Randall's
American supermarket chain in Texas
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Randall's is an American supermarket chain primarily located in Texas, now a brand under Albertsons Companies.
History
Randalls was established in Houston, Texas, on July 4, 1966, when Robert Randall Onstead, R. C. Barclay, Norman N. Frewin, and T. A. Morgan purchased two existing grocery stores. The company opened its first store that year and gradually built a reputation as an innovative full-service grocer. Its fourth store opened in 1970, and the chain reached 15 stores by the end of the decade. By 1980, Randalls held an estimated 8 percent of the Houston-area grocery market, ranking fourth among local grocers. By 1985, it had become the area's second-largest grocer by market share. The company continued expanding in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It reached 42 stores by 1990 and reported more than one billion dollars in revenue in 1991. A 1989 visit by Soviet politician Boris Yeltsin to a Randalls store in Clear Lake became part of the chain's public history because of his astonishment at the range of products on display. During the 1990s, Randalls moved into additional Texas markets. Its 1992 acquisition of Cullum Companies added Tom Thumb and Simon David stores and more than doubled the scale of the broader organization. In 1994, Randalls acquired 12 AppleTree Markets stores in the Austin area, converting most of them to Randalls or related banners. The company used the Randalls name primarily in Houston and Austin while retaining Tom Thumb in Dallas–Fort Worth. Randalls expanded its service model during this period. The company began selling beer and wine in its own stores in late 1994, while acquired Tom Thumb and AppleTree locations already sold those products. It also developed Flagship Randalls stores, which offered enhanced prepared-food, specialty-food, and service departments. In 1997, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. acquired a majority interest in the chain. The new ownership pursued growth but also closed or replaced stores that were considered strategically weak. Safeway acquired the Randalls/Tom Thumb organization in 1999. Safeway kept the regional store banners but integrated purchasing, private-label, and operating systems. A number of legacy Randalls and Tom Thumb private-label products were replaced by Safeway brands. By 2001, the Texas operation included stores in Houston, Austin, and the Dallas–Fort Worth area. Safeway later reduced the footprint, closing numerous stores in 2005 and remodeling selected locations under the Lifestyle concept. The format emphasized expanded perishables, organic and natural foods, service departments, sushi, olive bars, and prepared foods. The changes were intended to improve competitiveness in Texas, where Randalls faced strong local and national rivals. The chain contracted further in the 2010s. In 2014, Safeway was acquired in a transaction associated with Cerberus Capital Management and Albertsons, and Randalls became part of Albertsons' Houston division. Tom Thumb was organizationally separated into the North Texas structure. Albertsons subsequently consolidated distribution and administrative facilities. The former distribution center near Cypress was closed, with supply operations transferred to the Tom Thumb distribution center in Roanoke, Texas, and the Houston office functions consolidated with Albertsons operations in Fort Worth. Additional store openings and closures occurred after the Albertsons integration. A Leander store opened in 2016 and a Georgetown store opened in 2018, while other locations in the Houston area and Austin region were closed or liquidated. The company also lost stores in communities including The Woodlands, Bellaire, Sugar Land, Katy, Oak Forest, and Alief. Despite this contraction, Randalls remains an active Texas supermarket banner within Albertsons Companies. Its surviving stores continue to provide groceries, fresh foods, prepared meals, pharmacy services, fuel, floral offerings, and loyalty discounts, while selected Flagship Randalls locations maintain a more premium service mix.
- 2018
Georgetown store opens
[1]A new Georgetown, Texas, store opens to the public in January.
- 2017
Cypress distribution center is consolidated
[1]Distribution operations are transferred toward the Tom Thumb facility in Roanoke, Texas, while Houston administrative functions are consolidated.
- 2016
Leander store opens
[1]Randalls opens a store in Leander, Texas.
- 2014
Joins Albertsons' Houston division
[1]After Safeway's acquisition and combination with Albertsons, Randalls is aligned with the Houston division.
- 2009
Power Pump Rewards is discontinued
[1]The Safeway-owned program that offered larger fuel discounts after qualifying purchases is discontinued.
- 2005
Texas restructuring begins
[1]Safeway announces store closures and plans to remodel selected locations using its Lifestyle format.
- 1999
Safeway acquires Randalls/Tom Thumb
[1]Safeway purchases the Texas supermarket group and incorporates it as a division.
- 1997
KKR acquires majority interest
[1]Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. invests in Randalls and becomes its majority owner.
- 1994
Enters Austin through AppleTree acquisition
[1]Randalls acquires 12 AppleTree Markets stores and converts most of them to its own banner.
- 1992
Cullum Companies joins the organization
[1]The acquisition adds the Tom Thumb and Simon David businesses and substantially expands the Texas network.
Products and positioning
A regional, full-service supermarket operator serving Texas communities through broad grocery selection, fresh-food departments, prepared foods, pharmacy and convenience services, fuel stations, and loyalty pricing. Flagship Randalls locations use a more premium format with expanded prepared-food and specialty departments.
Supermarket · 1966
Conventional Randalls supermarkets
The core Randalls format sells everyday groceries across produce, meat, seafood, dairy, frozen foods, packaged goods, bakery, deli, beverages, household products, and health and beauty categories. Many stores also provide pharmacy, floral, fuel, banking, ticketing, bill-payment, and other convenience services. The format is designed as a full-service neighborhood supermarket rather than a narrowly focused food retailer.
Premium supermarket · 1998
Flagship Randalls
Flagship Randalls stores are enhanced locations with a broader premium and prepared-food proposition. Depending on the location, departments may include fresh-made pizza, pasta and barbecue, expanded take-out selections, full-service meat and seafood counters, bakery and floral design centers, sushi, olive bars, and more extensive natural and organic offerings. The format was developed to differentiate selected stores in competitive Texas markets.
Loyalty program
Remarkable Card
The Remarkable Card is Randalls' traditional customer loyalty program. It provides promotional pricing on selected products and has been associated with fuel discounts or charitable contribution mechanisms. Loyalty credentials issued within the Safeway family have also been usable across certain related banners, subject to the applicable program rules.
Store services
Pharmacy and fuel services
Selected Randalls locations combine grocery shopping with pharmacy counters, drive-through pharmacy windows, fuel stations, ATMs, bank branches, and other local services. These amenities extend the chain's role beyond food retail and support routine household errands in a single visit.
Marketing campaigns
- 2008Hurricane Ike Relief Fund
Galveston · Houston · Texas Gulf Coast
After Hurricane Ike, Randalls worked with KHOU Channel 11, KRBE 104.1, and Jack FM on a relief fund intended to support people affected by the storm. The chain also emphasized rapid reopening of stores, including the heavily damaged Galveston location and its fuel station.
Outcome. Several stores resumed operations quickly, and the Galveston fuel station became an early source of gasoline after the storm.
Brand decisions
2017
Consolidate distribution and administrative facilitiesStrategyBackground
Albertsons reviewed the infrastructure supporting the Texas banners after the Safeway integration.
Action taken
Randalls announced the closure and consolidation of the Cypress-area distribution center and the transfer of supply operations to the Roanoke, Texas, facility serving multiple banners. The Houston office was also consolidated with an Albertsons office in Fort Worth.
Aftermath
Randalls stores became more dependent on shared Albertsons and Tom Thumb logistics infrastructure.
2014
Integrate Randalls into AlbertsonsM&ABackground
Safeway entered an agreement with Cerberus Capital Management that would combine its operations with Albertsons.
Action taken
Randalls was aligned with the Albertsons Houston division, while Tom Thumb was placed in the North Texas organization.
Aftermath
The former Randalls/Tom Thumb organizational connection was reduced, and distribution and administrative functions were subsequently consolidated.
2005
Restructure the Texas store portfolioStrategyBackground
Safeway faced intense competition in Randalls' markets and sought to improve the performance of the Texas division.
Action taken
Safeway announced closures across Houston, Austin, and Dallas–Fort Worth while planning remodels around its Lifestyle supermarket format.
Aftermath
The remaining stores received expanded perishables, natural and organic products, service departments, sushi, olive bars, and related upgrades, although market share continued to face pressure.
1999
Sell the Texas chain to SafewayM&ABackground
Randalls had developed into a large multi-banner Texas supermarket organization that included the Tom Thumb and Simon David businesses.
Action taken
Safeway acquired the approximately 116-store Randalls/Tom Thumb chain and retained the main regional banners.
Aftermath
Randalls became a Safeway division, adopted more Safeway private-label products, and later underwent store closures and format changes.
1997
Accept majority investment from KKRM&ABackground
Randalls sought additional capital and ownership support during a period of expansion and increasing competition in Texas.
Action taken
Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. invested a reported $225 million for a majority interest.
Aftermath
The company accelerated selected expansion while closing, replacing, or selling stores that constrained its market strategy.
Investment. $225 million (1997)
1994
Begin selling beer and wine in Randalls storesStrategyBackground
Randalls had operated for nearly three decades while its company-owned stores generally did not sell beer and wine. Acquired Tom Thumb and AppleTree locations in other Texas markets already carried those products.
Action taken
The company introduced beer and wine sales in Randalls stores in late 1994.
Aftermath
Alcohol became part of the chain's broader supermarket assortment.
Recent events
- 2017
Randalls consolidates distribution operations in North Texas[1]
Other
The company announced that its Cypress-area distribution operations and Houston administrative functions would be consolidated with Albertsons and Tom Thumb infrastructure in the Dallas–Fort Worth area.
- 2014
Randalls becomes part of Albertsons' Houston division[1]
M&A
Following Cerberus Capital Management's acquisition of Safeway and combination with Albertsons, Randalls was aligned with the new Houston division.
- 2008
Randalls supports Hurricane Ike relief efforts[1]
Campaign
After Hurricane Ike affected the Texas coast, Randalls partnered with local media and radio organizations on a relief fund. Several stores reopened quickly, and the Galveston location's fuel station was among the first in the area to resume service.
- 2005
Safeway plans Texas store closures and Lifestyle-format investment[1]
Other
Safeway announced a substantial round of Texas store closures while describing plans to remodel remaining locations around its Lifestyle format.
- 1999
Safeway announces acquisition of Randalls/Tom Thumb[1]
M&A
Safeway agreed to acquire the Texas supermarket group and retained the Randalls, Tom Thumb, and Simon David banners after the transaction.
- 1997
Kohlberg Kravis Roberts takes majority interest in Randalls[1]
M&A
Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. invested in Randalls and acquired a majority interest, preceding a period of store expansion and portfolio restructuring.
Sources2 sources
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