A number of successful businesses around the world are family-owned or family-operated enterprises. Initially, may be they are small stores in a small town, but until now, these companies are truly the largest family companies globally including Bechtel., Mars, Meijer, SC Johnson & Son and so on.
Bechtel
Bechtel which was founded in 1898 by Warren A. Bechtel is a global engineering, construction and project management company with more than a century of experience has been run by four generations of family members. Until now, Bechtel has conducted over 23,000 projects in 140 countries and all seven continents with the revenue of $30.8 billion.
With the achieved successes, Bechtel is the third largest family-owned company in the U.S.
Mars
Founded in 1911 by Frank C. Mars, this is one of the world’s largest food companies. Some main business segments of Mars including Chocolate, Petcare, Wrigley Gum and Confections, Food, Drinks, and Symbioscience create some of the world’s leading brands. Currently, the company operates at over 370 sites, including 135 factories, in 68 countries worldwide and generates annual revenues of $28 billion.
Mars is ranked as the 5th largest privately held company in the United States by Forbes
Gordon’s Food Service
From a small family business, Gordon Food Service has developed into the largest family-owned and managed food service distributor in North America with over 140 Marketplace retail stores in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Pennsylvania and Florida.
Founded in 1897 by Isaac van Westenbrugge, Gordon’s Food Service is a family business with revenue of $7.1 billion
Giant Eagle
Giant Eagle of Shapira, Porter and Chait set up in 1931 is a supermarket chain with the operation of 161 corporate and 58 franchised stores. Moreover, this company also has 156 convenience stores/gas stations in Ohio and Pennsylvania so that its revenue is $8.6 billion
John Michael Kohler set up this company in 1873 to manufacture and market bath and kitchen products, engines and power generation systems, furniture and accessories and decorative tile and operates two golf and recreation luxury resorts
SC Johnson & Son
Founded in 1886 by Samuel Curtis Johnson Sr., SC Johnson & Son has been run by fifth-generation family members. The company makes leading global and sells household goods and products for home cleaning, home storage, air care, personal care and insect control along with the well-known brands as Windex, Pledge, Glade, Shout, Saran, Ziploc, Edge, scrubbing Bubbles, Raid and so on.
SC Johnson & Son Company is operated in 72 countries and its brands are sold in over 110 with an estimate of $9 billion
HE Butt Grocery
This is a regional supermarket chain owning more than 300 supermarkets in Texas and northern Mexico. H-E-B ever ranked the 11th on the list of the largest private companies in the world in 2006.
HE Butt Grocery founded in 1905 by Florence Butt has estimated sales of $15.1 billion
Meijer
Hendrick Meijer founded Meijer of $14.2 billion in 1934 when it was only a small store. Today Meijer retail supercenters offer many kinds of goods like fashion, automotive, home decor, health and beauty care, pharmacy, electronics and banking
C&S Grocers
C&S Grocers now serves 3,900 independent supermarkets, regional and national chains and military bases with the revenue of $20.4 billion
Gilbane
Founded in 1873 by William Gilbane, the fifth-generation family-owned Gilbane becomes one of American largest contractors, construction and real estate development companies with the revenue of $3.1 billion
World’s Largest Family-Owned Companies: Bechtel History
Related links:
World’s Most Admired Companies 2011
World’s Largest Family-Owned Companies