Randall Foods history

By 1960, Onstead had become president of the grocery business, which had expanded to include four stores.

The four-store grocery business was sold to Piggly Wiggly in 1964, but Onstead was only beginning what would become a lifelong career as a grocer.

1966: Robert Onstead and two partners open two grocery stores in north Houston.

1980: Four Handy Andy supermarkets are acquired.

Despite its longstanding policy of refusing to sell beer, wine, or any other alcohol, Randalls controlled 27 percent of the metropolitan market by 1987, having leveraged its prestigious reputation to create a chain of domineering strength.

KKR was most widely known for its hostile takeover of RJR Nabisco in 1989, a $25 billion deal that ranked as the largest takeover in business history.

By 1990, the chain had expanded to 42 stores.

In 1991, Randalls earned over a billion dollars in revenue, making it easily the fastest growing company in Houston.

By 1992, Randalls was a thriving 46-store chain with annual sales in excess of $1 billion.

Next, in January 1994, Randalls acquired the Austin, Texas-based AppleTree chain, giving the company a presence in three cities and control over 125 supermarkets.

In 1997, the New York investment firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. (KKR) purchased a 61 percent stake in Randalls for $225 million.

SuperValu closed some and sold others, in November 1999, SuperValu sold the Mitchell and Huron locations to Coborn’s Incorporated, which owns and operates a chain of grocery stores.

With a grand opening as Coborns celebration occurred March 9-11, 2001.

They opened the video department again on May 7, 2002.

In the fall of 2015 Coborn’s closed the Video department, as rental sales were slipping and streaming services were on the rise.

In 2017 alone, along with the Albertsons Companies Foundation, the company gave nearly $300 million in food and financial support.