Safeway Inc. / SWY

About Safeway Inc.

5918 Stoneridge Mall Rd., Pleasanton, Calif. 94588
www.safeway.com | 925-467-3000 | Founded: 1926

Industry: Retail | Category: Top Companies Headquartered Outside Region

Safeway ended the year with an impressive fourth-quarter profit, which rose 77 percent, to $307.9 million, from the previous year. Revenue jumped 4 percent, to $12.5 billion. Chief executive Steven Burd credited much of the growth to its remodeled "lifestyle" stores, which emphasize the perishable departments and are decorated in earth tones. Nearly 60 Safeway stores in the Washington region have been converted to the new format.
With the company's store strategy on track, Burd has devoted significant time to two social issues: universal health care and environmental sustainability. Safeway supports a $12 billion plan by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) for universal coverage and has teamed with Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) to call for systemwide changes. Safeway has also introduced a voluntary plan for nonunion employees that pays for all preventive care and focuses on wellness. The grocer said 21,000 workers, about 70 percent of those eligible, have signed up for the plan.
"You are really at a point where business will lose its competitive interest globally" if health-care costs are not contained, Burd said.
Safeway also supported a California law to reduce carbon emissions by 25 percent by 2020 and pledged to reduce its carbon footprint from the base year 2000 by 390,000 tons of carbon dioxide. The grocer also is one of the largest buyers of wind energy in the country.

Chairman and CEO: Steven A. Burd

2007 Financial Data

Total employees: 207,000 | Local employees: 11,000