Shoppers Food & Pharmacy

Shoppers Food & Pharmacy
Company type	Private
Industry	Retail (Supermarkets)
Founded	1929
Founder	Irving Herman, Kenneth Herman
Headquarters	Bowie, United States
Area served	Baltimore and Washington, D.C. markets
Key people	Kenneth Herman (former CEO), Robert Herman (former COO)
Products	Fresh fruits and vegetables, Swift Angus beef, Smithfield natural pork, all-natural chicken, deli selections from Dietz & Watson, fresh seafood, hot food bars
Owner	United Natural Foods (UNFI)
Parent	United Natural Foods

Shoppers Food & Pharmacy, also referred to as Shoppers Food Warehouse, operates a network of 22 supermarket locations serving the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. markets. Their inventory features fresh fruits and vegetables, Swift Angus beef, Smithfield natural pork, all-natural chicken, deli selections from Dietz & Watson, fresh seafood, and hot food bars.

The company was a trailblazer in introducing several supermarket concepts that have since become industry standards, including warehouse-style shelving (now discontinued), open-bin bulk food sections (also no longer in use), expansive salad bars combined with hot prepared meals, specialized produce fans, and packaging designed for warehouse-scale quantities. Shoppers was among the earliest retailers to price produce by weight rather than per piece, enhancing freshness and offering customers greater flexibility.

History

Established in 1929 by brothers Irving and Kenneth Herman in Washington, D.C., Shoppers originated from their initial ventures such as the River Terrace Supermarket and later the Jumbo Food Store brand launched in 1952. By 1960, Jumbo operated four stores throughout the D.C. region. The brand’s elephant emblem was inspired by Kenneth Herman’s wife Edyth and was licensed through Disney.

During the 1960s and 1970s, the company expanded with multiple Jumbo outlets across Maryland and Virginia. In 1978, the Hermans introduced the first Shoppers Food Warehouse (SFW), a non-membership warehouse-style supermarket that offered bulk goods at reduced prices by minimizing retail labor and limiting package sizes. This innovative approach fueled rapid growth for Shoppers.

By 1985, Shoppers had become the third-largest grocery chain in the D.C. area, operating eight SFW stores alongside four Jumbo locations. The Jumbo name was retired by 1989 as Shoppers grew to 18 stores. In 1989, Herbert Haft's Dart Group acquired a minority interest and ultimately took full ownership in 1997 after intricate buy-sell arrangements with the Herman family. Under CEO Kenneth Herman and COO Robert Herman, the chain nearly doubled its footprint during this era.

Due to financial difficulties faced by Dart Group, Shoppers was sold to Richfood Holdings Inc. in 1998; Richfood itself was then acquired by SuperValu in 1999. At that point, Shoppers ranked as the third-largest supermarket operator in the Washington market by sales.

In 2018, United Natural Foods (UNFI) purchased SuperValu primarily for its wholesale business but maintained ownership of Shoppers’ retail outlets. UNFI closed all Shoppers pharmacies by 2019 but kept the supermarkets operational. From late 2022 through mid-2023, several former Shoppers locations sold off by UNFI were quietly reopened.

This timeline illustrates how strategic leadership changes, acquisitions, and evolving business models have influenced Shoppers' competitive position and financial results within the grocery retail sector.

In the community

Through its Shoppers Foundation, the company supports organizations including the Ed Block Courage Award Foundation and the American Red Cross of the National Capital Area. Donations extend to more than 2,500 schools, churches, and nonprofit groups located within its service area.

Since its inception in 2000, the Shoppers Classic Charity Golf Tournament has partnered with vendors to raise funds benefiting local initiatives such as the Maryland Food Bank, Capitol Area Food Bank, community playground projects, and assistance for disadvantaged youth through the Ed Block Courage Award Foundation.

Controversy

On May 29, 2008, federal agents from the FBI conducted a search of Maryland State Senator Ulysses Currie’s residence to obtain documents connected to his consulting work with Shoppers Food & Pharmacy. Subsequently, on September 1, 2010, a federal grand jury charged Currie along with Shoppers executives William J. White and R. Kevin Small in relation to an alleged scheme spanning from 2002 to 2008. The accusations involved payments made to Currie in return for political favors that would advantage the grocery chain. Ultimately, White and Small were found not guilty.

External links