- QFC
Infobox_Company
company_name = Quality Food Centers, Inc.
company_
company_type = Division of Kroger
company_slogan = |You Know It's Going To Be Good
foundation =1956 (Bellevue, Washington )
location =Bellevue, Washington
key_people =
num_employees =
industry = Retail
products =Grocery
revenue =
homepage = [http://www.qfconline.com/ www.qfconline.com]Quality Food Centers (QFC) is a
supermarket chain based inBellevue, Washington , with over 75 stores in thePuget Sound region ofWashington state and in thePortland, Oregon metropolitan area.History
QFC was founded in Bellevue in
1956 byJack Croco .Fact|date=September 2008In the
1960s , QFC ran a memorable animated ad which made use of produce puns, such as "raise our celery".Fact|date=September 2008In the mid-
1990s , QFC expanded to Southern California by acquiring Hughes Family Markets (which kept its name). By the mid-1990s, many Hughes chains were sold toRalphs , which soon was sold toFred Meyer , before going toKroger . QFC was then purchased by Portland-basedFred Meyer in 1997. Fred Meyer in turn merged withCincinnati -basedKroger in 1999. QFC also bought Olsens and The Stock Market grocery in the late 1990s.Fact|date=September 2008In 1996, Stuart Sloan, former owner and chairman of QFC, promised to spend at least $1 million a year for the next eight years to overhaul one of
Seattle Public Schools 's most challenged schools, T.T. Minor Elementary. The funds were donated in addition to public dollars and helped to pay for uniforms, smaller class sizes and a year-round schedule. It engendered much controversy as reported in aForbes magazine article.Clarifyme|date=September 2008Fact|date=September 2008Positioning
QFC and Safeway are the dominant supermarkets in the city of
Seattle and its surrounding suburbs. QFC is positioned as a smaller upscale market relative to Fred Meyer, although both are owned by Kroger. QFC uses a preferred customer card to track customers and offer discounts.Fact|date=September 2008Popular culture
Two QFC Stores in
Seattle, Washington were used for taping of the TLC Show "Take Home Chef ", starringCurtis Stone .Fact|date=September 2008References
External links
* [http://www.qfconline.com/ QFC homepage]
* [http://www.thekrogerco.com/ The Kroger Company]
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