WinCo Foods was previously known as Waremart Foods. It changed its storefront name and the corporate name in 1999. “WinCo” stands for “Winning Company,” as is stated by the website, WincoFoods.com. Eighty percent of the company is employee owned.
About WinCo
The beginning of WinCo Foods occurs back to 1967, when Bud Williams and Ralph Ward started a discount-grocery warehouse in Boise, Idaho. They named their store Waremart, and the name stayed the same until 1999. In 1985, the president at the time, Bill Long, purchased a majority interest of WinCo from the Ward family and gave it to the employees so that they had some real stake in the company. Ever since, the company has continued to grow.
The company has fostered their success, it claims, by focusing on very large stores with a wide selection of national brands, but keeping their prices below the competition’s. Employees are said to have seen their employee stock ownership plan grow at an annual compounded growth rate of 21.51%. This makes for an extremely dedicated workforce. In 1998, WinCo was listed as the 266th on Forbes Magazine’s List of the 500 largest privately held companies, and in 2010 it was listed as the 65th on the list. They are considered 29th out of the 50 top grocery retailers, with a 0.6% share of the market.
Stats
Annual Sales: By the end of the fiscal year 2010, the company reached $4.3 billion in total sales.
Employees: WinCo currently has 13,000 employees and is continuing to grow.
Store Locations: Currently there are 75 WinCo Supermarkets located in five states. These are:
- California
- Nevada
- Oregon
- Idaho
- Washington
Corporate Responsibility
WinCo Foods is committed to making the shopping experience greener. For example, they do not put an ad in the paper each week, which also helps save money for their customers. Their newer locations also have skylights to help save electricity. They are currently researching solar power technologies and other ways to reducing their carbon footprint. Other things that they are doing/considering are:
- Implementing energy efficient refrigeration and freezer equipment in their new stores and updating their old stores
- Using light systems with motion sensors so that the lights are only used when needed in certain areas
- Using LED lights wherever possible
Responsible fuel consumption also is a focus of this company. They try to conserve fuel in the best way possible by using a transportation team to plan each trip, using the best route, and a maintenance team to ensure that each truck is kept in top shape. They also use state-of-the-art equipment to make the most out of every gallon of fuel.
Aside from being green, WinCo Foods contributes to the community through its donations. For example, it donates to fundraisers for state-accredited schools nearby WinCo locations. This can be for the entire school or just a group related to the school. You can get information about how to apply for a donation by visiting their website: WinCoFoods.com.
Winco’s produce department is what I would call suspect. I have to be very careful in picking out our produce. In the meat and dairy department I have to check date codes because their rotation is terrible. The last straw was ten days ago when I tried to return a pack of AAA batteries. We spend $200 a week at our Perris Cal. Winco and they wouldn’t give credit. Stupid! Back to Stater Bros. I go.
I live in Longview WA. I have been comlaining about this for over 3 years now- Handi cap powered carts- The store in longview wa does not have enough of them. Today I go there to shop with my mother, I waited one hour and still no cart. My mother finished her shopping but I did not even get a chance to do my shopping so we left. I complained once again to the manager once again it did no good. You stores need more than 6 handicap carts which I was told is all handled by and at the coroorate level. I am up in arms over this. You need more handi cap parking and more carts. I am sick and tired setting there on a cart that does not work, is un charged, and wind up wasting my time to do what, just wait for nothing because all this time wasted and i still wound up with no cart. so do I stop shopping at winco or do i teel a news taem about at say king 5 or KOIN 12 news any way to mget reconiotion to this problem!
My wife and I purchased 3 packages of Winco Winter Blend broccoli and cauliflower. The packages consisted of about 90% cauliflower and the rest scarps of broccoli. The broccoli was mostly small pieces of stem. After cooking the broccoli stems were so tough they were inedible. We have been weekly customers of Winco since their inception as Waremart and have never had a single complaint about anything to do with your company, but this is a first. We felt that you should be made aware.
Thanks fro listening.
Sincerely
Robert Thomas
With the debate and upcoming vote on putting GMO ingredients on food labels, I would like to see Winco Foods publicly take a stand and insist that their suppliers have labels that indicate if the product contains genetically engineered ingredients so your customers can make informed choices while shopping. I do not care if people create, or use genetically modified ingredients, I just want to be able to know if that is what I am buying.
I just wanted you to know we will no longer be shopping at Winco due to poor management. It is sad that good people hours are being cut while lazy asses who make less are being kept. GOOD BYE, many other super markets respect good employees and realize that they are the ones that keep customers coming back. If you think your bottom line will look better with poorer help then you deserve what you get.
This is in reference to the store on sprague in the Spokane Valley.
I would wish you luck but I believe only good service works. better.
I left a bag of the winco tater puffs out by accident, and they completely thawed, my question is can they be re-frozen and safe to eat?
I would really love for you guys to start caring ocean spray cran cherry juice,I hate having to drive to wallmart to get it
Walmart SUCKS!
We shop in the new store in Bellingham Washington. great experience ….however need to go to on to Fred Meyers as you do not carry some items;
Items are: Bob’s Red Mill hot cereal 8 Grain Wheatless (1lb 11 oz package)
and Original Silk Light SoyMilk ( Half Gallon.)
you carry the vanilla but not the above. would be great if these two items would be carried in your store as these are staples on our shopping list.
thank you!
I’am requesting a new order for store 0046 please order Alaga syrup cane flavor product of Whitfield foods. 1-334-263-2541, located in Montgomery,Alabama 36101. I have to travel 72 miles to purchase this product. It is very hard find sharp Colby long horn cheese in Moreno Valley,Ca. I always shop in this store it will be nice to purchase everything in one store which is down the street were I live. Thank you. hope to see these two in the store soon .