Wegmans ranks – Wegmans Food Markets has placed No. 36 on Forbes’ inaugural list of the nation’s 100 largest family businesses by revenue, reporting annual revenue of $14.3 billion and highlighting the enduring reach of a family-run grocery operation.
When Wegmans opened for business in Rochester more than a century ago, it was built on fresh produce and a promise to keep it crisp. This week, that same family legacy landed in a different kind of spotlight: Forbes’ inaugural ranking of the nation’s 100 Largest Family Businesses by revenue.
Forbes released the list to mark America’s 250th birthday, framing it as a look at “the companies that provide the foundation for much of the nation’s economy.” In the rankings, Wegmans chairman Danny Wegman appears near the top of a story that pairs select company leaders with illustrations.
Wegmans came in at No. 36 on the list with annual revenues of $14.3 billion. Estee Lauder Companies tied with Wegmans at that position. and both outranked names that are far more familiar to many consumers. including SC Johnson ($13 billion). Quikrete ($12 billion). Ashley Furniture Industries ($11 billion). and the Murdoch family’s News Corp ($8.5 billion).
Walmart took the No. 1 spot with annual revenues of $713 billion. Forbes also reported that more than 59% of Walmart’s revenues come from grocery sales, citing Statista.
The way Forbes assembled the list matters for how readers interpret the results. Forbes said almost all the private companies on the list are more than 50% owned by their founding families. For public companies, the threshold was 10% family ownership. The methodology also covers companies such as Ford and Comcast—where the family owns less than 10% of the company. but controls at least 33% of the votes through super-voting shares. with a family member serving as chair or CEO.
For the revenue numbers, Forbes said it sourced figures for public companies from security filings. For private companies, it said that where data wasn’t available, figures were estimates based on Forbes reporting.
Wegmans wasn’t the only grocery business in the top tier of the ranking. Publix Super Markets placed at No. 8 with $63.2 billion; H-E-B Grocery Company ranked No. 11 with $49.6 billion; Meijer took No. 21 with $22 billion; C&S Wholesale Grocers came in at No. 24 with $20 billion. Giant Eagle ranked No. 63 with $8.6 billion, Demoulas Super Markets placed at No. 69 with $8 billion, Raley’s ranked No. 86 with $6 billion, and Ingles Markets took No. 98 with $5.3 billion.
The top 10 businesses on the list were: Walmart ($713 billion). Ford Motor ($187 billion). Cargil ($154 billion). Koch ($125 billion). Comcast ($124 billion). HCA Healthcare ($75.6 billion). Mars ($65 billion). Publix Super Markets ($63.2 billion). Tyson Foods ($54.4 billion). and Enterprise Products Partners. LP ($52.6 billion).
Wegmans’ place on the list ties back to a long run of family leadership—and to the chain’s steady approach to growth. Wegmans dates to 1916, when brothers John and Walter Wegman became fresh produce pushcart peddlers in Rochester, New York. In 1930. the brothers opened a 20. 000 square foot store featuring vaporized water spray to keep produce crisp. along with a cafeteria that seated 300.
In 1950, Walter’s son Robert Wegman became Wegmans president. Robert’s son, Danny Wegman, took over the role in 1976. In 2017, Danny’s daughter Colleen Wegman became company president and CEO. His daughter Nicole Wegman is president of the Wegmans brand.
Today, Wegmans operates 114 stores in nine eastern states and the District of Columbia, continuing what the company is described as a steady, conservative expansion.
The ranking lands at a moment when grocery shoppers are feeling pressure from rising prices—part of the reason the business story still matters beyond corporate rankings. For a family business to hold its position at scale. year after year. it has to do more than survive; it has to keep customers coming back. Wegmans’ No. 36 placement suggests that brand endurance still travels with the family that built it.
Wegmans Forbes largest family businesses family-owned business grocery retail Danny Wegman Colleen Wegman East Rochester revenue ranking