The American supermarket chain founded in 1915 in American Falls, Idaho, is Safeway.
Safeway traces its origins to 1915, when M. B. Skaggs established a grocery business in American Falls, Idaho. The early operation grew through a focus on efficient grocery selling and competitive prices, helping create the foundation for a much larger western supermarket enterprise.
A major turning point came in 1926, when Safeway merged with Skaggs United Stores of Idaho and Skaggs Cash Stores of California. The combined business had hundreds of locations, and Charles Merrill of Merrill Lynch helped consolidate additional grocery chains under the Safeway name. M. B. Skaggs became chief executive after the merger, and Safeway was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1928.
Albertsons is a frequent source of confusion because it acquired Safeway in 2015; Safeway remains a distinct supermarket brand within Albertsons Companies. Vons is also part of the same corporate family, while Ralphs belongs to Kroger. Safeway’s historical innovations included produce sold by the pound, “sell by” dates, nutritional labeling, and larger parking areas.