New Roots Stories
Where new beginnings make the news
Grocery
99 Ranch Market
Founded by Roger H. Chen, born in Taiwan
58–69 US stores and expanding (2023–2026)
The Founder’s Story
Founded in 1984 and grown into the largest Asian-American supermarket chain in the US; now owned by Tawa Supermarket Inc. Roger Chen’s daughter Alice Chen became CEO in 2019 after a decade as CFO.
Real Impact
Employment
- Named one of 2022’s Best Managed Companies (Deloitte/WSJ program) citing its diversity, equity, and inclusion commitments. [BusinessWire]
- Trained employees at its Rowland Heights, CA store across six departments in food-donation and waste-separation procedures, delivered in English, Chinese, and Spanish, winning a 2018 EPA Food Recovery Challenge regional award. [EPA]
Locally Sourced Products
- CEO Alice Chen states each store carries 15,000+ unique products sourced both locally and internationally, maintaining direct relationships with local suppliers. [East West Bank]
Charitable & Community Work
- Maintains the Tawa Charitable Foundation, supporting Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, City of Hope, and the Southern California Council of Chinese Schools. [ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer]
- Its Rowland Heights store doubled its food-diversion rate and donates near-expiration produce to Feeding America. [EPA]
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