Houchens Industries was originally founded in Glasgow, Kentucky by Ervin G. Houchens in 1917 as Houchens Foods.​A century later, Houchens Industries operates more than 400 retail grocery, convenience, and neighborhood market stores across 16 states. Complemented by a strong foundation of diverse companies and 18,000 employees corporate-wide, Houchens Industries is listed by Forbes as one of the largest 100% employee-owned companies in the world.