View source for Stater Bros.

{{short description|American supermarket chain in California}}
{{Infobox company
|name          = Stater Bros. Markets
|parent        = La Cadena Investments
|logo          = Stater Bros. Markets logo.svg
|type          = [[Private company|Private]]
|key_people    = Pete Van Helden ([[CEO]])<ref name=sb>{{Cite web|url=https://www.staterbros.com/history-of-stater-bros-markets/|title=History of Stater Bros. Markets|date=21 April 2020 }}</ref>
<br/>Greg McNiff (President)<ref name=sb/>
|industry      = [[Grocery store]]
|products      = Bakery, dairy, deli, floral, frozen foods, general grocery, liquor, meat, produce, seafood, snacks
|revenue       = US$4.2 billion (2015)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/companies/stater-bros/|title=Stater Bros|website=Forbes}}</ref>
|num_employees = 18,000<ref name=sb/>
|foundation    = {{start date and age|1936|8|17}}<br />[[Yucaipa, California]], U.S.
|founders      = Cleo Stater<br />Leo Stater
|location      = 301 S. Tippecanoe Ave., [[San Bernardino, California]], U.S.
|locations     = 171<ref name=sb/> stores throughout Southern California, primarily in the Inland Empire (San Bernardino and Riverside Counties)
|homepage      = {{URL|staterbros.com}}
}}

'''Stater Bros. Markets''' is a privately held [[supermarket]] [[Chain store|chain]], based in [[San Bernardino, California]], consisting of 171 stores located throughout [[Southern California]]. It was founded in [[Yucaipa, California]], on August 17, 1936, by twin brothers Cleo and Leo Stater when they purchased the market owned by Cleo's boss, W. A. Davis, with a $600 down payment (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|600|1936}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars {{inflation-fn|US}}).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.staterbros.com/history/ |title=Stater Bros. History |language=en |access-date=2017-02-07}}</ref> Cleo recalled to the ''Inland Empire Business Press'' in 1998, that the owner of the market across the street from Davis' gave him the other $300 to make the full down payment. Stater Bros. went public in 1964; Cleo, Leo, and their brother Lavoy sold their interests to the now-defunct [[Long Beach]]–based Petrolane Gas Service in 1968.<ref>[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-sep-12-me-44883-story.html "Cleo Stater, 89; Began Supermarket Chain"]. ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', September 12, 2001; retrieved December 9, 2018.</ref> The chain has been owned fully by Stater Bros. Holdings, a subsidiary of La Cadena Investments, owned by Stater's late chairman, president and CEO, Jack H. Brown, since 1986.<ref>[https://www.encyclopedia.com/books/politics-and-business-magazines/stater-bros-holdings-inc "Stater Bros. Holdings"] encyclopedia.com via ''International Directory of Company Histories'' 2006; retrieved December 9.2018</ref><ref>[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-06-14-fi-10792-story.html "Court Clears Way for Brown to Get Control of Stater"]. ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', June 14, 1986; retrieved December 9, 2018.</ref>

In 1999, Stater bought 43 plus one future [[Albertsons]] and Lucky supermarkets during Albertsons' merger with [[American Stores]]. This acquisition expanded Stater into new areas, including the [[Antelope Valley]] and [[San Diego County]].<ref>[https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/882829/000095015003001433/a95204e10vk.htm "Stater Bros. Holdings"]. [[U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission]] for the Fiscal Year Ended September 28, 2003; retrieved December 9, 2018.</ref> It entered the [[Fortune 500]] for the first time in 2006 at #493,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/snapshots/1273.html |title=Stater Bros. Holdings &ndash; Fortune 500 |publisher=[[CNNMoney]] |access-date=2009-04-12}}</ref> the first notable [[Inland Empire (California)|Inland Empire]]–based company to do so. In 2006, the headquarters began construction of a {{convert|2000000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} facility at [[San Bernardino International Airport]] (formerly [[Norton Air Force Base]]) from its former location on the [[Colton, California|Colton]]–[[Grand Terrace, California|Grand Terrace]] border.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-sep-05-fi-stater5-story.html |title=Stater Bros. Grooms and Grows |last=Hirsch |first=Jerry |date=5 September 2006 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |access-date=2019-10-18}}</ref> In 2018, Stater sold its SuperRX pharmacy division to [[CVS Pharmacy|CVS]].<ref>[http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/20180918/stater-bros-to-close-pharmacies-transfer-assets-and-services-to-cvs-pharmacy-locations "Stater Bros. to Close Pharmacies, Transfer Assets and Services to CVS Pharmacy Locations"]. ''[[Daily Press (California)|Victorville Daily Press]]''. September 18, 2018; retrieved December 9, 2018</ref>

==Stores==
<div style="float:right">
{{stack
|[[Image:StaterBrosMarketLomaLinda.jpg|thumb|right|Stater Bros. Market in Loma Linda, CA]]
}}
</div>

Through its [[Inland Empire]] base, stores are concentrated heavily throughout [[San Bernardino County, California|San Bernardino]] and [[Riverside County, California|Riverside]] counties in Southern California.

In [[Los Angeles County, California|Los Angeles]] and [[Orange County, California|Orange]] counties stores are mainly in communities east of the [[San Gabriel River (California)|San Gabriel River]]. A few stores are also located in northern areas of [[San Diego County, California|San Diego County]] and parts of northern Los Angeles County, such as [[Santa Clarita, California|Santa Clarita]] and [[Palmdale, California|Palmdale]], as well as [[Pasadena, California|Pasadena]]. There is also one store in Ventura County, located in [[Simi Valley, California|Simi Valley]]. Also, there are two stores in [[Kern County]], located in [[Ridgecrest, California|Ridgecrest]] and [[Mojave, California|Mojave]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=States Bros store locator |url=https://www.staterbros.com/topmenu/store-locator.aspx%5C |website=www.staterbros.com}}</ref>

==Management==
Jack H. Brown joined Stater Bros. in 1981 as the company's president.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-stater-bros-brown-20161115-story.html|title=Longtime Stater Bros. leader and San Bernardino supporter Jack H. Brown dies at 78|last=Masunaga|first=Samantha|website=Los Angeles Times|date=16 November 2016 |access-date=2019-10-18}}</ref> He served as chief executive and president for 35 years. In January 2016, Pete Van Helden was appointed president and chief executive, and Brown became Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Pete Van Helden gives his take on new CEO role at Stater Bros.|url = http://www.sbsun.com/business/20160103/pete-van-helden-gives-his-take-on-new-ceo-role-at-stater-bros|website = www.sbsun.com| date=3 January 2016 |access-date = 2016-01-04}}</ref> Brown died on November 13, 2016. On December 12, former CFO Phillip J. Smith was elected chairman.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.theshelbyreport.com/2016/12/12/smith-stater-bros-chairman/|title=Phil Smith Elected Stater Bros. Markets Chairman|last=GRIFFITH|first=LORRIE|newspaper=The Shelby Report|language=en|access-date=2017-02-07}}</ref> Smith was also elected chairman, president and CEO of Stater Bros. Holdings.

==Slogans==
For many years, Stater Bros. Markets did not have an official corporate slogan. The unofficial phrase was "It's our meat that made us famous." In the early 1990s, "The Eco-Friendly Leader in the Heartland" was introduced as the official slogan, which was later changed to "The Low-Priced Leader in Your Hometown," then supplanted by an unofficial slogan "An American Tradition To Serve Your Family Well." As of 2006, the slogan had been replaced with a lengthy phrase with an emphasis on rhymed words. Found on almost every single plastic bag and VHS tape: "Lowering Prices ''Everyday'' to Help You ''Save'' on What You ''Pay''!" Currently, the slogan is 
“Fresh Affordable Community First”

==Route 66 Rendezvous==
Since 1990, Stater Bros. has hosted the annual Stater Bros. [[U.S. Route 66]] Rendezvous classic car cruise. However, because of bankruptcy of the city of [[San Bernardino]] in 2012, the event was cancelled until further notice. In 2014, San Bernardino hosted an alternative show, "Rendezvous Back to Route 66".<ref>[http://www.sbsun.com/lifestyle/20141009/rendezvous-back-to-route-66-classic-car-show-rolling-into-san-bernardino "Rendezvous Back to Route 66 Rolling Into San Bernardino"]. ''[[The San Bernardino Sun]]'', September 10, 2014</ref>

== See also ==
* {{Portal inline|Companies}}
* {{Portal inline|Food}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Official website|1=http://www.staterbros.com}}

{{Supermarkets of the United States}}
{{History of Retail in Southern California}}

[[Category:1936 establishments in California]]
[[Category:American companies established in 1936]]
[[Category:Companies based in San Bernardino County, California]]
[[Category:Privately held companies based in California]]
[[Category:Retail companies established in 1936]]
[[Category:Supermarkets based in California]]
[[Category:Supermarkets of the United States]]
[[Category:Yucaipa, California]]