Nugget Markets


Nugget Markets is a family-owned upscale supermarket chain operating within the greater Sacramento metropolitan area as well as in Marin and Sonoma Counties. It is headquartered in Davis, California. As of October 2019, the company operates twelve of its flagship Nugget Markets-brand stores, as well as Sonoma Market in Sonoma, Fork Lift by Nugget Markets in Cameron Park and Food 4 Less in Woodland.

History

In 1926, Nugget Markets opened its first store in Woodland, California by the father-and-son team of William and Mack Stille. Mack Stille ran most of the day-to-day operations and introduced many unconventional policies to the store, such as incorporating meat departments, installing refrigerated produce cases and employing checkout stands equipped with power belts.
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 Markets store in neighboring Davis. In 1984, Nugget Markets acquired a pair of Sacramento Alpha Beta grocery stores and converted them into Nugget Markets, one in the Greenhaven-Pocket neighborhood, the other in Foothill Farms on Hillsdale Blvd. In the early 90s, Nugget Markets opened its first Food 4 Less franchise in Vallejo, California. In the late 1990s, Nugget Markets developed their Fresh to Market concept, pairing European-style open-air marketing with higher-end products and specialty departments, such as their Cheese Specialists, Wine Stewards, Pastry Chefs in a full-range Bakery, Full-Service Kitchen, Healthy Living Department, dedicated Seafood butcher and a Juice & Espresso Bar.
In 2006, Nugget Markets leased / bought 8 former Ralph’s stores in and around Sacramento.
In 2015, Nugget Markets acquired Paradise Foods with locations in Novato, Corte Madera and Tiburon.
In 2015, Nugget Markets debuted its new “Fork Lift” market concept which was a hybrid of its Nugget and Food4Less Brands within the same store.
In 2016, Nugget Markets acquired Sonoma Market and Glen Ellen Village Market, both located in Sonoma County, California.
In 2019, Nugget Markets patriarch Gene Stille passed away.
In 2020, Nugget Markets moved its corporate headquarters from Woodland, California to Davis, California.
In 2020, Nugget Markets was ranked #79 on Fortune's list of "100 Best Companies to Work For," its 15th year on the list.. Nugget Markets ranked #81 in 2019.

Branding

Unique to Nugget Markets is their architectural feature at the entrance of new stores, which include a tower and/or a robed woman with a basket of food above her head. The robed woman, in particular, became the corporate logo and mascot of the company.

Locations

Active Nugget Markets stores