# Food 4 Less

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**Food 4 Less** is the name of several [grocery store](/source/Grocery_store) chains, the largest of which is currently owned by [Kroger](/source/Kroger).[3] It is a [no-frills](/source/No-frills) [grocery store](/source/Grocery_store) where the customers bag their own groceries at the [checkout](/source/Point_of_sale). Kroger operates Food 4 Less stores in the [Chicago metropolitan area](/source/Chicago_metropolitan_area) ([Illinois](/source/Illinois) and [Indiana](/source/Indiana)) and in [Southern California](/source/Southern_California). Kroger operates their stores as **Foods Co.** in northern and central California, including [Bakersfield](/source/Bakersfield,_California) and the [Central Coast](/source/Central_Coast_(California)), because they do not have the rights to the Food 4 Less name in those areas. Other states, such as [Nevada](/source/Nevada), formerly contained Kroger-owned Food 4 Less stores.[4]

There are other stores scattered throughout the United States with the Food 4 Less name, part of franchise agreements with various wholesalers, including Unified Western Grocers and Associated Wholesale Grocers Midwest. These stores have particular penetration in central and northern California. The Food 4 Less name was previously used by [Fleming Companies, Inc.](/source/Core-Mark), but as Fleming exited various regions and ultimately collapsed, the rights to the name went to wholesalers who picked up some of Fleming's former customers. Fleming Companies announced in April 2003 that it had filed for reorganization under [Chapter 11 bankruptcy](/source/Chapter_11,_Title_11,_United_States_Code).[5]

## Falley's

The Food 4 Less name and logo was originally conceived in the 1930s by Lou Falley, who developed a chain of stores both in the Food 4 Less name (with the warehouse/no frills format) and the Falley's name. The Falley's stores were full service supermarkets, while the Food 4 Less stores were warehouse stores, where labor costs were cut by having the groceries stocked to the shelves in the original cases, rather than stacking individual items. These stores were located throughout eastern Kansas and parts of northwestern Missouri. Over the years, the number of Falley's stores diminished, and were replaced with Food 4 Less stores. Falley's also franchised Food 4 Less in states where it did not operate.

In 1987, [Ron Burkle](/source/Ron_Burkle)'s [Yucaipa Companies](/source/Yucaipa_Companies) acquired Falley's in [Topeka](/source/Topeka), [Kansas](/source/Kansas). During a period of consolidation in the grocery store industry, Food 4 Less merged with [Ralphs](/source/Ralphs), which [Fred Meyer](/source/Fred_Meyer) had acquired from the Yucaipa Companies in 1998. The next year in 1999 Fred Meyer along with Food 4 Less were acquired by [Kroger](/source/Kroger)[6]

In 2015, Food 4 Less exited the [Nevada](/source/Nevada) market entirely. Six of the stores were converted to sister store [Smith's Food and Drug](/source/Smith's_Food_and_Drug), a prominent grocery chain owned by Kroger in the [Las Vegas](/source/Las_Vegas) area. The remaining eight stores were closed.[7]

In 1998, Fred Meyer sold Falley's and the [Midwestern](/source/Midwest) Food 4 Less stores to [Associated Wholesale Grocers](/source/Associated_Wholesale_Grocers) of [Kansas City](/source/Kansas_City).[8] The warehouse type stores were slowly phased out in favor of full service Food 4 Less stores with a new logo and format.

In January 2006, the AWG-owned Falley's and Food 4 Less stores located in Kansas were combined with sister company [Homeland Stores](/source/Homeland_(supermarket)), based in [Edmond, Oklahoma](/source/Edmond,_Oklahoma). The company changed the names of the Food 4 Less stores, which it can't use beyond Kansas and Missouri, to AWG brands such as [Price Chopper](/source/Price_Chopper_/_Price_Mart).

## Nugget

Kroger uses the **Foods Co** name in [Northern California](/source/Northern_California), where it is bound by an agreement between Falley's and grocer [Nugget Markets, Inc.](/source/Nugget_Markets) One **Food 4 Less** store in Northern California is managed and operated by Nugget. Kroger does not have any administrative control over the single Nugget Food 4 Less store.

Nugget's Food 4 Less is limited by its agreement with Fleming in its ability to advertise in circulars. Kroger's Food 4 Less circulars will feature individual products on sale whereas Nugget's Food 4 Less circulars only promote sales events and customer testimony. Ad prices from the Kroger Food 4 Less chain are not honored.

The Nugget Food 4 Less store also features a different selection of products than the Kroger Food 4 Less stores due to Nugget's pooling of resources from its upscale Nugget Market stores. Marketing and administration of the Nugget Food 4 Less store is handled through the Nugget Market Corporate Office in [Davis, California](/source/Davis,_California), and any requests for other Food 4 Less stores will be deferred to the Kroger Corporate Office in [Cincinnati, Ohio](/source/Cincinnati,_Ohio). It is unclear whether Nugget Markets and Kroger will continue the Fleming relationship when the franchise agreement expires.

Nugget operated a total of three stores in Northern California; in [Cameron Park](/source/Cameron_Park,_California), [Vallejo](/source/Vallejo,_California), and Woodland. In 2014, the Food 4 Less in Cameron Park was converted into Fork Lift, a new store concept by Nugget.[9] The Food 4 Less in Vallejo was shuttered on May 15, 2016, leaving the Woodland location as Nugget's sole remaining Food 4 Less store.[10]

## Fleming

[Fleming](/source/Core-Mark) was another franchisee of the Food 4 Less name. In early 2003, Fleming filed for [bankruptcy](/source/Bankruptcy), causing the company to place all Fleming owned Food 4 Less stores up for bids to other national grocers. Three stores in [Utah](/source/Utah) were purchased by [Albertsons](/source/Albertsons_(SuperValu)), who retained two stores. The two stores kept the Food 4 Less name until January 2005, when the names changed to the Albertsons owned [Super Saver](/source/Super_Saver_Foods) name. Another store in [Pinole](/source/Pinole,_California), [California](/source/California) became a FoodMaxx, a price-impact store owned by [Save Mart Supermarkets](/source/Save_Mart_Supermarkets).

In [Oregon](/source/Oregon), only one former Fleming store remained, in [Salem](/source/Salem,_Oregon) which was part of the [Mega Foods](http://www.mymegafoods.com/) local chain of four stores. The remaining store was converted into Mega Foods. An independently run former Fleming store in [Portland](/source/Portland,_Oregon) was closed in January 2013.

## PAQ, Inc.

PAQ, Inc., is also another franchisee of the Food 4 Less name with stores in northern California. The franchisee operates Food 4 Less stores in [Arroyo Grande](/source/Arroyo_Grande,_California), [Atascadero](/source/Atascadero,_California), [Ceres](/source/Ceres,_California), [Lodi](/source/Lodi,_California), [Los Banos](/source/Los_Banos,_California), [Manteca](/source/Manteca,_California), [Paso Robles](/source/Paso_Robles,_California), [Rio Linda](/source/Rio_Linda,_California), [Sacramento](/source/Sacramento,_California) (3 stores), [Salinas](/source/Salinas,_California), [San Luis Obispo](/source/San_Luis_Obispo,_California), and [Stockton](/source/Stockton,_California) (4 stores).[11] Kroger also does not have any administrative control over the PAQ, Inc., Food 4 Less stores. The franchisee also operates Rancho San Miguel Markets, a supermarket specializing in Hispanic offerings.[12]

## Gongco Foods

Gongco Foods operates seven franchised Food 4 Less stores in central California.[13] The stores are located in [Atwater](/source/Atwater,_California), [Fresno](/source/Fresno,_California), [Madera](/source/Madera,_California), [Merced](/source/Merced,_California), [Porterville](/source/Porterville,_California), [Selma](/source/Selma,_California), and [Visalia](/source/Visalia,_California).[14] They are also not affiliated with Kroger.

## Other ownerships

There are employee-owned and operated Food 4 Less stores in [Joplin](/source/Joplin,_Missouri) and [Springfield, Missouri](/source/Springfield,_Missouri).[15]

In Oregon, stores in [Bend](/source/Bend,_Oregon) and [Medford](/source/Medford,_Oregon) both operate under the Food 4 Less name, but with separate local owners.[16][17] However on July 11, 2023, the store in Bend was rebranded to Local Acres Marketplace to reflect its local ownership and to differentiate it from the chain owned by Kroger, which owns the [Fred Meyer](/source/Fred_Meyer) chain in the [U.S. Northwest](/source/Northwestern_United_States).[18]

A Food 4 Less store in [Massillon, Ohio](/source/Massillon,_Ohio), co-owned with local grocery chain Bordner's, closed in 2014.[19]

## References

1. ["Food4less Grocery Store Locations"](https://www.food4less.com/stores/grocery). *food4less.com*. The Kroger Co. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20221206202912/https://www.food4less.com/stores/grocery) December 6, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2023-01-29.

1. ["Number of Foods Co retail stores in the United States in 2023"](https://www.scrapehero.com/location-reports/Foods%20Co-USA/). *ScrapeHero*. 2023-01-16. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230129044851/https://www.scrapehero.com/location-reports/Foods%20Co-USA/) January 29, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2023-01-29.

1. ["The Kroger Company"](https://www.thekrogerco.com/about-kroger). *The Kroger Company*. Kroger. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210315134821/https://www.thekrogerco.com/about-kroger/) March 15, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 23 March 2021.

1. Robison, Jennifer (31 October 2024). ["Food 4 Less stores to exit Las Vegas market"](https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/food-4-less-stores-to-exit-las-vegas-market/). Las Vegas Review Journal. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180912204146/https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/food-4-less-stores-to-exit-las-vegas-market/) September 12, 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 23 March 2021.

1. Hays, Constance L. (2 April 2003). ["Big Grocery Supplier Files for Bankruptcy Protection"](https://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/02/business/big-grocery-supplier-files-for-bankruptcy-protection.html). *The New York Times*. Retrieved 22 December 2025.

1. Zwiebach, Elliot (2010-04-05). ["Building an Empire"](https://www.supermarketnews.com/finance/building-an-empire). *Supermarket News*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230131000608/https://www.supermarketnews.com/retail-amp-financial/building-empire) 2023-01-31 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2023-01-31.

1. Segall, Eli (2014-10-30). ["Food 4 Less pulling out of the Las Vegas market"](https://vegasinc.lasvegassun.com/business/2014/oct/30/food-4-less-pulling-out-las-vegas/). *[Vegas Inc.](/source/Vegas_Inc.)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230131001836/https://vegasinc.lasvegassun.com/business/2014/oct/30/food-4-less-pulling-out-las-vegas/) 2023-01-31 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2023-01-31.

1. ["Fred Meyer Adding 98 Stores in Series of Deals"](https://www.nytimes.com/1998/10/13/business/company-news-fred-meyer-adding-98-stores-in-series-of-deals.html). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. Vol. CXLVIII, no. 51309. [Dow Jones](/source/Dow_Jones_%26_Company). 1998-10-13. p. C4. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160305040636/http://www.nytimes.com/1998/10/13/business/company-news-fred-meyer-adding-98-stores-in-series-of-deals.html) March 5, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 16, 2017.

1. ["Nugget Market introduces Fork Lift store concept in Cameron Park"](http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2014/12/04/nugget-market-introduces-fork-lift-store-concept.html). *Sacramento Business Journal*. 4 December 2014. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160816144447/http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2014/12/04/nugget-market-introduces-fork-lift-store-concept.html) August 16, 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 19 July 2016.

1. Raskin-Zrihen, By Rachel. "Business - Vallejo's Food 4 Less closing." Times-Herald (Vallejo, CA) 11 May 2016, News: 1. NewsBank. Web. 13 May 2016.

1. ["Food 4 Less store locator"](https://www2.myfood4less.com/StoreLocator/State/?State=CA). *Food 4 Less*. PAQ, Inc. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210227183114/https://www2.myfood4less.com/StoreLocator/State/?State=CA) February 27, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 23 March 2021.

1. ["Rancho San Miguel Markets: Our Story"](https://ranchosanmiguelmarkets.com/our-story/). *Rancho San Miguel Markets*. PAQ, Inc. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210418083702/https://ranchosanmiguelmarkets.com/our-story/) April 18, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 23 March 2021.

1. ["About Food 4 Less Central Valley"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140302162359/http://food4lesscentralvalley.com/pages/6647/). Archived from [the original](http://food4lesscentralvalley.com/pages/6647/) on 2014-03-02. Retrieved 2014-02-25.

1. ["Foods 4 Less locations"](https://food4lesscentralvalley.com/contact-us/). *Foods 4 Less, Serving Central California*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210304210048/https://food4lesscentralvalley.com/contact-us/) March 4, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 23 March 2021.

1. ["Food 4 Less"](http://www.f4lfoods.com/). *Food 4 Less*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200801115325/http://www.f4lfoods.com/) August 1, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 23 March 2021.

1. ["Sherm's Food 4 Less in Medford"](http://www.shermsmarkets.com/StoreLocator/Store?L=52856). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200806224452/https://www.shermsmarkets.com/StoreLocator/Store?L=52856) August 6, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 6, 2018.

1. ["Food 4 Less Bend Store Information"](http://www.food4lessbend.com/StoreLocator/Store?L=40932). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200806130747/https://www.food4lessbend.com/StoreLocator/Store?L=40932) August 6, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February 6, 2018.

1. ["Bend's Food 4 Less discount grocer unveils its new name: Local Acres Marketplace"](https://ktvz.com/news/business/2023/07/11/bends-food-4-less-discount-grocer-unveils-its-new-name-local-acres-marketplace). *[KTVZ](/source/KTVZ)*. 2023-07-11. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230713014704/https://ktvz.com/news/business/2023/07/11/bends-food-4-less-discount-grocer-unveils-its-new-name-local-acres-marketplace) July 13, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved September 25, 2024.

1. Knapp, Amy (2014-07-15). ["Food 4 Less in Massillon closes its doors"](https://www.cantonrep.com/article/20140715/News/140719597). *Canton Repository*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20181230082332/https://www.cantonrep.com/article/20140715/News/140719597) December 30, 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 30, 2018.

## External links

- [Food 4 Less website](http://www.food4less.com)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Food 4 Less](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_4_Less) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_4_Less?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.