H-E-B
| H-E-B logo | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail (Grocery) |
| Founded | 1905 |
| Headquarters | San Antonio, Texas |
Key people | Charles Butt, Chairman & CEO |
| Products | H-E-B, Central Market |
| Revenue | $11 billion USD (2003) |
Number of employees | 56,000 |
| Website | www.heb.com |
H-E-B or H.E. Butt Grocery Company is a Texas grocer with over 300 stores and 56,000 employees.
The company was founded in 1905 when Florence Butt opened C.C. Butt Grocery Store in Kerrville, Texas. In 1919, Howard E. Butt, her youngest son, took over the store upon his return from World War I. In 1924, he expanded the Butt Grocery Company with a new store in Junction, about 60 miles from Kerrville. Charles, the youngest son of Howard E. Butt, became president of the H.E. Butt Grocery Company in 1971. Today, Charles Butt is chairman and CEO of H-E-B, having grown the business from sales of $250 million in 1971 to $11 billion in 2003. In 2003, the company was #10 on Forbes' list of largest privately held companies.
In 1994 H-E-B opened its first Central Market in Austin, an upscale store featuring a European bakery, a deli with meats and cheeses from around the globe, and a juice and ice cream bar.
The company donates 5% of its pre-tax income to charities, much of it for public education.
Also existing within the 300 stores are 'Mercados' or H-E-B locations that are twice the size of a regular H-E-B location, around 3-4 acres. H-E-B 'Mercado' stores are found throughout Texas, such as Laredo, Austin, and Dallas.