a fourth-generation family-owned neighborhood grocery chain headquartered in the St. Louis metropolitan area, operating four stores across affluent St. Louis County submarkets. Founded in 1901, the company sells a curated mix that includes USDA Prime steaks, house-made prepared foods, fresh baked goods, and exclusive regional brands such as Miss Hulling's Cakes and Gooey Butter Cake. The assortment emphasizes premium, locally distinctive items over conventional-grocery breadth, supported by in-store butcher, deli, and bakery production.

The business model spans in-store retail across four locations, a Shopify-powered e-commerce site shipping signature items nationwide, a catering program under the Dinners for Two brand, a corporate gifting vertical for organizations with 10 or more recipients, and on-demand delivery via an Instacart integration. Customer segments are individual St. Louis metro households for in-store and delivery purchases, plus nationwide gift recipients and corporate buyers served through the e-commerce channel. Operational backbone includes a unionized store workforce with full benefits, supporting the skilled labor required for in-house prepared-foods and meat-cutting programs that anchor the differentiated assortment.

Name

Straubs

Legal name

Straub's Markets

Website

https://straubs.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1901

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Family-owned St. Louis neighborhood grocery chain operating four stores since 1901, offering premium meats, house-prepared foods, exclusive regional brands like Miss Hulling's Cakes, and nationwide shipping of signature items via Shopify-powered e-commerce.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Grocery Retail

NAICS

Food and Beverage Retailers (445), Specialty Food Retailers (4452), Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529)

SIC

Retail-Grocery Stores (5411)

akta.pro primary industry

Imported & Regional Specialty Food Stores (CRAHAGAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Shelf-Stable Pantry Staples (Grains, Pasta, Rice, Beans, Canned Foods) (CRADAAAA)

Keywords

• Specialty grocery retail
• Butcher shop services
• Prepared foods catering
• Nationwide food shipping
• Bakery dessert retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Clayton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Retail Grocery Sales: In-store sales at four St. Louis neighborhood locations featuring premium perishables, butcher shop, deli, bakery, produce, seafood, wine/spirits, and specialty grocery. Traditional grocery retail with focus on quality and customer service.
2. Nationwide E-commerce Shipping: Online sales of signature items (steaks, cakes, chicken salad, gift baskets) shipped to customers nationwide. Shipping rates calculated at checkout based on weight, destination, and speed. Operates Monday-Thursday shipping schedule for perishable items.
3. Local Courier Delivery: St. Louis area delivery service for online orders within local radius. Orders delivered on customer-selected Arrival Date without tracking numbers.
4. Catering Services: Corporate and event catering including sandwich platters, holiday feasts, corporate box lunches, and monthly Dinners for Two program. Separate catering website and order system.
5. Gift Cards: Physical gift cards available in $25-$500 denominations, redeemable at all four St. Louis locations. Sold both in-store and online.
6. Corporate Gifting: Bulk order services for corporate clients sending 10+ gift packages. Handles logistics, packing, shipping, and tracking for multiple recipients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Straub's Markets operates four neighborhood grocery stores in the St. Louis metro area, selling premium meats, fresh produce, scratch-made chef-prepared foods, signature bakery items, and a curated selection of local St. Louis pantry goods. The company also provides nationwide shipping of signature perishable items such as USDA Prime steaks, Gooey Butter Cake, World Famous Chicken Salad, and Miss Hulling's Split Layer Cakes, alongside event catering services for corporate and private occasions and a corporate gifting program for bulk orders.

Product overview

Straub's Markets is a family-owned grocery retailer operating four neighborhood stores in St. Louis, offering a unified portfolio of in-store departments and direct-to-consumer shipping. The core offering centers on five product lines: Meats, Seafood & Deli (featuring USDA Prime steaks, lobster, and the signature World Famous Chicken Salad), the Famous Bakery & Desserts (including exclusive Miss Hulling's Split Layer Cakes and Gooey Butter Cake), the St. Louis Pantry (local dressings and sauces), and curated Gifts & Baskets. Supporting services include Catering for events, Dinners for Two monthly meal kits, a weekly Hot Soup Bar, and Wine, Beer & Spirits. The company ships perishable signature items nationwide and offers local delivery via courier and Instacart. The e-commerce experience is powered by Shopify.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Meats, Seafood & Deli Full-service butcher shop and deli offering USDA Prime Certified steaks, wild-caught Lobster Tails, signature heartland Hams, and the World Famous Chicken Salad made fresh daily by hand.
• Famous Bakery & Desserts Bakery featuring St. Louis iconic treats including scratch-made Gooey Butter Cake and exclusive Miss Hulling's Split Layer Cakes, along with Thunder Muffins, fresh donuts, and cookies.
• St. Louis Pantry Curated selection of shelf-stable St. Louis staples including small-batch house dressings, rib rubs, locally crafted sodas, and sauces from local producers.
• Gifts & Baskets Curated gift baskets and gift cards for corporate gifting, celebrations, and care packages featuring Straub's signature items and local St. Louis favorites.
• Catering Event catering service offering sandwich platters, holiday feasts, corporate box lunches, and full-service catering for office lunches to holiday parties.
• Dinners for Two Monthly multi-course prepared meals designed by chefs, ready to heat and serve for two people, available for pickup or local delivery.
• Straub's World Famous Chicken Salad Signature recipe chicken salad made fresh daily by hand with 100% white-meat chicken breast; sold over 83 tons in 2025 and available in 1lb, 2lb, 3lb, and 4lb sizes.
• Straub's Gooey Butter Cake St. Louis legend dessert made from scratch since the 1930s featuring real butter, sugar, and eggs with signature gooey center; $9.99 per cake in quantities of 1, 2, or 4.
• Miss Hulling's Split Layer Cakes Legendary St. Louis cake tradition featuring multiple thin, moist layers stacked high with rich frosting; exclusive to Straub's bakery and available as a 2-pack for $50.00 shipped frozen overnight.
• Miss Hulling's German Chocolate Cake Decadent chocolate cake with moist layers, coconut-pecan icing, and hand-shaved chocolate curls, available in 7-inch (smaller gatherings) or 9-inch (full size) sizes at $29.99.
• St. Louis Snackers Basket Most popular gift basket featuring Fitz's Root Beer, Bissinger's and Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate bars, Mound City Deluxe Mixed Nuts, local salsas, chips, cookies, and Straub's Popcorn, priced at $85.00.
• Italian Gift Basket Italian-themed gift basket featuring Vito's Mama Sugo Marinara sauce, Imo's Italian Dressing, Taste of the Hill Pasta Sauce, Zia's Sweet Italian Dressing, and Rustichella D'Abruzzo pastas, priced at $60.00.
• Sweets Basket Sweet treats basket featuring Dad's Oatmeal Cookies, Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Signature collection, Shortbread Fingers, Gummy Bears, Peppermint Creams, and assorted cookies, priced at $70.00.
• The Pasta House Co Famous Salad Dressing Classic tangy salad dressing from The Pasta House Co restaurants, available in 4, 8, or 12 pack sizes.
• Taste of the Hill Pasta Sauce Authentic pasta sauces based on St. Louis's The Hill neighborhood traditions, available in Original, Four Cheese, Mushroom & Onion, and Tomato Alfredo varieties from $25.99.
• Straub's Gift Card Physical gift cards redeemable in-store at any of the four St. Louis locations, available in $25, $50, $100, $250, and $500 denominations, sold both in-store and online.
• Corporate Gifting Program Bulk order program for corporate clients sending 10+ gift packages of steaks, gift baskets, and specialty items; clients download an Excel template, fill in recipient details and gift messages, and email to [email protected] for Straub's to handle packing, shipping, and tracking.
• Weekly Lunch Specials Chef-prepared hot food bar specials available weekdays from 11am-5pm, featuring new menus weekly at all four store locations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Sold 83+ tons of World Famous Chicken Salad in 2025 alone
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration13 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Operation Food SearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary charitable partner of Straubs Markets. Partnership includes daily food rescue donations from all four stores ensuring unsold food feeds families rather than going to waste. Straubs hosts food drives including Shop Out Hunger campaign. Employee-led giving through weekly 'Dress Down Days' where employees donate $1 to wear jeans, plus automatic payroll deduction options. Partnership aligned with Operation Food Search's mission to heal hunger and strengthen community future.
• ShopifycoreTechnology or IntegrationE-commerce platform powering Straubs' online store, including all information, content, features, tools, products and services. Shopify enables the curated shopping experience and processes payments, fulfills orders, and manages customer accounts. Shopify also provides personalized advertising features and data analytics.
• FedEx / UPScoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorShipping carriers for nationwide delivery of Straubs' signature products. Once orders are packed and handed off to carrier, customers receive tracking numbers via email. Carriers responsible for on-time delivery; Straubs cannot be held responsible for delays due to weather or carrier mechanical failures.
• InstacartminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party delivery platform for standard grocery delivery in St. Louis area. Handles their own refunds for missing or damaged items through the Instacart app. Separate from Straubs' own local courier delivery service.
• Corporate Gift Recipients (Various Businesses)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate clients sending bulk gift orders to 10+ employees, clients, or contacts. Clients download template, fill in recipient details, and Straubs handles logistics from packing through shipping to multiple addresses.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Balducci's: Specialty food retailer with strong prepared foods, butcher, bakery, and gift basket programs plus nationwide shipping; a direct model peer to Straub's nationwide shipping of signature and gift items.
• Plum Market: Specialty grocer focused on premium perishables, chef-prepared foods, butcher, and curated local/gourmet items; closely mirrors Straub's department structure and target customer, though operating in a different region.
• Heinen's Fine Foods: Family-owned Cleveland-based specialty grocer with strong prepared foods, butcher, bakery, and curated local assortments — a direct operating-model parallel to Straub's, though serving the Midwest around Cleveland rather than St. Louis.

Broad incumbents

• Hy-Vee: Large Midwest employee-owned grocery chain with deep prepared foods, butcher, bakery, catering, and gift programs; competes with Straub's on local-premium assortment and offers a comparable catering/corporate gifting capability at much greater scale.
• Fresh Thyme Market: Midwest-based natural/specialty grocery chain with strong fresh, prepared, and local product positioning; overlaps with Straub's on fresh, prepared, and curated assortment at a larger store count across overlapping Midwest markets.
• Trader Joe's: National specialty grocer known for curated private-label and unique food items; overlaps with Straub's specialty/gift basket and prepared food positioning, and has St. Louis-area store presence that competes for similar premium shoppers.
• Whole Foods Market: National premium/specialty grocer and Amazon-owned chain; competes with Straub's on premium meats, bakery, prepared foods, and curated local/specialty assortment, though at much larger scale and broader geographic footprint.

Regional players

• Dierbergs Markets: Family-owned St. Louis-area supermarket chain with a premium positioning comparable to Straub's; competes head-to-head in the same neighborhoods with full-service butcher, deli, bakery, and prepared foods departments.
• Schnucks: St. Louis-headquartered grocery chain operating ~100+ stores across the Midwest; the most direct regional competitor to Straub's in the same metro, competing on premium perishables, prepared foods, and local brand assortments.

Emerging players

• Goldbelly: Online marketplace that ships iconic regional American foods nationwide — directly comparable to Straub's nationwide shipping of signature St. Louis items and a potential channel partner or competitor for diaspora food demand.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/straubsmarket
• Instagraminstagram.com/straubsmarket
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/straubs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Straubs