What Sullivans Foods does

Sullivans Foods is a regional grocery chain operating 11 full-service supermarket locations across northern and central Illinois, founded in 1967 by John and June Sullivan in Savanna, Illinois. The company was acquired by Coborn's Inc. in May 2023 and now operates as a division under JB Sullivan LLC, with the Sullivan brand and local operations retained. The core product is a traditional supermarket offering spanning fresh departments (Meat with USDA Choice and Black Angus, Bakery, Deli with prepared foods, Fresh Baked Breads) and Special Occasion Cakes, supplemented by ancillary businesses including catering services (per-person packages starting at $8.79), four fuel stations with a rewards program (Kewanee, Lena, Princeton, Savanna), and three franchised Ace Hardware stores (Savanna, Mendota, Winnebago).

Revenue is generated primarily through in-store grocery transactions (transaction-fee model), with secondary streams from Groceries2Go online shopping (pickup $4.95, delivery $5.05 within 15 miles), catering (per-person unit pricing), fuel sales with grocery-linked rewards, and hardware retail. Distribution channels include 11 physical stores, an e-commerce platform (own storefront), third-party delivery via Instacart and DoorDash partnerships, and franchise-operated hardware. Wholesale supply runs through Associated Wholesale Grocers, and private label is sourced via the Best Choice brand (1,000+ SKUs at 10-20% below national brands). Technology is non-proprietary: standard retail grocery systems with mobile apps and basic e-commerce integration.

The customer base is primarily general retail grocery consumers in small Illinois communities, with secondary segments including event catering customers (15+ person minimum), fuel station shoppers tied to grocery spend via rewards, and Ace Hardware DIY/home improvement buyers. Community engagement is reinforced through the Save-A-Label fundraising program (nearly 13,000 participating school and non-profit groups) and co-branded marketing promotions (e.g., Busch Light ATV giveaway). Headcount is 51-100 employees, consistent with lean independent-grocer staffing across the multi-store, multi-format footprint.

Name

Sullivans Foods

Legal name

SULLIVAN'S FOODS INC.

Website

https://sullivansfoods.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Sullivans Foods operates 11 full-service grocery stores across northern and central Illinois, offering fresh departments, catering, online ordering, and delivery; it also runs four fuel stations and three Ace Hardware franchises, now operating as a division of Coborn's Inc.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Kewanee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices17 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Retail Grocery Sales: Core revenue from in-store grocery sales across 11 supermarket locations in northern Illinois. Includes fresh departments (Meat, Bakery, Deli), private label products (Best Choice), and general merchandise.
2. Groceries2Go Online Shopping: Online grocery shopping with pickup ($4.95 fee) and delivery ($5.05 additional fee) services. Minimum order $10. Pickup orders over $50 have no pickup fee.
3. Catering Services: Full-service catering for events including weddings, business meetings, graduations. Pricing based on per-person rates with minimum 15 people. Services include box lunches, hot meals, and event add-ons.
4. Fuel Station Operations: Fuel stations in Kewanee, Lena, Princeton, and Savanna locations. Offers fuel rewards program where customers earn 3 cents off per gallon for every $25 spent on groceries. Prepay bonus adds additional 3 cents off per gallon.
5. Ace Hardware Stores: Three Ace Hardware franchise locations (Savanna, Mendota, Winnebago) operating under Sullivan's Ace Stores brand. Hardware and home improvement retail.
6. Special Occasion Products: Custom decorated cakes for graduations, weddings, birthdays and special occasions. Bakery custom orders including specialty breads and decorated cookies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Sullivan's Foods operates a full-service grocery supermarket chain with 11 store locations across northern and central Illinois, offering fresh departments (Meat, Bakery, Deli), Best Choice private label products, full-service catering for events, custom decorated cakes, online ordering through Groceries2Go with pickup and delivery options, four fuel stations, and three franchised Ace Hardware stores.

Product overview

Sullivan's Foods is a family-owned and operated grocery retail business acquired by Coborn's Inc. in May 2023, now operating as a division under JB Sullivan LLC. The company operates 11 full-service grocery store locations across northern Illinois, complemented by 3 Ace Hardware stores, fuel stations, and an online shopping platform (Groceries2Go). The core offering centers on the Sullivan's Foods grocery store network featuring integrated departments for Bakery, Deli, Meat, Fresh Baked Breads, and Special Occasion Cakes. Additional services include Catering, a fuel rewards program, gift cards, and Best Choice private label products. Online capabilities are provided through Groceries2Go with in-store pickup and third-party delivery partnerships with Instacart and DoorDash.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Best Choice: Private label brand offering food, household, health, and beauty products at 10-20% below national brand prices with a 100% Quality Guarantee.

Products and services

• Sullivan's Foods Grocery Stores Full-service supermarket chain offering groceries, fresh produce, household goods, and integrated fresh departments across 11 northern Illinois locations.
• Groceries2Go Online Shopping

Quantifiable outcome

• Best Choice products priced 10-20% below national brand prices
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Associated Wholesale GrocerscoreOthers · 1 May 2023Lead wholesaler supplying Sullivan’s Foods stores. Continues as primary supply relationship following acquisition by Coborn's Inc.
• Coborn's InccoreOthers · 1 May 2023Parent company acquired Sullivan’s Foods grocery stores and other business units in May 2023 as company's first expansion into Illinois. Sullivan’s Foods operates as JB Sullivan LLC division.
• InstacartcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party delivery partnership allowing customers to order groceries online for delivery through Instacart's delivery network.
• DoorDashcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party delivery partnership providing on-demand delivery services for grocery orders.
• Wisconsin CheeseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWisconsin cheese partners referenced in deli department featuring specialty imported and domestic cheeses from Wisconsin.
• Best ChoicecoreOthersPrivate label brand offering over 1,000 products at 10-20% below national brand prices. Supports Save-A-Label fundraising program.
• G&M DistributingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPromotional partner for Busch Light Polaris Sportsman ATV Summer Giveaway 2026 sweepstakes across 8 participating stores.
• Busch LightminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-branded promotional giveaway campaign featuring Busch Light-styled Polaris ATV. Promotion runs July 7 through September 9, 2026.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Kroger: Largest pure-play U.S. supermarket operator with significant Illinois presence through banners including Mariano's and Baker's. Competes on price, loyalty program scale, and digital infrastructure.
• Walmart Supercenter: Mass merchant with extensive grocery assortment and unmatched scale advantages. Operates supercenters across Illinois that overlap with Sullivan's trade areas and exert constant pricing pressure.
• Costco Wholesale: Warehouse club capturing share of household grocery spend through bulk pricing and private label (Kirkland). Represents an indirect but growing threat to traditional supermarket basket economics in Sullivan's Illinois markets.

Direct peers

• Aldi: Discount grocery chain with heavy Illinois store density, competing primarily on price and private label. Increasingly relevant competitor in Sullivan's small-town catchments.
• Trader Joe's: Specialty grocery chain emphasizing curated assortment and private label. Comparable neighborhood retail format and fresh-department emphasis, though targeting higher-income demographics.
• Schnucks: St. Louis-headquartered regional supermarket chain with stores across Illinois and the Midwest, offering comparable fresh departments, prepared foods, and online ordering. Directly overlaps in Illinois trade areas.
• Jewel-Osco: Albertsons-banner supermarket chain dominant in Chicago and northern Illinois. Direct competitor in Sullivan's trade area with comparable full-service grocery and pharmacy offerings.
• Hy-Vee: Employee-owned Midwest supermarket chain with full-service fresh departments, in-store dining, fuel stations, and catering. Closely comparable multi-format grocery model with strong regional brand positioning.
• County Market: Central and western Illinois-based supermarket chain owned by Niemann Foods, operating in similar small-town Illinois communities with comparable multi-department fresh, deli, and bakery offerings. Directly comparable footprint and customer profile.

Regional players

• Casey's General Stores: Midwest-based convenience store and fuel retailer with overlapping fuel operations and prepared foods. Operates primarily in smaller communities across Iowa, Illinois, and surrounding states with comparable scale and rural market focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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• Instagraminstagram.com/sullivansfoods
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sullivans-foods

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries6 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 Sullivans Foods