Ridley's Family Markets
A family-owned American grocery retailer operating supermarkets and related retail and food-service businesses across the Mountain West.
Last updated October 28, 2026
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Overview
Ridley's Family Markets is a family-owned grocery retail chain based in Jerome, Idaho, and incorporated in Wyoming. The company operates supermarkets in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming, primarily under the Ridley's and Macey's names. Its broader retail portfolio has also included stand-alone pharmacies, Ace Hardware stores, and quick-service restaurants operating under the Arctic Circle and Dairy Queen brands. The business maintains a retail support center in Twin Falls, Idaho. The company traces its origins to 1984, when Jerry and Connie Ridley opened an approximately 11,000-square-foot grocery store in Payson, Utah. That first location operated as an IGA franchise under the Ridley's IGA Foodliner name. In 1986, the couple sold the Payson store and entered a partnership to develop and operate a Food 4 Less store in Provo. Two years later, the closure of Farmer Jack stores in Idaho and Utah created an opportunity for expansion. The Ridleys sold their interest in the Food 4 Less operation and acquired three former Farmer Jack stores in Idaho. Ridley's Food Corporation was incorporated as a privately held company in 1988, initially with headquarters in Boise. During the 1990s, Ridley's expanded through a combination of acquisitions and conversions. It purchased two Smith's Food and Drug stores in Boise in 1992 and two Sprouse-Reitz stores in Emmett and McCall in 1994. The four acquired locations were eventually closed or relocated, but the transactions formed part of the company's broader effort to establish a regional supermarket base. Ridley's opened its first Utah store under the Ridley's Family Markets name in Tremonton in 2004. The chain then entered Nevada with a store in Ely in 2007 and Wyoming with a store in Pinedale in 2008. Expansion continued through the acquisition of selected Albertsons stores in Blackfoot, Idaho, and Orem, Utah, between 2008 and 2010. Ridley's also expanded beyond conventional supermarkets by acquiring three pharmacies in Idaho and Nevada and opening its first stand-alone pharmacies in 2010. In December 2014, the company announced an agreement to acquire four Wyoming grocery stores—two Safeway locations in Casper, one Safeway store in Sheridan, and an Albertsons store in Laramie. In 2015, it announced the purchase of a Harmons grocery store in Ogden, Utah; the location was expected to become a Ridley's store, although it operated with Wangsgards, a Ridley's Family Market, signage. The corporate structure was consolidated in December 2015, when Ridley's Food Corporation and Ridley's Family Markets, Inc. merged, with Ridley's Family Markets, Inc. surviving as the current company. The business has been supplied by Associated Food Stores since the late 1990s, following an earlier relationship with Fleming Foods. In 2015, Ridley's was identified as the 21st-largest private company headquartered in Idaho. By 2026, the chain was reported to operate 39 supermarkets across six Mountain West states, alongside its related pharmacy, hardware, and restaurant operations. Ridley's has also experimented with retail technology and loyalty marketing. Its customer loyalty program incorporated customizable shopping lists, points redeemable for rewards and discounts, and email delivery of weekly advertisements. Those features received recognition in 2006 through a Global Electronic Marketing award. In 2008, the company announced a test of electronic coupon clearing at one store, seeking to transmit redemption data from retailers to manufacturers electronically and reduce the costs and administrative difficulties associated with traditional coupon processing.
History
Ridley's Family Markets began in 1984 when Jerry and Connie Ridley opened an 11,000-square-foot grocery store in Payson, Utah. The store initially operated as an IGA franchise called Ridley's IGA Foodliner. In 1986, the founders sold the Payson location and partnered in the development and operation of a Food 4 Less store in Provo. A major early turning point came in 1988, when Farmer Jack closed stores in Idaho and Utah. The Ridleys sold their interest in the Food 4 Less venture and acquired three former Farmer Jack stores in Idaho. Ridley's Food Corporation was incorporated that year as a private company headquartered in Boise. During the 1990s, Ridley's pursued additional acquisitions, including two Smith's Food and Drug stores in Boise in 1992 and two Sprouse-Reitz stores in Emmett and McCall in 1994. Those four stores were later closed or relocated. The company expanded its branded presence in Utah in 2004 by opening a Ridley's Family Markets store in Tremonton. It entered Nevada with an Ely store in 2007 and Wyoming with a Pinedale store in 2008. By 2008, the company had 15 stores and approximately 600 employees. Between 2008 and 2010, it acquired three Albertsons stores in Blackfoot, Idaho, and Orem, Utah. It also purchased three pharmacies in Idaho and Nevada and opened its first stand-alone pharmacies in 2010. Ridley's Family Markets, Inc. was incorporated in Wyoming in August 2011. In December 2014, the company announced the purchase of four Wyoming grocery stores from Associated Food Stores, a wholesaler and cooperative that facilitated the transaction. The stores included two Safeway locations in Casper, a Safeway store in Sheridan, and an Albertsons store in Laramie. In July 2015, Ridley's announced the purchase of a Harmons grocery store in Ogden, Utah; the location was expected to be converted to a Ridley's operation, although its signage referenced Wangsgards, a Ridley's Family Market. In December 2015, Ridley's Food Corporation and Ridley's Family Markets, Inc. were consolidated, with the latter remaining as the surviving entity. Since the late 1990s, Associated Food Stores has supplied the chain; before that, Ridley's was supplied by Fleming Foods. The company was ranked as Idaho's 21st-largest private business in 2015. Technology and customer engagement have been part of the company's retail strategy. Its loyalty program offered personalized shopping lists, points that could be exchanged for rewards and discounts, and emailed weekly advertisements. The program received a Global Electronic Marketing award in 2006. In 2008, Ridley's announced a test of electronic coupon clearing intended to reduce the cost and complexity of traditional coupon processing. By 2026, published information described the company as operating 39 supermarkets in Idaho, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Montana, and Wyoming, under the Ridley's and Macey's names, with related pharmacies, Ace Hardware stores, and Arctic Circle and Dairy Queen restaurants.
- 2015
Corporate merger completed
[1]Ridley's Food Corporation and Ridley's Family Markets, Inc. merged, leaving Ridley's Family Markets, Inc. as the surviving company.
- 2011
Wyoming incorporation
[1]Ridley's Family Markets, Inc. was incorporated in Wyoming.
- 2010
Stand-alone pharmacies introduced
[1]After acquiring pharmacies in Idaho and Nevada, Ridley's opened its first stand-alone pharmacy locations.
- 2008
Wyoming market entry
[1]Ridley's opened its first Wyoming store in Pinedale and was reported to have 15 stores and about 600 employees.
- 2007
Nevada market entry
[1]The company opened its first Nevada store in Ely.
- 2004
First Utah Ridley's Family Markets store
[1]Ridley's opened its first store in Utah under the Ridley's Family Markets name in Tremonton.
- 1994
Sprouse-Reitz store acquisitions
[1]The company acquired Sprouse-Reitz stores in Emmett and McCall, Idaho.
- 1992
Smith's store acquisitions
[1]Ridley's acquired two Smith's Food and Drug stores in Boise.
- 1988
Idaho expansion and incorporation
[1]The Ridleys acquired three former Farmer Jack stores in Idaho and incorporated Ridley's Food Corporation as a privately held company.
- 1986
Food 4 Less partnership begins
[1]The founders sold the Payson store and entered a partnership to develop and operate a Food 4 Less store in Provo, Utah.
Products and positioning
Regional family-owned supermarket retailer serving smaller and mid-sized communities in the Mountain West, with value-oriented grocery offerings and complementary pharmacy, hardware, and quick-service restaurant operations.
Supermarket retail · 1984
Ridley's supermarkets
The core Ridley's business consists of regional supermarkets selling fresh produce, meat, dairy, bakery and deli items, packaged and frozen foods, beverages, household goods, and personal-care products. Stores serve communities across the Mountain West and are positioned as locally oriented, value-conscious grocery outlets.
Supermarket retail
Macey's stores
Macey's is one of the grocery banners operated within the company's broader supermarket portfolio. The banner extends Ridley's presence beyond stores carrying the primary Ridley's name while remaining part of the same regional retail organization.
Pharmacy retail · 2010
Stand-alone pharmacies
Ridley's expanded into pharmacy retail through the acquisition of pharmacies in Idaho and Nevada. The company opened its first free-standing pharmacy locations in 2010, complementing pharmacy services associated with grocery operations.
Home improvement retail
Ace Hardware stores
The company's related operations have included stand-alone Ace Hardware stores, giving the broader Ridley's organization a presence in hardware and home-improvement merchandise in addition to food retail.
Quick-service restaurants
Arctic Circle and Dairy Queen restaurants
Ridley's broader operating portfolio has included quick-service restaurants under the Arctic Circle and Dairy Queen brand names. These businesses complement the company's supermarket operations but are distinct from the Ridley's grocery banner.
Retail loyalty and digital marketing
Customer loyalty program
Ridley's loyalty offering has included customizable shopping lists, points redeemable for rewards and discounts, and emailed weekly advertisements. The program represented an early effort by the regional chain to connect customer data, promotions, and electronic communications.
Controversies
2020
Federal prosecutors sue Ridley’s over alleged prescription violations
Federal prosecutors in Utah filed a civil enforcement action against Ridley’s Family Markets Inc. and Ridley’s Food Corp., alleging that employees filled hundreds of opioid prescriptions for members of the same family. The lawsuit seeks an order to stop alleged violations of federal controlled-substances laws and monetary penalties. The companies denied the allegations.
Marketing campaigns
- 2006Electronic loyalty marketing program
United States
Ridley's customer loyalty program combined personalized shopping lists, points-based rewards and discounts, and electronic delivery of weekly advertisements.
Outcome. The program received recognition through a Global Electronic Marketing award.
Brand decisions
2015
Ogden store purchaseM&ABackground
Ridley's sought to expand its Utah supermarket footprint through the purchase of an existing Harmons grocery store.
Action taken
The company announced the purchase of the Ogden, Utah, store, which was expected to become a Ridley's location.
Aftermath
The store carried Wangsgards, a Ridley's Family Market, signage during the transition.
2015
Merger of Ridley's corporate entitiesM&ABackground
Ridley's Food Corporation and Ridley's Family Markets, Inc. were separate corporate entities within the family-owned business.
Action taken
The two companies were merged, with Ridley's Family Markets, Inc. designated as the surviving entity.
Aftermath
The merger established the current corporate structure of Ridley's Family Markets, Inc.
2014
Acquisition of four Wyoming grocery storesM&ABackground
Associated Food Stores facilitated the sale of four grocery locations to Ridley's.
Action taken
Ridley's agreed to acquire two Safeway stores in Casper, one Safeway store in Sheridan, and an Albertsons store in Laramie.
Aftermath
The transaction expanded Ridley's presence in Wyoming; the company was reported to have 24 stores and approximately 2,000 employees at the time.
2008
Pilot electronic coupon clearingStrategyBackground
Traditional coupon processing created administrative work and transaction costs for retailers and manufacturers.
Action taken
Ridley's announced an experimental implementation at one store that would transmit coupon redemption information electronically to manufacturers.
Aftermath
The pilot was described as an experiment in a technology that had not yet achieved broad-scale implementation.
Recent events
Federal prosecutors sue Ridley’s over alleged prescription violations[2]
Reported:
Federal prosecutors in Utah filed a civil enforcement action against Ridley’s Family Markets Inc. and Ridley’s Food Corp., alleging employees filled hundreds of opioid prescriptions for members of the same family. The lawsuit seeks an order to stop alleged violations of federal controlled-substances laws and monetary penalties; the companies denied the allegations.
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