Giant Eagle

Founded in 1918 in the US, Giant Eagle started as a grocery company known as Eagle Grocery. The business was sold to the Kroger Company which merged with OK Grocery in 1931 and started operating under the name Giant Eagle. Nowadays, Giant Eagle operates 474 stores (216 supermarkets, 202 GetGo stores, 56 Ricker's stores), including both owned and franchised stores.

In 2018, the company acquired the Ricker’s which is a chain of convenience stores equipped with a gas station.

Giant Eagle operates its stores under various banners:

• Market District: launched in 2006 and now operates 13 stores. 
• Giant Eagle Express: this store is smaller than the supermarkets but offers the same facilities.
• Market District Express: in 2013, the first store launched. The format is similar to the Giant Eagle Express stores.
• GetGo: these are convenience stores which also sell gas at low prices
• GetGo Café + Market: convenience stores offering ready made meals and coffee

Furthermore, Giant Eagle also ventured in pharmaceutical businesses which includes:

• Giant Eagle Pharmacy: since the 1980s, the firm started to operate pharmacies.
• Giant Eagle Contact Lenses: The company partnered with Arlington Lens Supply in 2010 and customers can buy contact lenses on Giant Eagle’s website.

Giant Eagle provides training and classes such as apprentice programs, intern and leadership development programs for its team members. 

Some of the stores run by Giant Eagle also operate Starbucks kiosks and also offer other services which include dry-cleaning, photo processing as well as banking facilities. 

The firm currently employs 32 000 employees and in 2021, Giant Eagle achieved a turnover of €9.6 billion.

Supermarket News ranked Giant Eagle in the 21st position in the "Top 75 North American Food Retailers" and occupies the 41st position on the Forbes List of Largest Private Companies (2020).

Moreover, Giant Eagle (Ohio) supermarket is the world’s first LEED-certified supermarket. Nowadays, the chain operates 8 LEED-certified locations.

Giant Eagle plans on eliminating all plastic packaging by 2025 and achieving zero carbon emissions by 2040. The firm has partnered with Fifth Season, to reduce plastic packaging on products like salads and greens. Biodegradable compressed recycled paper is being opted for instead of plastic. 20 million single-use plastic bags were prevented from being used in just 4 months.