Controlled by the Mulliez family, Auchan opened its first store in 1961. Today it has 678 hypermarkets and 786 supermarkets in 12 countries. Although France’s second-biggest food retailer has a patchy track record globally – withdrawing from Mexico, Argentina and Dubai – its “fast-growing” RT Mart chain is “well rooted” in China, and “yet to close a single store”. And it’s just bought 90 Real hypermarkets from Metro in Eastern Europe. 

Image: Clicsouris/Wikipedia

See the complete list of the World’s 50 Best Grocers.