Walmart, H-E-B, Meijer, Publix, Wegmans Among Forbes' Richest Families

Mars, Cargill, Campbell Soup among CPG fams

July 10, 2015, 01:39 pm

Heirs of Wal-Mart founders (l-r) Alice Walton, Jim Walton and Rob Walton, along with three other family members, are ranked as the wealthiest family in the U.S. for the second year in a row by Forbes.

Several food retailing and CPG families earned a spot on Forbes Magazine’s America’s Richest Families list, at the top of which are the six heirs of Wal-Mart founders Sam Walton and James “Bud” Walton, whose family ranks as the wealthiest family in the U.S. for the second year in a row.

The six Walton heirs together own about 54 percent of the global retailer, per Forbes, which estimates their collective fortune at $149 billion, down from $152 billion last year due to a dip in the world's largest retailer's stock price.

According to the study's methodology, "America’s 200 Richest Families includes multigenerational families of all sizes, ranging from just two brothers to the 3,500 members of the Du Pont clan. Families needed a combined net worth of $1.2 billion to make the cut." To value their fortunes, the magazine tallied assets, "including stakes in public and private companies, real estate, art and cash, and took into account estimates of debt. For those with publicly traded holdings, [it] used stock prices from the close of trading on June 19, 2015…[and] excluded any assets irrevocably pledged to charitable foundations."

Here’s a look at the notable food retailing and CPG families who rank among the nation's wealthiest:

• #1 Walton family, Wal-Mart stores Inc., $149 billion
• #3 Mars family, Mars Inc., $80 billion
• #4 Cargill-MacMillan family, Cargill Inc., $45billion
• #17 Dorrance family, Campbell Soup Co., $13.6 billion
• #18 Busch family, Anheuser-Busch, $13.5 billion
• #24 Butt family, H-E-B Grocery Co., $10.4 billion
• #25 Gallo family, Gallo Family Vineyards, $10.3 billion
• #31 Meijer family, Meijer Inc., $7.9 billion
• #36 Simplot family, J.R. Simplot Co., $7.5billion
• #43 Jenkins family, Publix Super Markets, $6.8 billion
• #71 Wegman family, Wegmans Food Markets, $4 billion (tie)
• #71 Coors family, Coors Brewing Co., $4 billion (tie)
• #83 Demoulas family, Demoulas Market Basket, $3.3 billion (tie)
• #83 Tyson family, Tyson Foods, $3.3 billion (tie)
• #86 Perdue family, Perdue Farms, $3.2 billion
• #103 Jones family, Dawn Food Products Inc. $2.6 billion
• #116 Jackson family, Jackson Family Wines, $2.4 billion
• #134 Sheetz family, Sheetz Inc., $1.9 billion (tie)
• #134 Trinchero family, Trinchero Family Estates, $1.9 billion (tie)
• #157 Dayton family, Target Inc., $1.6 billion
• #163 McKee family, Little Debbie, $1.5 billion
• #174 Levine family, Family Dollar, $1.4 billion
• #179 Wood family, Wawa Inc., $1.3 billion