I want to know what foreign countries essentially "own/hold majority
control" of most major American retail supermarket chains?  I know
Ahold (NETHERLANDS) owns Stop & Shop; Sainsbury (U.K.) owns Shaws and
Star supermarkets - what of other major retail supermarket chains?

Most United States supermarket chains are domestically owned.  I was
able to identify four examples of chains owned by foreign companies,
along with a minority investment in groceryworks.com.

I hope you find the following information helpful.  Please request
clarification if needed.

Sincerely,

Wonko

www.supermarketnews.com "SN's Top 75" Supermarket News, 2003

"Delhaize America, the U.S. division of Brussells-based Delhaize
Group, encompasses 1,228 Food Lion stores, 138 Kash 'n Karry units and
119 Hannaford Bros. stores. Delhaize America accounts for
approximately 66% of Delhaize Group's 2002 sales of $22.8 billion
(U.S.)."

http://www.aldifoods.com/what_is_aldi.htm "What is Aldi" Aldi is based
in Germany

http://news.zdnet.co.uk/hardware/emergingtech/0,39020357,2090365,00.htm
"Tesco looks to conquer America" by Margaret Kane, CNET News.com CNet
June 29, 2001

"Tesco bought a 35 percent stake in Safeway's GroceryWorks.com
business...."

http://www.union-network.org/unisite/sectors/commerce/Multinationals/Tengelmann_A_and_P_accounting_prolems.htm
"Tengelmann-subsidiary has accounting problems in the United States"
July 5, 2002

"The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. Inc., US subsidiary of German
commerce multinational Tengelmann...."

http://www.shareholder.com/ckp/news/20000202-13951.htm "Checkpoint
Systems Signs Contract with Casino Group to Install RF EAS Systems"
February 2, 2000

"In North America, Casino owns 119 supermarkets in the United
States...."

http://www.rallye.fr/e_societes_groupe.htm "Groupe Casino 2002
Highlights and Results"

"In the United States, Smart & Final Inc. reported €17.9 million in
operating income, down from the previous year. Income suffered from
losses registered by the foodservice business and by its stores in
Florida."

http://www.planetretail.net/Home/PressReleases/GRC2001/GRC8Oct01.asp
"Global Retail Concentration" by M+M Planet Retail, 8 October, 2001
has some lists of the top international grocery retailers and top
foreign retailers in the United States (all retail, not just grocery
stores)