Dana Regan

In 1859, The Great American Tea Company was founded as a mail order business by tea and spice merchants George Huntington Hartford and George Gilman. The same year, the first store-warehouse operation opened in New York City. It now operates about 320 stores under the A&P, Food Basics, The Food Emporium, Pathmark, Superfresh and Waldbaum's banners.The company, which is part owned by Ron Burkle's Yucaipa Cos., emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March 2012 as a privately held company.