K.V. Mart Co.

Type: Private
On the web: http://www.kvmart.com
Employees: 1,300

K.V. may as well be an acronym for knockout value. K.V. Mart Co. operates 20-plus grocery stores primarily under the Top Valu Market and Valu Plus Food Warehouse (membership not required) banners. Other formats include Buy Low, Price Rite Grocery Depot, and Amar Ranch stores, primarily in Los Angeles County, California. The stores focus on serving low-income shoppers and catering to their surrounding ethic communities. K.V. Mart was founded in 1977 and is owned and operated by chairman and CEO Darioush Khaledi, who fled Iran in the late-1970s.

Key numbers for fiscal year ending December, 2007:
Sales: $140.8M

Officers:
Chairman and CEO: Darioush Khaledi
President: Paul Vazin
SVP and CFO: Greg Sproul

Competitors:
Ralphs
Stater Bros.
Vons