Nugget Markets is a family-owned upscale supermarket chain operating within the greater Sacramento metropolitan area. It is headquartered in Woodland, California. As of October 2009, the company operates nine of its flagship Nugget-brand stores, as well as three Food 4 Less franchises.

History

Nugget Market was founded in 1926 by the father-and-son team of William and Mack Stille. Their store was located in the heart of downtown Woodland, California. Son Mack ran most of the day-to-day operations and helped pioneer many new concepts, such as incorporating meat departments into the grocery store, installing refrigerated produce cases (built by his father) and employing checkout stands equipped with take-away power belts. Customers and competitors alike noted their progressive, employee-friendly approach, providing associates (employees) with some of the top wage and benefit packages in the industry.

Expansion Outside Woodland

In the late 1970s, under the leadership of Mack's son, Gene, and grandson, Eric, the company began its expansion outside the local Woodland community by opening a Nugget store in neighboring Davis. In 1984, Nugget acquired a pair of Sacramento Alpha Beta Stores and converted them into Nuggets, one in the Greenhaven-Pocket neighborhood, the other in Foothill Farms. All Alpha Beta associates were invited to join the company, and many continue to work with Nugget today. In the early 90s, Nugget opened its first Food 4 Less franchise in Vallejo, California.