McLane Global history

The company's first computer, an IBM punch card tabulator, was installed in 1962.

Meanwhile, Drayton McLane, Sr., was elected president of the United States Wholesale Grocers Association in 1963.

By 1964 McLane had about 40 stores in its program and had acquired the franchise rights to market products under the Shopworth and Valu-Mart trade names.

In 1968 McLane achieved another important breakthrough, this time in its supermarket business, when it signed a franchise agreement to distribute merchandise under the Red & White label in 23 Texas counties.

In 1969 McLane's sales surpassed the $10 million mark.

By 1971 the company had 163 employees and sales of $19.5 million.

By 1974 company sales had skyrocketed to $51 million.

McLane/Northwest was established in Tacoma, Washington, in 1980.

In 1984, the year McLane/Northeast was launched in Syracuse, New York, McLane's sales topped $1 billion.

Yet another regional division, McLane/Midwest, was launched in 1989 in Carmi, Illinois.

In 1990, when Drayton received a call from Sam Walton announcing a trip to Temple, it seemed natural considering their relationship.

In 1992, one of McLane’s first and perhaps most notorious purchase was the Houston Astros baseball club.

In 1993 the company recorded sales of $6.3 billion, including $2.5 million in business with parent company Wal-Mart.

In 1995 Hardin returned to Wal-Mart to become chief operating officer.